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The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperations, Mr Supra Mahumapelo, has welcomed the move by the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Mr Karim Khan, to request warrants for arrest for five people over alleged war crimes. 

The five include Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant. There are also warrants for three Hamas leaders – Yahya Sinwar, Ismail Haniyeh and Mohammed Diab Ibrahim al-Masri. The warrants against the five are for war crimes and crimes against humanity. 

Mr Khan said that he will present evidence before the three judges of the ICC to prove that the five have violated the Rome Statutes under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. 

According to Mr Mahumapelo, this move bolsters South Africa’s foreign policy, which strives to maintain world peace and settle all international disputes through negotiation. 

Mr Mahumapelo said that all responsible people must be held accountable for contravening International Humanitarian Law. He said South Africa has also approached the International Court of Justice to investigate any possible war crimes being committed by Israel, especially Mr Netanyahu in the genocidal war in Gaza.

“Although the chief prosecutor is yet to present his case before the judges of the ICC, this move is a huge blow to the Israeli government and points to the direction South Africa took to the effect that war crimes are being committed against the Palestinian people in this genocidal war,” said Mr Mahumapelo.   

Issued by the Parliamentary Communication Services on behalf of the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperation, Supra Mahumapelo