Yesterday, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that Israel is in breach of its orders. The Court imposed further binding provisional measures on the Israeli state due to the worsening situation in Gaza including famine and starvation. As Judge Yusuf said in a separate opinion: “The alarm bell has now been sounded by the Court. All the indicators of genocidal activities are flashing red in Gaza.”
The SA BDS Coalition supports the statement of seven ICJ judges regretting that the Court did not explicitly call for a ceasefire. Yet it is clearly implied that the highest UN court reflects the wishes of the majority of the international community for Israel to cease its bombardment and military assault on Gaza. The measures include “increasing the capacity and number of land crossing points and maintaining them open for as long as necessary” to allow provision of humanitarian aid, at scale, by allowing the entry of 100s of trucks lined up on the Egyptian side of the Gaza border waiting to deliver desperately needed humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza.
Even the infamous Judge Sebutinde has changed her position, voting in favour of provisional measures she previously opposed, leaving the Israeli Judge Barak isolated in his defence of the genocide against the Palestinian people.
The case brought by South Africa to the ICJ will not bring about an immediate ceasefire or instantly alleviate the suffering of the people in Gaza. Yet, it is another blow to apartheid Israel and a clarion call for us to push harder and force our governments to introduce sanctions and an arms embargo – let us ensure that we are not complicit in genocide – it is up to all of us to ensure South Africa is truly an apartheid free zone.
We call on all levels of South African government – national, provincial and local to declare themselves Israeli Apartheid Free Zones. We must increase pressure on government to stop all trade with apartheid and prosecute South Africans joining the genocidal Israeli occupation forces. In support of the South African legal team the government must revoke docking permits for Israeli ships as Malaysia has done. It must declare an arms embargo: Colombia has cut military ties and the Netherlands prohibited export of components for fighter jets. Japan explicitly cited the ICJ case when it suspended its contract with the Israeli Elbit weapons systems.
We call on all businesses, healthcare facilities, educational institutions, cultural establishments and sports bodies to declare that they will sever all ties with genocidal Israel. We call on trade unions to refuse to handle Israeli owned ships and goods, as their comrades in Belgium, Italy, Spain and elsewhere have done.
All South Africans must stand on the right side of history – international isolation of Apartheid Israel has already begun. Under the UN Charter Israel must be suspended from the UN if it continues to violate the ceasefire resolution adopted by the Security Council last week and ultimately expelled if it still continues in its genocide. The tide is turning – Apartheid Israel is becoming an international pariah just like it’s late not lamented friend apartheid South Africa. Palestine will be free!
For more information please contact:
Salim Vally: 082 802 5936
Jo Bluen: 078 053 9882
Usuf Chikte: 082 877 9522
Roshan Dadoo: 082 816 2799
