WASHINGTON: South Africa’s foreign minister on Tuesday accused Israel of setting a precedent for leaders to defy the top UN court, as she again alleged a campaign of “starvation” in Gaza.
South Africa has hauled Israel before the International Court of Justice to allege genocide in the war triggered by the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, infuriating Israel and drawing US criticism.
Naledi Pandor, South Africa’s foreign minister, said on Tuesday that Israel had defied a January ruling by the ICJ that it should take action to prevent acts of genocide as it fights Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor. (AFP)
“The provisional measures have been entirely ignored by Israel,” Pandor said at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace during a visit to US capital Washington.
HIGHLIGHTS
• South Africa has hauled Israel before the International Court of Justice to allege genocide in the war.
• A UN-backed food security assessment determined that Gaza is facing imminent famine.
“We’re seeing mass starvation now and famine before our very eyes,” she said.
“I think we, as humanity, need to look at ourselves in horror and dismay and to be worried that we have set an example.”
Pandor added that Israel’s actions may mean other nations believe that “there’s license — I can do what I want and I will not be stopped.”
She said that South Africa’s post-apartheid democracy — in going through international institutions — was “merely practicing what is preached to us every day” by the West.
“The ICJ has not been respected. And the day Africans disrespect (it), I hope we don’t go to that leader and say, ‘Listen, you’re out of bounds — because you’re an African, we expect you to obey,’” she said.
South Africa has again petitioned the court in The Hague to order measures for Israel to stop “widespread starvation” triggered by its Gaza offensive.
A UN-backed food security assessment determined that Gaza is facing imminent famine, with around 1.1 million people — about half the population — experiencing “catastrophic” hunger.
