Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Naledi Pandor said they hope the Israeli government will abide by the decision of the court. Picture: Leon Lestrade / Independent Newspapers
Minister of International Relations Naledi Pandor hopes Israel will implement the provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague on Friday.
The court ruled that Israel must take measures to prevent genocide in the Gaza Strip.
This followed a court application lodged by South Africa late last year and was heard by a panel of 17 judges.
Pandor said the fact that the ICJ has ordered Israel to table monthly reports on the implementation of the order, shows they will use this to monitor the situation.
“The fact that the monthly report has been ordered is very significant. It’s clear that the court does say there is circumstantial evidence genocidal acts are committed,” said Pandor.
However, she said she hopes Tel Aviv will adhere to the order of the UN top court.
She was also hopeful Israel’s allies in the West will put pressure on it to implement the decision of the court and stop its military operations in the Gaza Strip and allow humanitarian aid.
However, if a ceasefire was not in place, it would not be able to deliver humanitarian assistance.
“What all of us should do is to call on Israel to act. The real issue is about the people of Palestine who are killed everyday. How do you transport humanitarian aid without a ceasefire? If you read the order, the ceasefire must be implemented. How do you implement these things without a ceasefire?“ Pandor said.
She said the next phase must be about a two-state solution.
siyabonga.mkhwanazi@inl.co.za
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