ACDP warns Ramaphosa of ‘God’s punishment’ as ICJ says Israel must ‘end occupation’ of Palestinian territories

Eight months after South Africa started its legal battle against Israel, wanting the Jewish state to be charged with genocide for the deaths of thousands of Palestinians, the ACDP has repeated its warning to President Cyril Ramaphosa that he could suffer from “God’s punishment” for the decision.

Last year, South Africa applied to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to make an order for the suspension of military operations in Gaza to stop the killings, arguing that Israel has committed genocide against the Palestinian people after the attacks by Hamas in Israel on October 7 2023. The court ordered Israel to ensure its military does not commit any acts of genocide. 

Speaking during the opening of parliament debate ACDP deputy president Wayne Thring, citing crime statistics, warned Ramaphosa and the ANC of God’s punishment for taking Israel to court.

“Mr President [Ramaphosa] our president Dr [Kenneth] Meshoe warned you about inviting the judgment of God upon yourself and your party regarding the hypocritical international position taken on the Israeli/Palestine conflict. Let this be your second warning,” Thring said.   

His speech was made as the ICJ in its advisory opinion to the UN General Assembly said Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories was illegal and should be withdrawn.

The court said Israel has an obligation to “end its presence” in occupied Palestinian territories.

“With regard to the court’s finding that Israel’s continued presence in the occupied Palestinian territory is illegal, the court considers that such presence constitutes a wrongful act entailing its international responsibility. It is a wrongful act of a continuing character which has been brought about by Israel’s violations, through its policies and practices, of the prohibition on the acquisition of territory by force and the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people. Consequently, Israel has an obligation to bring an end to its presence in the occupied Palestinian territory as rapidly as possible,” the court document read.

The court did not take lightly Israel's policies in occupied Palestinian territory.

“The court reaffirms that the Israeli settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem, and the regime associated with them, have been established and are being maintained in violation of international law,” the court said responding to questions by the UN.

“The sustained abuse by Israel of its position as an occupying power, through annexation and an assertion of permanent control over the occupied Palestinian territory and continued frustration of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, violates fundamental principles of international law and renders Israel’s presence in the occupied Palestinian territory unlawful.

“The effects of these policies and practices include Israel’s annexation of parts of the occupied Palestinian territory, the fragmentation of this territory, undermining its integrity, the deprivation of the Palestinian people of the enjoyment of the natural resources of the territory and its impairment of the Palestinian people’s right to pursue its economic, social and cultural development,” the ICJ said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was not happy about the court’s opinion.

“The Jewish people are not occupiers in their own land, including in our eternal capital Jerusalem nor in Judea and Samaria, our historical homeland. No absurd opinion in The Hague can deny this historical truth or the legal right of Israelis to live in their own communities in our ancestral home,” he said. 

International relations and co-operation minister Ronald Lamola, however, was satisfied by the findings. 

“The ICJ affirms South Africa’s long-standing position that the occupation by Israel of Palestinian territory remains unlawful under international law. The international community must act to bring an immediate end to the occupation and the gross violations of international humanitarian and human rights law being perpetrated by Israel against the Palestinian people,” he said. 

“There is now an additional legal obligation for all states to end complicity in Israel’s illegal actions and to act to ensure respect for international law.” 

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