By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
African National Congress (ANC) deputy secretary general Nomvula Makonyane says the provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in South Africa’s case against Israel go beyond the request for a ceasefire.
Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel resulted in about 1,140 deaths, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official figures.
Militants also seized about 250 hostages, and Israel says around 132 of them remain in Gaza, including the bodies of at least 28 dead captives.
Israel’s ensuing military offensive has killed at least 26,422 people, most of them women and children, in Gaza, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.
Speaking on the matter at a media briefing, Mokonyane emphasized that it would be unjust for South Africa to face punitive measures from global economic powers due to its stance on the Palestine-Israel conflict.
This comes after South Africa approached the International Court of Justice this month accusing Israel of violating the 1948 Genocide Convention due to its military bombardment and siege of Gaza.
On Friday, the World Court determined that Israel’s actions in Gaza are plausibly genocidal and has indicated provisional measures on that basis.
Mokonyane said they will engage other countries aligned with Israel because their economies also depend on South Africa to a certain extent.
“In the view of the ANC, the provisional measures go beyond a ceasefire, demanding Israel to prevent genocide, punish incitement, preserve evidence, provide humanitarian aid and submit a report within a month.”
At the same time, Justice Minister Ronald Lamola said South Africa had achieved its objective since the ICJ judgment amounts to a ceasefire.
“We have achieved the objective of our submission. So, in our view, our prayers were responded to by the court, and the court has granted us what we had requested.”
Lamola added Israel is interpreting the ICJ verdict differently for the sake of propaganda.”
“They have always been running the war in the form of propaganda until South Africa submitted the papers and the world has viewed this different,” Lamola said.