SOUTH Africa’s Minister of Justice, Ronald Lamola, stood firm yesterday outside the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, maintaining that Israel has failed to refute South Africa’s lawsuit accusing the occupying regime of committing the crime of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
His verdict was: ‘The State of Israel today has failed to disprove South Africa’s compelling case that was presented before the ICJ yesterday. We stand by the facts, the law, and all the evidence we have submitted,’ Lamola asserted.
South Africa maintains its belief that Israel is acting in violation of the Genocide Convention. ‘There is nothing justifying the way Israel wages war on Gaza. Self-defence does not justify genocide,’ Lamola continued. ‘We are confident that we have presented a comprehensive case, and Israel attempted to demonise us. The United Nations itself acknowledged the obstruction of relief missions in Gaza, and the only solution is to stop the war.’
Lamola expressed his confidence that the International Court of Justice will compel Israel to take interim measures to halt the war on Gaza. The ICJ resumed its sessions on Friday, hearing Israel’s response to South Africa’s accusations.
In Thursday’s initial session, South Africa submitted a meticulously compiled 84-page dossier, presenting evidence of Israel’s deliberate killing of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza. The focus was on South Africa’s request for urgent measures compelling Israel to suspend its military offensive.
The legal action taken by South Africa against Israel has garnered significant support globally, challenging Israel’s actions as an occupying force. Lamola expressed gratitude for international support, emphasising that South Africa seeks justice for the Palestinian people.
Since October 7, Israel’s destructive offensive in Gaza has resulted in a devastating toll of over 23,000 fatalities, 59,000 injuries, and a significant humanitarian crisis. The ICJ proceedings mark a historic precedent in the longstanding Palestinian question.
Today, hundreds of thousands of workers and youth will be marching in London calling for ‘victory to palestine’. They must demand and see to it that the British trade union movement takes general strike action to bring down the Tories and create the conditions for smashing the racist regimes and putting revolutionary governments into power!
There is massive support nationally and internationally for victory to Palestine.
Yesterday, for the fifteenth consecutive Friday, a massive demonstration took place in the heart of the Jordanian capital, Amman, to express support and solidarity with the Palestinian people facing the Israeli genocide war in Gaza.
The protesters strongly condemned the atrocities committed by Israeli occupation forces in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, calling for Arab and international intervention to halt the ongoing aggression.
The participants voiced their dismay at the international official silence regarding the atrocities unfolding, and rejected all attempts by Israel to displace the people of Gaza, separate the West Bank from the Gaza Strip, as well as denouncing the mass murder by the Zionists of children, women, and the elderly.
Expressing their frustration with the lack of global action, they called on the international community to exert pressure on Israel to cease its aggression, defend the rights of the Palestinian people, and put an end to the extermination and forced displacement against the Palestinian people.
In this spirit the flag of South Africa was raised yesterday in front of the Bethlehem Municipality in the occupied West Bank in appreciation for the African nation’s unwavering support for Palestine, including filing a lawsuit charging Israel with genocide in the International Court of Justice.
This is the example that must be followed immediately! The workers of the world will be marching all over the world today in support of Palestine.
They must tell their trade union leaders that they must call general strikes to overthrow the current apartheid-loving regimes and bring in workers governments and socialist governments and socialism. This is the only way forward to Palestine via the victory of the worldwide socialist revolution!
