By Iqbal Jassat
The diehard supporters of settler colonialism even resort to insulting the integrity of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) as a “partisan institution”.
South Africa’s pro-Apartheid Israel lobby group, the South African Zionist Federation (SAZF), has once again rejected a groundbreaking ruling by the ICJ, dismissing it as a mere “political gesture”. The group goes as far as to label the ICJ as a “partisan institution” and attacks the ruling as “deeply flawed” on legal and moral grounds.
The SAZF proudly functions as a PR agency for the Israeli settler colonial regime, aiming to protect Zionism, similar to the Afrikaner Broederbond’s pledge to defend Apartheid in South Africa. Parallels can be drawn between Zionism’s goals in Palestine and the ideologies of Afrikaner nationalism leading to the establishment of Apartheid.
Israeli-based human rights group B’Tselem welcomed the ICJ’s judgement, advocating for an end to Israel’s illegal occupation, while the SAZF’s dismissal of the ruling echoes the apartheid-era logic to defend Israel’s actions. The ICJ’s thorough judgement refutes Israel’s claims, highlighting systemic abuses toward Palestinians.
In light of Nelson Mandela’s criticism of Israel’s support for apartheid, South Africa has a moral duty to uphold the ICJ’s ruling and cease all aid enabling Israel’s violations of international law.
– Iqbal Jassat is an Executive Member of the South Africa-based Media Review Network. He contributed this article to The Palestine Chronicle. Visit: www.mediareviewnet.com