South Africa: Will South Africa Ask International Court of Justice to Declare Israel an Apartheid State?

24 November 2023
allAfrica.com
By Jerry Chifamba

Harare — South Africa will petition the International Court of Justice to have Israel designated as an apartheid state, according to International Relations and Cooperation Minister Naledi Pandor.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) was asked by South Africa and other nations to look into possible war crimes committed by Israel. On November 17, South Africa, Djibouti, Bolivia, Bangladesh, and the Comoros all collectively reported the Palestine crisis to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

An inquiry has been proceeding since 2021, according to the ICC prosecutor, News24 reports.

Meanwhile, legislators in South Africa decided on November 21, 2023, to close the Israeli embassy in Pretoria and stop diplomatic ties until a ceasefire is declared.

The resolution is symbolic as President Cyril Ramaphosa's administration will decide whether to put it into effect. According to a presidential spokesperson, Ramaphosa "notes and appreciates" the parliament's recommendations about South Africa's diplomatic ties with Israel, specifically regarding the embassy's status.

Senior foreign ministry officials, including Ramaphosa, publicly criticized Israel's leadership throughout the country's deadly military assault against Palestinians in the densely populated Gaza Strip, and they have called for an investigation by the International Criminal Court for possible war crimes.

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