From Apartheid to Advocacy: South Africa’s Historic Trial Against Israel's Actions

Boubachar Amadou Cisse

The International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands, was animated by a two-day hearing by South Africa, the main party accusing Israel of genocidal acts against the State of Palestine. The event made the headlines of many news agencies around the world for several weeks. It follows the repetition of the conflict between Israel and Hamas at the beginning of the last quarter of 2023. Many were surprised by South Africa's stance, and others were astonished by its actions.

To better understand the posture adopted by the rainbow country at the southernmost point of the African continent, it is necessary to understand its history. This African state, dominated by colonialism, like many other African nations, was declared an independent republic in 1962 but did not have its non-racial constitution until April 1994; in other words, South Africa, as it is known today, is a young country whose history has been marked by a long-standing system of injustice on its soil: apartheid.

South Africa, a country of 62 million people, more than 80% of whom are black, has been, for so many years, the symbol of inequality in the world. The rights of the black community have only recently been recognized (in 1994); the apartheid system lasted from 1948 to 1994 and left its scars on the people. Looking at what the South African people have endured, it becomes easy to understand why they stand up for the Palestinian people. Many insist that even Israel must understand their reason because they, too, have lived a life of discrimination.

The position demonstrated by the African country with regard to Palestine dates back a long time, as the history of the two peoples is very similar; they both suffered from colonialism and racism for many years. The iconic Nelson Mandela has long expressed his support for the people of Palestine and criticized the injustice of Israel that has torn apart, if not destroyed, millions of families.

The Judicial Case

According to South African lawyers, Israel's bombing of Gaza is tantamount to genocide. It is undeniable that the Jewish state's army has targeted "more than" Hamas fighters since October 7. Ordinary citizens, women, and children were massacred; even journalists have not been spared – more than a hundred of them are believed to have been killed. The UN reported that it had suffered the highest number of casualties among its members since its inception. The attacks were also supported by racist comments from Israeli authorities. It could be said that there is no shortage of arguments on the side of South African lawyers. They were accompanied by Irish lawyers, who also made undeniable allegations about Israeli forces.

It should be remembered that hospitals, refugee centers, and mosques, to name a few, were all destroyed by Jewish forces. As a result, appalling scenes and images of women, children, and the elderly have been observed all over the world. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, more than 23,000 people died in the attacks. Israel responded by saying it had the right to defend itself against terror attacks. The lawyers argued that Israel's actions and approach portray its intention to finish off Palestinian nationals – referring to ethnic cleansing; according to many, Israel cannot deny this claim, as its authorities repeatedly express discriminatory and racial claims in the media.

Conclusion

It is clear that this case could go on for many years as long as the conflict persists and the two sides continue to accuse each other. In addition, several UN resolutions on the war have been vetoed by the United States, which is Israel's main backer. In the meantime, the number of casualties continues to rise, and a ceasefire could avoid this. It has been reported that even humanitarian aid has not been allowed to enter Gaza and other affected areas, and many people fear famine in the area.

The long-running war between Israel and Palestine has resurfaced and is becoming more critical and deadly. As this goes on, it seems that the world is again tending to forget this. The number of victims is rising, and the suffering is almost endless. The situation is a model of injustice and demonstrates how world powers act solely according to their interests. Nevertheless, whatever the outcome of this trial, South Africa will be remembered as the country on the front lines against Israeli injustice.