Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Naledi Pandor has announced they are working with Palestine to petition the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice to declare Israel an apartheid state.
Pandor said there are many plans in place to ensure that the current situation in Palestine does not escalate further.
She said other than petitioning the ICC and ICJ, they have blocked Israel from getting observer status at the African Union.
On Tuesday, Parliament will vote on the motion to close down the Israeli embassy in Pretoria.
Pandor, who was replying to a written parliamentary question from Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) MP Vuyani Pambo, said they want Israel to stop its attacks on Palestine.
She said they want the ICC and ICJ to declare Israel an apartheid state.
“South Africa and Palestine are currently working on formulating practical strategies towards taking up the Palestinian cause to the ICC and ICJ to declare Israel an apartheid state. South Africa will directly petition the ICJ to give an advisory opinion on the legal consequences arising from the ongoing violation by Israel of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination from its prolonged occupation, settlement, and annexation of the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967,” said Pandor.
Gaza has been under siege for the last five weeks, with thousands of women, children, and the elderly killed.
Aid agencies have described the situation on the ground as worsening by the day.
Pandor said their work to help Palestine will not end with the ICC and ICJ declaring Israel an apartheid state; they also want the United Nations to grant Palestine membership.
“On the global level, South Africa supports Palestinian efforts for membership of the United Nations and the creation of positive, credible, and lasting international mechanisms to address the Palestinian cause based on international law,” said Pandor.
siyabonga.mkhwanazi@inl.co,za
Politics