South African President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa Asserts Support for Palestine
Roots in the Fight Against Apartheid
South African President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa has stated that his country's support for Palestine is not an act of indulgence, but rather it "draws its roots from our own struggle against apartheid."
Legal Action Against Israel
In December 2023, South Africa filed a complaint against Israel with the International Court of Justice, citing the Convention for the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. Pretoria accuses the occupying army of serious human rights violations and crimes committed against the Palestinian people.
International Court of Justice Ruling
The International Court of Justice subsequently issued provisional measures requiring Israel to take urgent action to protect Palestinian civilians, in a decision that was then described as "historic." This stance by South Africa has sparked evident discontent from Washington.
