South Africa welcomes International Criminal Court arrest warrants

Cape Town, South Africa (PANA) – The Office of the South African Presidency has welcomed Monday’s International Criminal Court (ICC) announcement that it has applied for arrest warrants for three Hamas and two from Israel leaders, which will oblige countries, including South Africa, to arrest and ship them to the ICC to stand trial.

The current accused are Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant. The Hamas trio are Yahya Sinwar, Hamas' leader in Gaza, Mohammed Diab Ibrahim al-Masri, who commands the al-Qassam Brigades, and Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas' Political Bureau.

“The law must be applied equally to all in order to uphold the international rule of law, ensure accountability for those that commit heinous crimes and protect the rights of victims,” said presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya.

The warrants of arrest are for war crimes and crimes against humanity in relation to Hamas’ attack on Israel on 7 October and Israel’s retaliatory assault on the Gaza Strip.

The ICC has previously issued arrest warrants for Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, and Russia’s Vladimir Putin

Meanwhile, International Relations Minister Naledi Pandor on Monday South Africa will continue to be vocal in the Middle East war until Israel stops its military onslaught in Gaza. 

“The reason we continue to be involved is centred around the fact that the onslaught against innocent Palestinian civilians continues unabated, with now new plans for attacking Rafah. It is really to continue to argue that there is an intent of genocide on the part of the state of Israel,” she said.

South African lawyers last week returned to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to appeal to the court to order Israel's immediate withdrawal from Rafah.

-0- PANA CU/MA 21May2024