TEHRAN – In an article published on Sunday Times, the Foreign Minister of South Africa called on the International Criminal Court to detain Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in order to stop the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza.

In her article published on November 12, Naledi Pandor drew parallels between the overthrown apartheid regime in South Africa and the occupation in Israel, explaining that even during the darkest days of apartheid, no hospitals, schools or residential buildings became the targets of bombs in the African country.

She called Israel an occupying power that has been violating countless international laws in its attacks against civilians. The official noted that any person living under occupation has the right to resist. 

“The root causes of this war go back to Israel’s oppression of the Palestinians over the past 75 years, the illegal occupation of their land, and the ever-expanding web of illegal settlements deep into Palestinian territory,” she wrote. 

The South African diplomat also criticized governments supporting Israel, saying those states are abetting the genocide of Palestinian people by not holding Israel accountable for any of its crimes.