WATCH: SA’s case against Israel ‘simple and straightforward’ – Ramaphosa

President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed confidence in the country’s legal team ahead of South Africa‘s court battle against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

South Africa filed an urgent case against Israel at the ICJ last month, accusing it of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.

The case will be heard on Thursday and Friday.

Watch President Cyril Ramaphosa speaking about South Africa’s case at the ICJ.

SA legal team

Speaking on the sidelines of the African National Congress (ANC)’s January 8 festivities in Mpumalanga on Tuesday, Ramaphosa said Justice Minister Ronald Lamola will present the country’s case to the ICJ.

“Our legal team is a high-level team comprised of leading legal minds… we also (have) international lawyers based in the UK largely, including Professor John Dugard, who is a legal eagle par excellence, who is also well versed and well experienced with matters that have to do with the International Court of Justice.

“We are going to be arguing our case and the Minister of Justice will do the opening statement at the court and thereafter, our legal team will argue our case,” Ramaphosa said.

ALSO READ: This is SA’s formidable team of lawyers to take on Israel at ICJ for genocide in Gaza

Strong case

Ramaphosa says South Africa’s case is “simple and straightforward”.

“It is about taking steps. We have taken steps to approach the ICJ to intervene and try to stop the genocide happening in Palestine, in Gaza especially. And where we felt very strongly, apart from pledging our solidarity with the people of Palestine, it is a matter of human and general justice that the genocide that is unfolding there should be stopped.”

The president added that despite South Africa’s calls on a political level for Israel to end the genocide, the  “slaughter and genocide” of Palestinians in Gaza has not stopped.

“As South Africans, we went through a very bitter struggle when we struggled against apartheid and in Israel, we see similar features of what we struggled against and we see a horrific genocide being perpetuated against the people of Palestine and we have had no choice but to make this intervention…

“As … president Nelson Mandela said, “we will not be free, our freedom will not be complete until the freedom of Palestinians is also achieved,” Ramaphosa said.

South Africa’s legal team for the Gaza case against Israel includes lawyers such as Dugard, Max du Plessis, Tembeka Ngcukaitobi, Adila Hassim, Sarah Pudifin-Jones, Lerato Zikalala and Tshidiso Ramogale.

Israel to contest

Israel confirmed it will appear before the ICJ to contest South Africa’s accusation that it is committing genocide against Palestinians in its war with Hamas.

A spokesperson for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused South Africa of “giving political and legal cover” to Hamas’ attacks on Israel on October 7.

“The state of Israel will appear before the International Court of Justice at The Hague to dispel South Africa’s absurd blood libel,” spokesman Eylon Levy told an online briefing.

“We assure South Africa’s leaders, history will judge you, and it will judge you without mercy,” Levy added.

The death toll in Gaza has soared to more than 23,200 people, about 70% of them women and children. While 59,167 have been injured, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

ALSO READ: ‘We are determined to see the end of genocide in Gaza’ – Lamola