South Africa's Minister of Justice Ronald Lamola announced that the late South African leader Nelson Mandela "will smile in his grave" following a ruling by the International Court of Justice to impose emergency measures on Israel due to its war in Gaza. The International Court of Justice ruled in favor of South Africa's request for emergency actions against Israel because of the conflict in Gaza, but did not call for an immediate ceasefire.
Lamola told Reuters on the sidelines of a meeting of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) that "We believe former President Nelson Mandela will smile in his grave as a defender of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide." The ANC has long championed the Palestinian cause, a relationship that was shaped when the Palestinian Liberation Organization, led by Yasser Arafat, supported the party's struggle against white minority rule.
The ANC compared Israeli actions to the apartheid policies faced by the party in South Africa, a comparison rejected by Israel, which stated that South Africa's accusations of genocide are "grossly distorted" and that it is doing its utmost to avoid civilian casualties. Lamola remarked that South Africa's move to bring the case to The Hague was a courageous act driven by a desire to defend a global rules-based order. He added that this is "a victory for international law, ensuring that there are no exceptions for any part of the world and that Israel cannot be exempt from complying with its international obligations."
