South Africa has announced that it will continue its genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), with plans to file a memorial next month, according to a statement from the presidency on Tuesday.
The statement affirmed South Africa’s commitment to presenting evidence and facts to demonstrate that Israel is committing genocide in Palestine. The case will remain active until the ICJ reaches a decision, and South Africa expressed hope that Israel will comply with the Court’s provisional orders issued thus far.
The announcement comes amidst reports suggesting that Israeli diplomats are being directed to persuade members of the US Congress to pressure South Africa into withdrawing the case.
South Africa views its legal action against Israel as part of a broader international effort to promote peace in the Middle East. Several countries, including Turkiye, Nicaragua, Palestine, Spain, Mexico, Libya, and Colombia, have joined the case, which commenced public hearings in January.
The case, filed in late 2023, accuses Israel of violating the 1948 Genocide Convention through its ongoing bombardment of Gaza since October. In May, the ICJ ordered Israel to cease its military operations in the southern Gaza city of Rafah. This was the third instance of the Court’s 15-judge panel issuing preliminary orders aimed at curbing the death toll and mitigating the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where casualties have exceeded 40,000.