South Africa’s Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor spoke yesterday at a press briefing on the follow-up to the International Court of Justice Jan. 26 finding of plausible genocide against Palestine on the part of Israel: “The finding, we think, makes it clear that it is plausible that genocide is taking place against the Palestinian people in Gaza. This necessarily imposes an obligation on all states to cease funding and facilitating Israel’s military actions, which as the court has indicated, are plausibly genocidal,” she said.
Pandor said the decision marked a “decisive victory” for international law. However, she insisted that the UN must have a greater “implementation role” to enforce ICJ rulings, rather than merely observing and documenting international atrocities. However, so far, the U.S., according to White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby, will not allow the ICJ ruling to alter Washington’s support for Israel. The administration bypassed Congressional approval and issued two emergency weapons sales to Israel in December.
