Among the countries the U.S. is speaking to about contributing to the force are Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Qatar and Azerbaijan, said the adviser, speaking on condition of anonymity.
(…)
After Hamas killed seven men in Gaza City it accused of collaborating with Israel, the advisers said there were discussions to establish safe zones for civilians to prevent such incidents.
Archiv: Südafrika / South Africa
South Africa Is Suspended By U.N. Assembly, 91‐22
(Nov. 13, 1974)
The vote of 91 to 22 was taken to uphold a ruling by the Assembly‘s President, Foreign Minister Abdelaziz Bouteflika of Algeria, suspending South African participation.
The United States unsuccessfully challenged the ruling, Which was also opposed by Britain, a number of Western Europeans and South Americans, and some others. Nineteen countries abstained.
“What MORE can we do?”
Importantly, we recognise that this sudden shift to present opportunities for relief did not come from compassion by those responsible for the destruction of Gaza. It was forced into being by pressure from the ground. It was the voices of millions, the unrelenting protests from Soweto to Cairo and across the world, the global student uprisings, the daily actions of human rights defenders, health workers, educators, and ordinary people refusing to remain silent, that have opened these corridors. From the Freedom Flotilla Coalition to the Sumud Convoy, from UN agencies to countless grassroots efforts, this is proof that collective action works. The occupying power and its imperialist allies have been shaken, not by diplomacy, but by the roar of people across the world demanding justice.
We note the significance of South Africa’s case at the International Court of Justice, which has warned of an impending famine, the impact of the violence of the Israeli settlers on the indigenous people across the OPT and ruled that the perpetrators of the genocide and the illegal occupation be held accountable under international law. This legal action, combined with global activism, has shifted the conversation toward the possibility of a just and lasting solution for the Palestinian people.
The fear of losing control in the Middle East to public anger has pushed both the Zionist entity and its American allies to allow some relief in, not because they wanted to, but because they fear the power of the Global majority revolting against them.
This is the lesson: change comes from the ground up.
Pressure mounts on South Africa to sever ties with Israel, expel diplomats
Several activists told Middle East Eye that they had intensified their campaign to end what they called South Africa‘s complicity in Israel‘s war on Gaza, where more than 200,000 Palestinians have been killed or wounded and the entire population is facing famine.
Zukiswa Wanner, a writer and activist, said that many South Africans had thought Pretoria‘s decision to take Israel to the International Court of Justice in late 2023 would result in a swift end to the 22-month conflict, but Israel, with full Western backing, continued its war on Gaza.
„Almost two years later, Israel has not relented and we continue seeing the horror visited on the Palestinians,“ Wanner told MEE.
„As individuals, we are all quite powerless on pushing the stop of the genocide – but as citizens – we can demand of our government that they finalise this small thing: South Africa can‘t be having normal relations with an abnormal, genocidal government.
Global South States Take Unified Stand on Gaza at Bogota Conference
(July 17, 2025)
Countries from the Global South came together in Bogota, Colombia, on July 15 and 16 for an Emergency Ministerial Conference on Palestine organised by The Hague Group. Representatives from 30 nations—including Algeria, Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Egypt, Indonesia, South Africa, Turkey, and Venezuela—expressed their solidarity with the Palestinian people amid escalating violence in Gaza.
Joint Statement on the Conclusion of the Emergency Conference on Palestine
We hereby announce the following measures, to be adopted based on states’ domestic legal and
legislative frameworks:
1. Prevent the provision or transfer of arms, munitions, military fuel, related military equipment, and dual-use items to Israel, as appropriate, to ensure that our industry does not contribute the tools to enable or facilitate genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other violations of international law.
2. Prevent the transit, docking, and servicing of vessels at any port, if applicable, within our territorial jurisdiction, while being fully compliant with applicable international law, including UNCLOS, in all cases where there is a clear risk of the vessel being used to carry arms, munitions, military fuel, related military equipment, and dual- use items to Israel, to ensure that our territorial waters and ports do not serve as conduits for activities that enable or facilitate genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other violations of international law.
3. Prevent the carriage of arms, munitions, military fuel, related military equipment, and dual-use items to Israel on vessels bearing our flag, while being fully compliant with applicable international law, including UNCLOS, ensuring full accountability, including de-flagging, for non-compliance with this prohibition, not to render aid or assistance in maintaining the situation created by Israel’s illegal presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
4. Commence an urgent review of all public contracts, in order to prevent public institutions and public funds, where applicable, from supporting Israel’s illegal occupation of the Palestinian Territory which may entrench its unlawful presence in the territory, to ensure that our nationals, and companies and entities under our jurisdiction, as well as our authorities, do not act in any way that would entail recognition or provide aid or assistance in maintaining the situation created by Israel’s illegal presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
5. Comply with our obligations to ensure accountability for the most serious crimes under international law through robust, impartial and independent investigations and prosecutions at national or international levels, in compliance with our obligation to ensure justice for all victims and the prevention of
future crimes.
6. Support universal jurisdiction mandates, as and where applicable in our legal constitutional frameworks and judiciaries, to ensure justice for all victims and the prevention of future crimes in the Occupied Palestine Territory.
States announce unprecedented measures to halt the Gaza genocide at Bogotá conference
16 July 2025 – In the most ambitious multilateral action since the start of Gaza genocide 21 months ago, a coalition of cross-regional states gathered in Bogotá has agreed to six coordinated diplomatic, legal and economic measures to restrain Israel’s assault on the Occupied Palestinian Territories and defend international law at large.
Jointly convened by the governments of Colombia and South Africa as co-chairs, the Emergency Conference of The Hague Group, brought together 30 states from Africa, Asia, Europe, as well as North America and South America to move beyond words of condemnation — and to take collective action grounded in international law.
In the deliberations at the Bogotá conference, all 30 participating states unanimously agreed that the era of impunity must end— and that international law must be enforced without fear or favour through immediate domestic policies and legislation — along with a unified call for an immediate ceasefire.
To kickstart that process, 12 states from across the world — Bolivia, Colombia, Cuba, Indonesia, Iraq, Libya, Malaysia, Namibia, Nicaragua, Oman, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and South Africa — committed to implementing the six measures immediately through their domestic legal and administrative systems to break the ties of complicity with Israel’s campaign of devastation in Palestine — and set a date of 20th September, to coincide with the 80th UN General Assembly, for additional states to join them. Consultations with capitals across the world are now ongoing.
6 mesures concrètes pour mettre fin à l’impunité d’Israël
(video)
Iraq among 12 nations in push to halt Gaza genocide
Iraq was among 12 countries that took part in an emergency international conference convened by The Hague Group in Bogotá, Colombia, aimed at halting the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
The participating states—spanning Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia—committed to implementing six urgent measures through their national legal and administrative systems.
Twelve nations commit to ‚unprecedented measures‘ holding Israel accountable for genocide
(July 16, 2025)
According to the summit‘s final statement, the measures include implementing an arms embargo on weapons to Israel, preventing ships carrying weapons to Israel from docking at ports, reviewing public contracts that support the Israeli occupation of Palestine, fulfilling obligations to ensure accountability for the most serious crimes under international law, and backing prosecutions of Israeli war criminals at national and international levels.
Legacy of South African Bantustans hangs over Trump deal
(February 9, 2020)
South Africa‘s Bantustans were designed to weaken and fragment the black population. Under Trump‘s plan, Palestine could face a similar fate.
South Africa Is Suspended By U.N. Assembly, 91‐22
(Nov. 13, 1974)
The vote of 91 to 22 was taken to uphold a ruling by the Assembly‘s President, Foreign Minister Abdelaziz Bouteflika of Algeria, suspending South African participation.
The United States unsuccessfully challenged the ruling, Which was also opposed by Britain, a number of Western Europeans and South Americans, and some others. Nineteen countries abstained.
International Court of Justice: South Africa condemns Israel over Gaza ‘killing field’
South Africa Tuesday intensified its legal and diplomatic campaign at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), accusing Israel of breaching international law through its occupation and military actions in Gaza and the West Bank.
Speaking before ICJ in The Hague, Zane Dangor, director-general of South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation, painted a stark picture of life for Palestinians, referencing United Nations reports describing Gaza as a “killing field” and warning of a man-made famine.
South Africa Is Suspended By U.N. Assembly, 91‐22
(Nov. 13, 1974)
The vote of 91 to 22 was taken to uphold a ruling by the Assembly‘s President, Foreign Minister Abdelaziz Bouteflika of Algeria, suspending South African participation.
The United States unsuccessfully challenged the ruling, Which was also opposed by Britain, a number of Western Europeans and South Americans, and some others. Nineteen countries abstained.
Gaza: can the UN suspend Israel over its treatment of Palestinians? It’s complicated, but yes
At the start of each annual general assembly session, the credentials committee reviews submissions from each member state before they are formally admitted. Usually, this is a formality, but on September 27 1974, the credentials of South Africa – which was then operating an apartheid system – were rejected.
(…)
A draft resolution calling for South Africa’s expulsion was eventually put to the security council at the end of October, but it was vetoed by the US, the UK and France.
However, on November 12, the president of the general assembly, Algeria’s Abdelaziz Bouteflika, ruled that given the credentials committee’s decision and the passing of resolution 3207, “the general assembly refuses to allow the delegation of South Africa to participate in its work”. South Africa remained suspended from the general assembly until June 1994 following the ending of apartheid.
South Africa has presented genocide memorial against Israel to ICJ, meeting October 2024 deadline
The country filed the dossier to the International Court of Justice on 28 October, but this does not necessarily mean there will be a judgment soon. It could be years before there is a ruling.
South Africa files evidence for ‚genocide‘ in Gaza
The document „contains evidence which shows how the government of Israel has violated the genocide convention by promoting the destruction of Palestinians living in Gaza“, the presidency said in a statement.
An official for the Hague-based court on Monday confirmed it had received the document, but declined to give further detail.
South Africa Is Suspended By U.N. Assembly, 91‐22
(Nov. 13, 1974)
The vote of 91 to 22 was taken to uphold a ruling by the Assembly‘s President, Foreign Minister Abdelaziz Bouteflika of Algeria, suspending South African participation.
The United States unsuccessfully challenged the ruling, Which was also opposed by Britain, a number of Western Europeans and South Americans, and some others. Nineteen countries abstained.
South Africa to Sue US and UK as Complicit in Gaza Genocide
(January 15, 2024)
The United States must now be held accountable for the crimes it committed,‘ says Van Rensburg, who is leading the 47-lawyers team.
“We intend to bring legal proceedings against the U.S. Government based on overwhelming evidence that the U.S. Government has, and is, aiding, abetting and supporting, encouraging or providing material assistance and means to Israel and the Israeli Defense Forces. This conduct by the U.S. Government has enabled and continues to enable Israel to engage in international crimes against the Palestinian people,” the South African lawyers said in a letter sent to US President Joe Biden on January 2.
Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel) – The Republic of South Africa submits an urgent request for the indication of additional provisional measures and the modification of the Court’s prior provisional measures Order and decision
THE HAGUE, 6 March 2024. South Africa today filed an urgent request with the Court for the indication of additional provisional measures and the modification of the Court’s Order of 26 January 2024 and decision of 16 February 2024 in the case concerning Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel).
In its new request, South Africa states that it is “compelled to return to the Court in light of the new facts and changes in the situation in Gaza — particularly the situation of widespread starvation — brought about by the continuing egregious breaches of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide . . . by the State of Israel . . . and its ongoing manifest violations of the provisional measures indicated by this Court on 26 January 2024”. It requests the Court to indicate further provisional measures and/or to modify the provisional measures indicated it its Order of 26 January 2024, pursuant to Article 41 of the Statute of the Court and Article 75, paragraphs 1 and 3, and Article 76, paragraph 1, of the Rules of Court, respectively, “in order urgently to ensure the safety and security of 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza, including over a million children”. It urges the Court to do so without holding a hearing, in light of the “extreme urgency of the situation”.
South Africa Asks U.N. Court to Intervene to Avert ‘Genocidal Starvation’ in Gaza
(07.03.2024)
Israel has strenuously denied the genocide allegation, and on Thursday its foreign ministry called on the court to reject South Africa’s latest request.
“South Africa continues to act as the legal arm of Hamas in an attempt to undermine Israel’s inherent right to defend itself and its citizens, and to release all of the hostages,” Lior Haiat, a spokesman for Israel’s Foreign Ministry, said on social media.
It was not immediately clear when the court would respond to the request.
South Africa’s request to ICJ to prevent an unprecedented massacre in Rafah is welcomed by Euro-Med Monitor
In its report on 10 February, Euro-Med Monitor stressed that 15 days after the ICJ ordered Israel to take all possible measures to prevent the crime of genocide against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli army has maintained its rate of killing civilians, depriving them of their most basic human rights, besieging them, and starving them.
The human rights group reported that the Israeli army has killed over 1,864 Palestinians—including 690 children and 441 women—and injured over 2,933 more since the ICJ ruling, bringing the death toll of Israel’s genocidal war against the Gaza Strip, ongoing since 7 October 2023, to 35,880, including 13,880 children and 7,910 women.
Israel’s military has continued to bomb and destroy houses even after its military operations in the southern Gaza Strip were supposedly terminated a few weeks ago, stated the rights group. The Israeli army has blown up at least 43 residential squares since the ICJ ruling, with each square containing between 20 to 50 houses, mainly in the Strip’s southern area of Khan Yunis.
UN-mandated ground troops from South Africa marching into Palestine to secure the free and fair vote for a Constitutional Assembly, following a popular vote and elections
(search results)
APPLICATION OF THE CONVENTION ON THE PREVENTION AND PUNISHMENT OF THE CRIME OF GENOCIDE IN THE GAZA STRIP (SOUTH AFRICA V. ISRAEL) – URGENT REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL MEASURES UNDER ARTICLE 75(1) OF THE RULES OF COURT OF THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE
9. In LaGrand, the Court exercised its Article 75(1) power in a situation of extreme urgency affecting one individual. Here there is a situation of extreme urgency affecting an estimated 1.4 million vulnerable Palestinians in Rafah, at least half of them children. They are at serious risk of irreparable harm to their right to be protected from acts of genocide contrary to Articles II and II of the Genocide
Convention, by a State which has already been found by this Court to be acting in plausible breach of its obligations under that Convention.
10. South Africa thus respectfully calls upon the Court to consider as a matter of the greatest urgency whether the developing circumstances in Rafah require that it exercise its power under Article 75(1) of the Rules of Court to prevent further imminent breach of the rights of Palestinians in Gaza. South Africa also reserves its own rights to take further action in respect of the situation.
11. I have the honour to assure the Court of my highest esteem and consideration.
South Africa asks UN court to urgently examine Israel’s targeting of Rafah in ongoing genocide case
South Africa said it asked the court to weigh whether Israel’s strikes on Rafah, and its intention to launch a ground offensive on the city where 1.4 million Palestinians have sought shelter, breaches both the U.N. Genocide Convention and preliminary orders handed down by the court last month in a case accusing Israel of genocide.
South Africa calls on ICJ to make decision on Rafah offensive
South Africa has made an urgent request to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to consider whether Israel‘s decision to extend its military operations in Rafah requires that the court use its power to prevent further breach of the rights of Palestinians in Gaza, South Africa‘s presidency said on Tuesday.
South Africa Is Suspended By U.N. Assembly, 91‐22
(Nov. 13, 1974)
The vote of 91 to 22 was taken to uphold a ruling by the Assembly‘s President, Foreign Minister Abdelaziz Bouteflika of Algeria, suspending South African participation.
The United States unsuccessfully challenged the ruling, Which was also opposed by Britain, a number of Western Europeans and South Americans, and some others. Nineteen countries abstained.
War on Gaza: A strategic blunder to hasten US decline
This Palestinian paradox – military defeat and political victory – is not unusual in the history of liberation struggles. The Vietnamese Tet offensive of 1968 was a military failure, but it is widely agreed that it was a political turning point which left the US unable to rally support for the war as it had done before.
In South Africa’s long struggle against apartheid, at least two defeats, the Sharpeville massacre of 1960 and the Soweto uprising of 1976, so exposed the white nationalist regime that it never rebuilt the pre-existing levels of support that it had enjoyed.
None of these cases were final victories. Those took longer to achieve, and much more blood was spilt before liberation.
The Vietnamese lost three million souls compared to 55,000 US casualties before the war ended.
World’s gaze on Peace Palace while ICJ prepares to rule on SA’s genocide case against Israel
It’s likely to be a moment of high drama at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the Peace Palace in The Hague on Friday afternoon when Judge Joan E Donoghue, the president of the court, announces the decision of the 17 judges on South Africa’s request to the court to issue provisional measures against Israel to stop its alleged genocide in Gaza.
International Relations and Cooperation Minister Naledi Pandor will be in the court as the head of a South African delegation and representatives of Israel and Palestine will surely be in the court too, and probably outside it.
„Das Verfahren drückt eine Art der internationalen Solidarität aus, die seit dem Kalten Krieg völlig in Vergessenheit geraten ist“
Was sind die konkreten Vorwürfe Südafrikas an Israel, können Sie das einmal näher ausführen?
Zunächst muss ich auf die ungeheure Symbolkraft und emotionale Wucht dieses Verfahrens eingehen, das Menschen auf der ganzen Welt elektrisiert. Diese Wucht hat vor allem mit vier Dingen zu tun: Erstens drückt das Verfahren eine internationale Solidarität aus, die seit dem Kalten Krieg völlig in Vergessenheit geraten ist. In der dunkelsten Stunde der Not, um es einmal pathetisch auszudrücken, erscheint einer völlig am Boden liegenden und ‚von allen guten Geistern verlassenen‘ palästinensischen Nation ein ‚Retter‘, ein Licht am Ende des Tunnels – jemand, der ohne offensichtlichen Eigennutz plötzlich für palästinensische Rechte eintritt…
Massive protest in Cape Town in support of people of Gaza
The Global Solidarity Day followed two days of public hearings at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, Netherlands, in which South Africa asked the court to make a prima facie (on the face of it) finding that Israel may be committing genocide. Israel disputed the charges and claimed South Africa was siding with Hamas.
A statement read out by the organisers said: “We are here today to be part of the global day of action that will see demonstrations planned in more than 66 cities and at least 36 countries. Today’s rally will be part of a united front of global voices, calling unconditionally for an immediate and permanent ceasefire.”
In South Africa’s application, the Background section notes that in past bombings of Gaza, UN fact finding missions found no evidence of Israeli allegations that armed groups used hospitals, but they did find evidence that Israel used Palestinian civilians as human shields.
WATCH: Day 1 of SA v Israel on Genocide at World Court
South Africa on Thursday presented its case against Israel of committing genocide in Gaza and asked the World Court to order Israel to stop its military operation. Watch the replay. Israel responds on Friday.