All criticism levelled against Israel cannot be deemed antisemitic, says Lamola

CAPE TOWN - Minister of International Relations Ronald Lamola says all criticism against Israel cannot be deemed to be antisemitic.

He said to question who bears responsibility for the countless child corpses recovered from the rubble of homes destroyed by bombs in the occupied territory of Gaza is not an act of antisemitism.

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Lamola has been bestowed the Order of the Star of Merit on behalf of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas for his role in launching South Africa’s genocide case against Israel in the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

At a ceremony in Pretoria on Tuesday, in observance of the annual United Nations International Day of Solidarity with Palestinian People, Lamola said a call for humanity and "ubuntu" cannot be reduced to antisemitism.

“It cannot be that every criticism towards Israel is rendered antisemitic. It cannot be that every action aimed at justice is rendered as a proxy action by Iran or another force.

"It’s a profound call to humanity’s conscience, a plea for justice. It’s a cry for accountability, a demand that the world recognises and responds to the suffering of the innocent people of Palestine.”

Last week, the ICJ issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his former defence minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas leader Mohammed Deif, whom the Israeli government said has been killed.

Other Hamas leaders for whom the court originally applied for arrest warrants have since been killed in the war.