Minister of International Relations Naledi Pandor will lead a delegation to The Netherlands for judgment in the genocide case against Israel. Picture: Leon Lestrade/Independent Newspapers.
Minister of International Relations Naledi Pandor is leading the South African delegation to The Hague ahead of the judgment by the International Court of Justice in the genocide case against Israel.
South Africa lodged the application against Tel Aviv calling for provisional measures against Israel to suspend its military operations in Gaza.
Gaza has been under siege for the last three months since Israel launched airstrikes in the enclave.
More than 25,000 people have been killed in Gaza and the United Nations and other relief agencies have described the situation in Gaza as a catastrophe.
In its application South Africa has called for the United Nations court to grant emergency measures to suspend the military operations conducted by Israel in Gaza.
Department of International Relations spokesperson Clayson Monyela said Pandor will lead a delegation from South Africa to The Hague. The court will deliver its judgment on Friday.
Director-General in the department Zane Dangor is expected to be part of the delegation.
Minister of Justice and Correctional Services Ronald Lamola was in The Hague early this month when he made a case for South Africa.
South Africa’s ambassador to The Hague Vusi Madonsela also made a submission to the court before lawyers presented their case.
The ICJ had set aside two days of hearings early this month when both South African and Israeli lawyers made submissions.
Pretoria has been joined by other countries in support of the application for emergency measures that Israel must suspend its operations in Gaza.
South Africa has spoken out against the killing of Palestinians since the conflict began in October.
It has said a two-state solution was the only means to peace with East Jerusalem as the capital.
President Cyril Ramaphosa last year attended the Gaza peace summit in Cairo, which was called by Egyptian leader Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
Ramaphosa also convened an emergency Brics summit where leaders from members states called for the cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hamas and a peaceful solution to the conflict.
siyabonga.mkhwanazi@inl.co.za
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