Bozell says he'll implore SA govt to drop genocide case against Israel if he gets job as US ambassador

If confirmed as the United States's ambassador to South Africa, nominee Leo Bozell said he would implore government to drop its genocide case against Israel in the International Court of Justice.

He said that by filing the case in the world’s top court, South Africa had done an injustice and it would carry out US President Donald Trump’s instruction to stop it.

Appearing before a senate foreign relations committee hearing on Thursday, Bozell said if approved for the post, he would also advance Trump’s invitation to white Afrikaners to seek refuge for alleged injust racial discrimination.

Describing South Africa’s relations with the United States as challenging, Bozell highlighted his priorities for his pending ambassadorship.

Chief among them, to stop what he termed "lawfare" against Israel, describing the country as an ally of the US with whom it enjoys an "iron-clad" relationship.

"What South Africa did in leading the charge against Israel in the International Court of Justice, was an injustice. It’s going to be a top priority because the president has made it a top priority, and the president has told me it’s a top priority."

While Democrat Senator Chris van Hollen described Trump’s claims of a genocide against Afrikaners as "legally and morally absurd", Bozell would not say outright whether he believed this to be true.

"You have thousands of attacks that have taken place against white farmers. They fear for their lives. What the president is saying is that they can come to the United States as refugees if they fear for their lives."

If Bozell’s nomination is approved by the foreign relations committee, the nomination will proceed to a vote by the full senate.