South Africa: The crime of genocide looms large in Gaza 

South Africa has called on the United Nations to deploy a rapid protection force to protect the civilian population in Gaza from further bombardment, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation said in a statement today.

Highlighting the atrocities committed against Palestinians, including the number of children killed in Israel’s bombing campaign since 7 October, it added: “As the occupying power, Israel can use tools applicable to the rule of law, including policing powers to deal with criminal actions. An occupying state cannot exercise control over territory it occupies and simultaneously militarily attack that territory on the claim that it is “foreign” and poses an exogenous national security threat.”

“The notion of Israel’s right to defend itself through military means has been used erroneously by some, and deliberately by others to justify the unlawful use of force by Israel on people of Palestine in Gaza and the West Bank.”

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Echoing the United Nations General Assembly’s resolution that called for an immediate ceasefire and the immediate opening of a humanitarian corridor to provide food, medical supplies and fuel, South Africa warned that “the crime of genocide, sadly looms large.”

It described as “unethical” the Deputy head of the South African Jewish Board of Deputies, Zev Krengel’s, repeated use of discredited information related to the beheading of children in Israel. Explaining that this “disinformation is part of the arsenal of dehumanisation tactics used to justify a ‘by any means necessary’ approach to dealing with Hamas, which has resulted in the huge casualties we see today.”

Concluding its statement, the DIRC said: “All countries genuinely committed to a rules-based system underpinned by international law must act immediately.”

Besieged Gaza is the open-air prison resisting Israel’s colonisation of Palestine – Cartoon [Sabaaneh/Middle East Monitor]