During his State of the Nation Address, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa reiterated his country’s commitment to securing a ceasefire in the Gaza conflict and advocating for a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine. South Africa has filed a case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza, and the ICJ has issued an interim ruling stating that it has jurisdiction to hear the case and ordering Israel to prevent genocidal acts. Ramaphosa welcomed this ruling and condemned the killing of civilians on all sides. He called on all parties involved to commit to a peace process that would lead to a two-state solution. South Africa views its case at the ICJ as a success and intends to continue using diplomatic and legal means to support the Palestinian cause and promote peace in the region. The call comes amidst the start of election cycle in South Africa. The date of the election will be set by the President shortly because it must be within a 90 expiration of the current mandate which ends in May 2024.
