The South African government on Wednesday reiterated its commitment to the case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), calling on the international community to defend the rule of law and act collectively to end atrocities in Gaza.   

CAPE TOWN, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- The South African government on Wednesday reiterated its commitment to the case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), calling on the international community to defend the rule of law and act collectively to end atrocities in Gaza.

Addressing a joint sitting of the National Assembly's Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperation as well as the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development in Cape Town, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola said the conflict in Gaza is not only about Palestine but also about the integrity of the global system of governance.

"International law and the global system of governance that has been developed after the Second World War is under severe attack; it is important for the global majority who believe in a rules-based system based on the UN Charter and international law to stand up and protect the sanctity of the rule of law," he told members of parliament.

South Africa filed its case against Israel on Dec. 29, 2023, accusing it of violating the Genocide Convention. The minister said his country has acted "in accordance with our constitutional values and international law obligations," stressing that preventing genocide is "a shared duty" requiring global solidarity.

Lamola cautioned against the selective application of international law. "International legal mechanisms are not only to be used to target Africans and those in the Global South. These are universal instruments aimed at justice for all," he said.

The minister also pointed to initiatives such as the Hague Group and the Madrid Group, where South Africa has worked with dozens of countries to push for an immediate cease-fire and a negotiated peace. These coalitions, he explained, reflect the growing consensus of the "global majority" in rejecting impunity and calling for a just resolution.

Lamola reaffirmed South Africa's support for a two-state solution and a commitment to international law. "South Africa will continue to strive for the primacy of international law, promote accountability and ensure a just peace," he said.

"As we have said to the UN General Assembly recently, all obstacles to the two-state solution should be removed," he added.■