ICJ ruling a win for Palestinian people - ANC
The ANC has called on Israel to abide by the ruling of the world court.
ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa and NEC members listen to the ICJ's order at the Birchwood Hotel in Boksburg on 26 January 2024. Picture: Thabiso Goba/Eyewitness News
BOKSBURG - The African National Congress (ANC) has hailed the International Court of Justice (ICJ)'s interim decision as a win for the people of Palestine.
The national executive committee (NEC) of the ruling party gathered at the Birchwood Hotel in Boksburg on Friday to watch the ICJ’s decision.
South Africa asked the court to enforce an order to ensure Palestinian lives were spared and that they received better access to humanitarian aid amid an ongoing impasse in Gaza.
"Wow."
That was the one-word reaction from President Cyril Ramaphosa as International Court of Justice President Joan Donoghue read out the ruling.
After the reading of the ruling, ANC NEC members burst out in song.
ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula said the ruling party would always stand against the oppressed.
"When we were facing apartheid, the world never forsook us, the world was with us. We are free today because the people of the world were with us in the fight against apartheid. It was correct and it is still correct for South Africa to stand on the side of justice against an injustice."
International Relations Deputy Minister Alvin Botes said the South African government could not sit by and watch a genocide take place.
"One of the foreign policy priorities of the South African government speaks about global solidarity and within that praxis it speaks about the plight of the most vulnerable, particularly the Palestinian people."
The ANC has called on Israel to abide by the ruling of the world court.
ISRAELI EXCEPTIONALISM
Justice Minister Ronald Lamola, speaking on the sidelines of the ANC NEC meeting, said the ICJ ruling had brought an end to Israeli exceptionalism.
Lamola said Israel had been operating like a country not accountable to international law.
"We believe it’s a victory for international law, it’s a victory for the children in Gaza and in Palestine in general. It's also brought an end to Israeli exceptionalism that they cannot be held accountable within the rules of multilateral institutions within the UN."