Cape Town, Oct 14 (IANS) South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Tuesday that while the recent peace agreement concerning Gaza is welcome, it will not affect the country’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
The president made the remarks while responding to questions in the National Council of Provinces in Parliament, Cape Town, Xinhua news agency reported.
“The peace deal that has been struck, which we welcome, will have no bearing on the case that is before the International Court of Justice. The case is proceeding, and it now has to go to the stage where Israel has to respond to our pleadings that have been filed in the court, and they have to do so by January of next year,” Ramaphosa told the house.
While South Africa welcomed the first phase of peace, including the ceasefire and the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, Ramaphosa said that in the end, real justice must be achieved for the people of Palestine.
“We cannot go forward without the healing that needs to take place, which will also result from the case that has been launched being properly heard,” he said.
In December 2023, South Africa approached the ICJ seeking an injunction to compel Israel to halt its attacks on Palestine and to declare those acts as genocide. In January and March 2024, the court issued provisional measures, ordering Israel to ensure the immediate provision of basic food supplies in Gaza.
Ramaphosa said that, as a party to the proceedings at the ICJ, South Africa cannot compel the court to expedite its ruling, even as Israel continues to violate several of the provisional measures ordered by the ICJ. However, he emphasised that international efforts are ongoing to end Israel’s unlawful actions in Gaza and to ensure accountability for atrocities committed against Palestinians.
“These processes are taking place at the United Nations through The Hague Group, which is a global bloc of states committed to defending international law and acting in solidarity with the people of Palestine,” Ramaphosa said.
“The government of South Africa remains resolutely committed to using every available legal and diplomatic avenue to protect the people of Palestine and to uphold the rule of law,” he added.
–IANS
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