South Africa announces plans to continue genocide case against Israel

South Africa’s President, Cyril Ramaphosa has announced plans to go forward with its genocide case against Israel’s misdeeds in Gaza, submitting additional evidence to the World Court next month.

The genocide case against Israel will proceed in the International Court of Justice (ICJ), and South Africa will file a memorial next month, according to a presidential statement.

“South Africa intends to provide facts and evidence to prove that Israel is committing the crime of genocide in Palestine,” the statement said.

“This case will continue until the court makes a finding. While the case is in progress, we hope that Israel will abide by the court’s provisional orders issued to date.”

The comments come as reports suggest that Israeli diplomats are being directed to push members of the US Congress to pressure South Africa to abandon the issue.

South Africa stated that its genocide case against Israel is part of a larger worldwide movement to promote Middle Eastern peace.

Several countries, including Turkey, Nicaragua, Palestine, Spain, Mexico, Libya, and Colombia, have joined the case, which began in January with public hearings.

South Africa filed the lawsuit at the The Hague-based tribunal in late 2023, alleging Israel of violating the 1948 Genocide Convention by bombing Gaza since last October.

In May, the top court ordered Israel to cease its offensive in Rafah, a city in southern Gaza.

It was the third time the 15-judge panel issued preliminary directions aimed at reducing the death toll and alleviating humanitarian suffering in the blockaded enclave, where the fatality count had surpassed 40,000.