Vusi Madonsela, South Africa’s ambassador to the Netherlands, evaluated Israel’s genocide case
He said that “the worst version of what we had under the apartheid system” is being seen in occupied Palestine.
South Africa’s ambassador to the Netherlands, Vusi Madonsela, talked at a seminar entitled ‘Gaza: The legal and political implications of genocide’, organized by the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and hosted by the Green Group in the European Parliament.
In occupied Palestine, “We are seeing the worst version of the apartheid system,” Madonsela said in response to a question from the Anadolu news agency about South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) which allegedly violated the Genocide Convention.
He said “We considered it our duty to our own people and the international community (to file a lawsuit).”
The ambassador said that South Africa believed it had enough evidence to prove that Israel was committing the crime of genocide in its military attack on the Gaza Strip.
“Not only the statements of high-level officials, including the army but also the actions of the soldiers on the field and some sections of the population in line with the intention to destroy the Palestinian people.”
“We believed that there was a case for which Israel should be held accountable.” he added.
His words at the hearing attracted attention
Ambassador Madonsela attended the hearing at the ICJ on February 20.
Madonsela had attracted attention in the hearing with stating that the world has witnessed “an attack unprecedented in its speed and severity, violating the most basic principles of a population’s right to survival” in Gaza since October 7, 2023.
He also condemned international community for being unwilling about holding Israel responsible.
