In brief
Former South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor has asked the International Court of Justice to conduct public hearings on her country’s genocide case against Israel, seeking stronger interim orders to protect Palestinians in Gaza. She warned of personal attacks following South Africa’s filing and urged U.S. lawmakers to adopt a human‑rights‑focused foreign policy. The case, filed in December 2023, remains unresolved and the court has yet to rule on Israel’s alleged violations of the Genocide Convention.
On 22 May 2029, former South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor addressed the press at the TRT World Forum to urge the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to hold public hearings on Pretoria’s genocide case against Israel.
In December 2023, while Pandor was the incumbent foreign minister, South Africa lodged the case with the ICJ, alleging that Israel had committed acts that constitute genocide under the Genocide Convention. No legal ruling has yet been issued; the court has only held hearings on provisional measures to protect Palestinians.
“We would like to have the case heard so that the world can adjudicate whether our contention that genocide is underway will be held up by legal scrutiny,” Pandor said. She added that the ICJ had held hearings on provisional measures but had not yet ruled on substantive allegations of genocide.
In a bid to increase transparency, Pandor called for the court to conduct public hearings on the merits of the case. According to her remarks, the court has set written‑argument deadlines: South Africa must submit by 22 November 2027, and Israel by 22 May 2029.
Alongside the call for open hearings, Pandor urged the ICJ to strengthen its interim orders. She cited South Africa’s August 25 dossier that alleged Israel failed to comply with the court’s three provisional‑measure orders and stressed the need for judges to monitor compliance and consider further action.
“We would like to see stronger measures articulated by the ICJ in response to our recent submission,” Pandor said, referring to the need for Israel to prevent acts prohibited under the Genocide Convention and to ensure urgently needed humanitarian aid reaches Palestinians in Gaza.
Following South Africa’s filing, Pandor reported that she has faced personal attacks in the media. She said threats intensified after the case was launched and that they included “articles in Zionist media where I'm called all kinds of names – I'm at Hamas headquarters in South Africa, I'm a tool of Iran.” She maintained that insults are “the last refuge of a scoundrel.”
In relation to U.S. foreign‑policy, Pandor urged Congress to support a human‑rights‑focused approach. She noted that relations between Pretoria and Washington had been strained under former President Donald Trump and expressed cautious optimism regarding the incoming U.S. Congress after the 2023 elections.
At the time of her remarks, the International Court had yet to finalize a legal ruling on whether Israel had violated the Genocide Convention. South Africa’s case remains pending, with the court awaiting further written arguments from both parties.
The outcome of the ICJ’s deliberations, the enforceability of any interim measures, and the broader implications for the conflict in Gaza are yet to be determined. The court’s decisions, if any, will be observed closely by the international community, but it remains unclear whether the ICJ will issue binding orders or how effectively they could be enforced in the complex geopolitical context of the Middle East.
