Crispin Phiri, spokesperson for the South African Ministry of Justice, voiced strong criticism of Israel’s defense at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding its actions in Gaza. In his statement, Phiri expressed astonishment at Israel’s presentation, accusing it of rewarding those who incite genocide while simultaneously claiming to be conducting investigations into these very actions.
Phiri highlighted that Israel dismissed all United Nations reports and maintained a monopolistic grip over information, effectively barring NGOs and other independent bodies from verifying facts on the ground in Gaza.
He emphasised the urgent need for transparency, calling on the ICJ to mandate Israel to allow journalists and investigators into Gaza to provide independent assessments.
Further elaborating on the principles of legitimate resistance, Phiri referenced the historical context of South Africa’s own armed resistance movement, Umkhonto we Sizwe, which is one of the few that signed Protocol 1 of the Geneva Convention.
This protocol recognises the legality of armed resistance to colonial occupation and mandates the protection of civilians. He clarified that while South Africa does not condone any form of resistance that violates these principles, attempts to equate Umkhonto we Sizwe with Hamas are entirely unfounded and inappropriate.
The ongoing legal battle at the ICJ follows South Africa’s request for emergency measures to halt the ongoing conflict in Rafah, southern Gaza, amid Israel’s broader military campaign, which South Africa contends amounts to genocide.
Israel’s legal team has urged the ICJ to reject these emergency orders, asserting that their military actions are justified, further complicating the international legal and diplomatic dispute.
