Dozens of Palestinians gathered Wednesday in entrance of the statue of Nelson Mandela within the occupied West Bank to thank South Africa for bringing a “genocide” case in opposition to Israel over its bombardment of Gaza.
The crowd waved Palestinian flags, listened to speeches and held indicators saying “Stop the genocide” and “Thank you South Africa”.
Hearings on the UN’s high court docket will start on Thursday with South Africa hoping the judges will compel Israel to halt its bombardment.
“It’s crucial to point out appreciation to the individuals who perceive our ache,” Ramallah mayor Issa Kassis informed AFP after addressing the group.
“We really feel that South Africa listens to our coronary heart.”
South Africa’s ruling African National Congress has lengthy supported the Palestinian trigger, usually linking it to its personal battle in opposition to the apartheid authorities, which had cooperative relations with Israel.
Mandela famously mentioned South Africa’s freedom can be “incomplete with out the liberty of the Palestinians”.
Mvuyo Mhangwane, South Africa’s consultant to the Palestinians, mentioned his countrymen had not forgotten Mandela’s phrases.
“The message is to remind them (Palestinians) that we’re pals of Palestine ceaselessly, for higher or for worse, and to say that Palestine shouldn’t be alone,” he mentioned.
While the UN’s International Court of Justice (ICJ) makes binding selections, it has little potential to implement them.
Nevertheless, Israel and the United States have reacted furiously to the case.
On Tuesday, high US diplomat Antony Blinken dismissed the case as “meritless” and mentioned it was “significantly galling” as a result of Hamas, Iran and others had the acknowledged goal of wiping Israel from the map.
Last week Israeli authorities spokesperson Eylon Levy mentioned South Africa was giving “political and authorized cowl” for the assault launched by Hamas on October 7.
The assault resulted in about 1,140 deaths in Israel, largely civilians, in response to an AFP tally primarily based on official figures.
Israel has since bombarded Gaza by land, sea and air, killing at the least 23,357 folks, largely ladies and youngsters, in response to the Gaza well being ministry.
“South Africa has made itself criminally complicit with Hamas’s marketing campaign of genocide in opposition to our folks,” mentioned Levy, accusing the nation of “betting the fashionable heirs of the Nazis”.