Israel not complying with world court's interim ruling: South Africa

As Israel continues preparing for a feared ground offensive in Gaza's southernmost city, South Africa has said its actions show it is not complying with previous orders by the UN's top court to prevent genocide in Palestine.

Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor said her country is horrified at what has been happening to people in the enclave, including in the city of Rafah on its southern border with Egypt, as well as in the occupied West Bank.

"We believe this confirms the allegations we have tabled before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that genocide is underway in the occupied Palestinian territories and clearly the actions of the Israeli government prove that what we have said is actually accurate," Pandor told reporters on the sidelines of the African Union Executive Council meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

In late 2023, South Africa filed a case at the top UN court in The Hague, accusing Israel of failing to uphold its obligations under the 1948 Genocide Convention.

In its interim ruling in January, the court found South Africa's claims plausible. It ordered Israel's government to cease genocidal acts and to take steps to ensure that civilians in Gaza receive humanitarian assistance.

Now, international warnings are escalating regarding Israeli bombardment of the city of Rafah, amid preparations for a ground invasion.

'World is allowing Israel to ignore the rulings of ICJ'

"What is of great concern is that the world is allowing Israel to ignore the rulings of the International Court of Justice and no one is taking any measure to place a force in Palestine, that would be a peace enforcement force, to protect the innocent civilians who have caused no harm whatsoever to Israel," Pandor said.

The top South African diplomat also condemned the killing of journalists in Palestine. "I can imagine if in Africa we had a conflict where over 170 journalists were killed. The whole world, all media, would be talking about this as a terrible infringement of human rights and freedom of expression by Africans. But when it's Israeli forces, it seems it's acceptable," she said.

Pandor stressed that the killing of journalists should never have been tolerated anywhere in the world and that they should be allowed to operate freely and report accurately.

South Africa on Monday requested the ICJ to urgently assess Israel's intentions in expanding its military presence in Rafah, Gaza's southernmost city, urging the court to consider whether it must use its power to prevent further breach of Palestinians' rights.

Pretoria said it was "gravely concerned that the unprecedented military offensive against Rafah, as announced by the State of Israel, has already led to and will result in further large-scale killing, harm and destruction. This would be in serious and irreparable breach both of the Genocide Convention and of the Court's Order of 26 January 2024."

'Drastic measures' needed

The governing African National Congress party (ANC) on Wednesday hosted a delegation from the Palestinian Fatah group, led by Secretary General Jibril Rajoub, who expressed gratitude to the South African government for taking Israel to the world court for committing alleged genocidal crimes in Gaza.

Rajoub said he was leading a national delegation from Palestine rather than a factional one which includes the son of a Hamas leader, state broadcaster SABC reported.

He briefed the ANC about the situation in Palestine and called on the world to bring Israel to account for its crimes.

"We are of the view that drastic measures have to be taken against Israel. The UN cannot just be making expressions. It's time to act. A minority has never ruled above the majority without it being halted," ANC First Deputy Secretary General Nomvula Mokonyane told the SABC.

Expressing concern over the Israeli military assault in Rafah, she called it a show of arrogance and an act against humanity.

Since a cross-border incursion by the Palestinian resistance group Hamas on Oct. 7, killing some 1,200 people, the Israeli offensive into Gaza has killed more than 28,000 people and caused mass destruction and shortages of necessities.