JOHANNESBURG: South Africa has hailed the United Nations’ top court ruling issued earlier today urging Israel to take all necessary measures to prevent acts of genocide in Gaza.
President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed hope that the decision would lead to a ceasefire in Gaza. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague also ordered Israel to allow humanitarian access to the Palestinian territory in a landmark case brought by Pretoria.
Ramaphosa, in a televised address, said that Israel’s actions in Gaza were exposed before the international community. South Africa accused Israel of violating the 1948 UN Genocide Convention during its military campaign in Gaza.
“We expect Israel as a self-proclaimed democracy and a state that respects the rule of law to abide by the measures handed down,” he said.
South African President and ruling African National Congress party’s top officials cheered and celebrated the decision.
Ramaphosa called for the decision’s implementation, a renewed diplomatic effort to end the conflict, and emphasized South Africa’s commitment to the Palestinian people’s quest for self-determination.
Ramaphosa expressed the hope that the ruling would contribute to a ceasefire and renewed negotiations for a permanent two-state solution, allowing Israel and Palestine to coexist as independent states.
He underscored South Africa’s unwavering commitment to the Palestinian people in light of its painful history of dispossession and discrimination. According to the Hamas government’s health ministry, at least 26,083 Palestinians, primarily women, young children, and adolescents, have been killed in Gaza since Israeli bombardments and ground offensives began.
