Recently, South Africa took Israel to the International Court of Justice in The Hague, accusing Israel of committing genocide in Gaza. The ICJ chairman found that there was a prima facie case that Israel had committed genocide in Gaza, but the court didn’t grant South Africa’s request for Israeli troops to cease-fire in Gaza. Since then, the ANC claims to have been suffering “repercussions” from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany, who oppose its ICJ action. Still, South Africa remains resolute in its efforts to bring justice for Palestinians.
President Cyril Ramaphosa informed senior ANC officials of the “fightback” against the party and the impact it would have on domestic politics. He indicated they may face “systematic fightback campaigns” from Israel and its allies, warning this could focus on their electoral outcomes and result in an attempted regime change. Meanwhile, Minister of International Relations Naledi Pandor has warned that the country is paying the price for its actions on the international stage. She suggested that fallout from the opposition to Israel might include interference in the upcoming South African elections.
The party leader, Ramaphosa, warned of foreign interference, called for vigilance against international meddling, and described this as a “David and Goliath contest.” These developments come as the ANC faces its 30 years of governance coming under threat. With allegations of corruption, unemployment, violent crime, and a service delivery crisis, the ANC’s support is significantly eroding. Analysts predict the party will need to form a coalition government to stay in power, dealing a blow to its long-standing rule. Nonetheless, the ANC characterizes itself as bravely standing up to the world’s “big bullies” in hopes of rallying support.
Furthermore, Minister of International Relations Naledi Pandor suggested a coordinated misinformation campaign against South Africa following the ICJ findings. She claimed that fake stories had been planted in the international media and on social media about her, her government, and its actions. Concerned by what she sees as a double standard, Pandor criticized the ICC chief prosecutor for issuing arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin but not for Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. Amid support for South Africa’s charges against Israel, some consider Pretoria’s claims of genocide against Israel unjustified. However, many South Africans see the situation as a moral issue and believe their support for Palestine is justified given their history of fighting against apartheid.