South Africa Takes Israel to Court. What Does It Mean?

South Africa, the nation that fought and dismantled Apartheid in their backyard has once again emerged as a country that we should learn from, as they have taken the Zionist State of Israel to court. On the 29th of December, South Africa filed an application instituting proceedings against Israel in front of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), concerning Israel’s cruel bombardment of Gaza, Palestine. 

Since October 7th, Israel has brutally killed around 25 000 Palestinians, half of whom are children. On top of that, about 1.9 million people have been displaced – which is 85% of the Gazan population. The bombardment and massacre have not stopped. We also have to keep in mind that the Palestinians have suffered 75 years of ethnic cleansing and illegal occupation by Israel. 

So, how important are the documents submitted by South Africa, to the ICJ? What could be the outcome?

We speak to Dr Jinan Bastaki, Associate Professor of Legal Studies, at NYU Abu Dhabi. Dr Jinan is an international law scholar who focuses on human rights.

Image Credit: Shutterstock Ai