Hearings relating to the advisory procedures of the International Court of Justice on Israel’s practices in the Palestinian territories continue with interventions by delegations in The Hague, Netherlands, February 20, 2024. Pretoria’s Ambassador to The Haye, Vusi Madonsela, stressed that Palestinians are experiencing a more severe form of apartheid than that experienced by South Africans and that reparation must go beyond simply recognizing their right to statehood.
Ambassador Madonsela said South Africa has always supported a two-state solution, but it would not be enough to compensate for the injustices of settler colonialism if Israel was not forced to return land that rightfully belongs to the Palestinians. He also highlighted the parallels between the experiences of South Africans during apartheid and the current situation of Palestinians, insisting that the ongoing oppression and violence inflicted in the occupied territories was even more serious than what ‘they had suffered.
Madonsela spoke of the illegality of the Israeli occupation in violation of the prohibition of the crime of apartheid, as well as discriminatory policies and punitive practices such as house demolitions and arbitrary detentions. He urged the court to examine the institutionalized regime of discriminatory laws, policies and practices applied by Israel as apartheid and to end this regime. South Africa, because of its history, considers it to have a special responsibility to speak out against racial oppression around the world and ensure that those responsible are held accountable.
South Africa calls for a clear legal characterization of Israel’s actions to end the delay in seeking a just settlement, thereby ending the violence suffered by Palestinians. Furthermore, it has taken measures to prevent genocidal acts by Israeli forces against the Palestinian people in the territories it occupies.
These historic hearings should see the court issue an advisory opinion within a few months, although not binding. Israel has questioned the court’s jurisdiction in the case and said it would not participate. The United States will make its statement on Wednesday.