JOHANNESBURG – The South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) has condemned government’s decision to file a case to the against Israel.
The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) confirmed that on Friday, a case was opened at the International Court of Justice.
The department said its application relates to the alleged violations by Israel of its obligations under the Genocide Convention, adding that the Middle Eastern country has engaged in genocidal acts against the Palestinian people in Gaza.
READ: SA files genocide case at International Court of Justice accusing Israel of genocide
The Israel-Palestine conflict has been raging for nearly 12 weeks since Hamas launched its attack on 7 October 2023, leaving over 1,000 people dead, mostly civilians, according to Israeli officials.
The Health Ministry in Gaza said over 21,000 people have been killed in Israel’s retaliatory attacks.
In a statement released on Sunday, the SAJBD said while it believes that the conflict between the two parties should be brought to an end, it is of the view that government should be using its influence to “talk to both sides”.
“Rather than play a positive role, South Africa has chosen to expend its time and energy in filing a case against Israel at the International Court of Justice.”
The board also expressed deep concern at “government’s inclusion of a (December) meeting it held with the SAJBD in making its case against Israel”.
“The SAJBD met with the president to express its concerns about rising anti-Semitism in SA and about the lack of consular services to SA citizens in Israel. The SAJBD made it clear that we are not the representatives of the state of Israel nor go-betweens of the two countries,” national chairperson of the organisation Karen Milner said in the statement.
“That the SA legal case against Israel twisted the meeting in this way shows the depths to which the government will sink in doing the bidding of its friends, Hamas,” she added.
The board believes the ICJ move “lacks credibility” and displays “no interest in finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict”.