South Africa’s Justice Minister, Ronald Lamola has stated that Israel “failed to disprove” the genocide case presented before the International Court of Justice (ICJ.
Following Israel’s defence at the court, Lamola told reporters in The Hague that there is no debate about what Prime Minister Netanyahu’s term “Amalek” means and how it is understood by soldiers fighting on the ground and by the Israelis.
He said, “How can you ignore Netanyahu’s statement, the statement of the defence minister and the ground forces? That is a clear implementation of policy.”
He noted that Israel chose to focus extensively on the events of October 7, adding that South Africa has not ignored this event as Israel alleged because it has unequivocally condemned and continues to condemn October 7.
“Self-defence is no answer to genocide. Nothing can ever justify genocide,” Lamola stressed.
“No matter what some individual within the group of Palestine and Gaza may have done, and no matter how great the threat to Israel citizens might be, genocidal attacks on the whole of Gaza … with the intent of destroying them cannot be justified at all.”
“We believe and remain very confident that those facts [are] still in violation of the Genocide Convention,” he added.
Ronald Lamola
On the other hand, Israel’s Foreign Minister, Israel Katz stated that South Africa’s claims against Israel lack foundation.
Katz also accused South Africa of supporting Hamas.
“There is no basis for South Africa’s claims against Israel,” he said, denouncing the “double standards” of some of the countries.
He asserted, “On the contrary, no evidence was presented for this, only evidence of a moral defensive war like no other.”
“South Africa itself violates the Genocide Convention by supporting the terrorist organisation Hamas which calls for the elimination of the State of Israel,” he added.
South Africa Rejects Israel’s Claims That It Supports Hamas
Zane Dangor, Director General of South Africa’s Ministry of International Relations, strongly denied the allegation made by Israel’s foreign ministry that South Africa is “functioning as the legal arm” of Hamas.
“South Africa’s legal team represents the people of South Africa,” Dangor said after the ICJ hearing, adding his country is pursuing the genocide case at the ICJ “because we want to stop more harm to Palestinians and it is in the interest of justice.”
Dangor also denied Israeli claims that South African officials praised Hamas following its October 7 attack.
“It is something we reject with contempt,” he said.
Additionally, Dangor asserted that Israel’s defense at the ICJ was “not compelling.”
Dangor emphasized that South Africa’s arguments on Thursday were not addressed by Israel and their argument that the “statements from senior leaders, including (Israeli) Prime Minister’s (were) mere rhetoric, and it’s part of freedom of speech; in the context of a systemic violence, is something that we find astonishing.”
“So we don’t think that they made a case that could debunk what we have said and we trust the judges will make the right decision as soon as possible,” he added.
Dangor also said that the provisional measures they have asked the judges to rule to stop the bloodshed in Gaza should be decided urgently, adding that the judges told them that the decision will be made “as soon as possible.”
“So hopefully, it will be quite soon given the urgency that it will indicate that we think the matter is, we think that the provisional measures and the access to military aid and at least the handling of the killing … and injury in the context of the hospitals have been degraded is very urgent.”
Zane Dangor
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