South Africa to Arrest Citizens Fighting for Israel in Gaza
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – South Africa issued a warning to arrest its citizens fighting alongside Israeli forces in the besieged Gaza Strip, nearly three months after filing a lawsuit against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over the regime's actions in the Palestinian territory.
South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor made the warning earlier this week, stating that her country's nationals who either fight in the Israeli armed forces or alongside them in the war-torn coastal enclave will be arrested upon their return, the Associated Press reported on Wednesday.
She made the remark at a Palestinian solidarity event attended by officials from South Africa's ruling African National Congress party.
"I have already issued a statement alerting those who are South African and are fighting" alongside or in the Israeli military that "we are ready."
"When you come home, we are going to arrest you," Pandor said, drawing rapturous applause from the audience.
Moreover, South Africa's top diplomat urged people to protest outside the embassies of what she termed the "five primary supporters" of Israel and its military actions in the Gaza Strip, without naming the countries.
However, she was almost certainly referring to the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany, among others.
In late December, South Africa stated before filing a lawsuit against Israel at the ICJ that the occupying regime had failed to uphold its commitments under the 1948 Genocide Convention.
Pretoria argued that Tel Aviv's atrocities in Gaza since the onset of the current war have been genocidal in character because they are intended to bring about the destruction of a substantial part of the Palestinian national, racial and ethnical group.
In its interim ruling on January 26, the top UN court ruled that South Africa's claims are plausible, ordering provisional measures.
The Hague-based court also said that the Israeli regime must implement steps to prevent genocidal acts and allow humanitarian aid flow into Gaza.
South Africa has already said that those with dual South African-Israeli citizenship could be stripped of their South African citizenship.
In November, the country's lawmakers voted in favor of closing down the Israeli embassy in Pretoria and suspending all diplomatic relations until the onslaught stops.