TEHRAN – South Africa's genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) seeks to break Israel's impunity and hold those responsible for the devastating humanitarian toll in Gaza accountable, South African Foreign Minister told the Tehran Times. 

During an exclusive interview, Ronald Lamola spoke about the genocide case his country brought against Israel in December, reiterating South Africa’s commitment to making sure Israel understands it needs to comply with international law.

“South Africa took the step to put an end to Israel’s impunity. Many countries including the Islamic Republic of Iran have expressed their support towards this aim,” the top diplomat stated. 

Since Israel began its war against Gaza on October 7, which followed a successful Palestinian operation into the occupied territories, the humanitarian situation in the enclave has exponentially deteriorated. In the past 10 months, the regime has razed the entirety of Gaza to the ground, pummelled all medical facilities, and caused widespread famine and disease by blocking the entry of food, water, and medicine into the region.

“We want to hold accountable the Israeli leaders that have murdered women and children, destructed Gaza’s civilian infrastructure, and decided to starve the people of Gaza,” the South African Foreign Minister added. 

South Africa’s case against Israel argues that the regime has violated the 1948 Genocide Convention, which was established in the aftermath of the Holocaust and requires all countries to prevent the recurrence of such crimes. 

Since October 7, more than 40,000 Gazans have lost their lives. A recent study published by a leading British medical journal estimated that the death toll could ultimately exceed 186,000 (approximately 9 percent of Gaza’s population) due to the cumulative impact of Israel's ongoing offensive. The study also points out that the current death toll is probably higher, as thousands of dead buried under rubble have not been taken into account. The main victims of Israel’s war in Gaza are women and children. 

Israel’s legal impunity granted by Western powers

The Israeli regime has been enjoying unwavering support from Washington and its European allies, which have disregarded their citizens' calls for holding Israel accountable for its crimes against humanity. The U.S. and Europe continue to send weapons to Israel, and some have gone out of their way to make sure the regime would not face any legal reprisals. 

In the United States, it was revealed that more than a dozen American senators have warned International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutors of potential sanctions against them and their families should they choose to issue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and some of his ministers.

In Europe, many countries have banned a British-Palestinian doctor’s entry into their territories, with France keeping him at a holding zone in the airport for several hours before expelling him. Ghassan Abu-Sitta, who was scheduled to make a speech at the French Senate, spent 43 days in Gaza, helping treat those wounded in Israel’s war. 

Before he was expelled from France in May, Abu-Sitta was also denied entry into Germany, where he was detained and questioned for several hours. The Palestinian doctor is one of the potential witnesses of Israel’s genocide in the enclave. 

In their most recent attempt to insulate Israel against legal action, Western states reportedly tried to block an ICJ ruling which determined in June that the regime’s ongoing presence in the occupied Palestinian territory is illegal and should be promptly terminated.

The UK, for instance, submitted a 43-page legal opinion to the top UN Court which opposed the hearing of the case on Israel’s occupation of Palestine altogether. 

While the ICJ has not yet rendered a final decision on the case brought by South Africa, analysts and legal experts anticipate that UN prosecutors will face significant challenges in delivering a fair ruling, given the pressure from Western states to overlook Israeli crimes.

By Mona Hojat Ansari