CAPE Town,South Africa – South Africa’s Foreign Minister, Naledi Pandor, has issued a stern warning to South African citizens fighting in the Israeli military or alongside them in Gaza. She stated that they will face arrest upon their return home. This statement further intensifies the tension between the two nations, following South Africa’s accusations of genocide against Israel at the International Court of Justice.
Pandor made these remarks at a Palestinian solidarity event earlier this week, which was attended by officials from South Africa’s ruling African National Congress party. She urged individuals to stage protests outside the embassies of what she referred to as the “five primary supporters” of Israel and its military action in Gaza. While she did not explicitly name these countries, it is likely she was referring to the United States, the U.K., and Germany, among others.
“I have already issued a statement alerting those who are South African and are fighting alongside or in the Israeli Defense Forces: We are ready. When you come home, we are going to arrest you,” Pandor declared, receiving enthusiastic applause from the audience.
In December, the foreign ministry expressed concern that some South African citizens or permanent residents had joined the IDF to fight in Gaza. They warned that these individuals could face prosecution under South Africa’s arms control laws if they hadn’t obtained the necessary permission. The foreign ministry also stated that those with dual South African-Israeli citizenship could lose their South African citizenship.
Pandor’s comments indicate a hardening of the government’s stance. The number of South African citizens who have fought for Israel during the current war in Gaza is unclear. South Africa has a significant Jewish population, estimated to be around 70,000 people.
The South African government has long been a vocal supporter of the Palestinian people and a critic of Israel, even before the current war. The issue resonates deeply with the ruling ANC party and many South Africans, who have often drawn parallels between Israel’s treatment of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank and the treatment of non-whites in South Africa during its apartheid era.
Israel refutes South Africa’s accusation that it has imposed a form of apartheid on Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. It also vehemently denies South Africa’s charge at the International Court of Justice that it is committing genocide in Gaza. This case may take years to reach a verdict.
In response, Israel has accused South Africa of representing the Hamas militant group, which launched an attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,200 Israelis and the abduction of 250 hostages back to Gaza, triggering the war.
Israel’s offensive in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of over 31,000 Palestinians, displaced most of the coastal enclave’s 2.3 million inhabitants, and precipitated a humanitarian crisis, with hundreds of thousands of Palestinians on the verge of starvation.
At the Palestinian solidarity event this week, Pandor encouraged attendees to create “Stop Genocide” posters and protest outside the embassies of what she termed the “five primary supporters” of Israel.
“Don’t only come to this dinner. Be visible in the support of the people of Palestine,” she urged.
