SA’s case to stop genocide by Israel is robust, principled: Lamola

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Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola asserts that South Africa is presenting a robust, principled case in the International Court of Justice (ICJ), against Israel.

South Africa is requesting the ICJ to issue a declaration calling on Israel to immediately end its bombardment of Gaza.

Speaking in Mbombela, Mpumalanga, as the African National Congress (ANC) prepares for its January 8th Statement next weekend, the minister says it is important to act now.

Lamola says, “The South African legal team will be requesting from the ICJ, to issue an injunction that will enable them to stop the state of Israel to continue with the genocide, and the substantive matters will then be dealt with at a later stage. The urgent one is to stop the genocide, which is a principled position; and it’s also to ensure that we restore the respect for the rule of law…”

He adds, “We are confident that in terms of substance, and also in terms of the technicalities related to the court, the country has got a good leg to stand on, and a case to take to the court.”

Israel’s war with Hamas has claimed more than 20 000 lives in Palestine, the majority of them being women and children.

This latest conflict was sparked by an attack on Israel by Hamas on the 7th October 2023, which claimed around 1 200 lives. A music festival was one of the first targets of the surprise offensive by the Palestinian militant group.

SA presenting a robust, principled case against Israel at the International Court of Justice: Lamola