JOHANNESBURG — South Africa’s government has mounted a fresh legal challenge in its bid to push for a ceasefire in Gaza, said Zane Dangor director-general in the Department of International Relations and Cooperation.
It follows concerns that the Israeli government is not complying with a recent International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling.
South Africa accused Israel of genocide and sought a ruling from the ICJ in January.
Pretoria is concerned that the January 26 ruling, which ordered Israel to take measures to prevent acts of genocide, is being ignored. It submitted legal papers to the ICJ on Tuesday, Dangor said.
Dangor said South Africa’s stance enjoyed support from many quarters, including from diplomatic missions of countries that are traditionally aligned to Israel.
He hopes civil society formations would press their governments to put Israel under pressure to agree to calls for a ceasefire.
South Africa wrote to the ICJ, asking it to step in more decisively to stop the carnage, said Dangor.
South African businesses are concerned that trade relations with Israel’s allies, like the U.S., could be jeopardized as a result of South Africa’s pro-Palestine stance, a business leader said, speaking on condition of anonymity over fear of censure.
In the same week, it emerged that the U.S. Congress had received a draft bill calling for a full review of the country’s bilateral relationship with South Africa.
The bill was introduced by U.S. Republican congressman John James and Democratic Party congressman Jared Moskowitz, bringing uncertainty about South Africa’s future participation in the African Growth and Opportunity Act, which gives duty-free status to thousands of exports from the continent.
