DA, ACDP not supporting SA's genocide case against Israel at ICJ

 

CAPE TOWN - The Democratic Alliance (DA) and African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) are not throwing their weight behind South Africa’s genocide case against Israel.

South Africa will be up first in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Thursday and given three hours to plead for the court to enforce provisional measures that will stop the hostilities in Gaza.

The DA and ACDP say that by taking sides, South Africa has scuppered the opportunity to play a neutral, mediatory role in the decades-long conflict.

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Rather than dragging Israel to the UN's top court for genocide crimes, ACDP leader, Kenneth Meshoe, said that South Africa could have played a mediatory role in convincing Hamas to release hostages captured in Israel on 7 October.

"We also do not believe that the South African government will be able to prove that Israel has the necessary genocidal intent against the Palestinian people as required by the genocide convention."

Meanwhile, the DA’s Emma Powell said that while South Africa was within its rights to approach the International Court of Justice, it’s been inconsistent in its approach.

"It is, however, a great pity that the South African government has consistently ignored gross human rights violations on our own doorsteps, including in Sudan and Zimbabwe."

The DA said it supported a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict to be achieved through a mediated settlement.