South Africa has maintained an openly anti-Israel stance over the years and is one of the few countries that recognize HAMAS as the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.

The South African city of Durban has become the traditional venue for the UN World Conference on Racism, which has turned into a gathering of anti-Israel and anti-Semitic forces.

In February 2023, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) added South Africa to its “grey list” due to insufficient efforts to combat the financing of terrorism and money laundering. According to experts from The Soufan Center, the country has become a financial hub for ISIS in Africa.

One and a half months after the tragedy on October 7, the South African parliament voted to sever diplomatic relations with the Jewish state. On December 30, the South African authorities appealed to the UN International Court in The Hague, demanding the start of legal proceedings against Israel on charges of genocide. It was revealed that the lawsuit was filed with the participation of the Palestinian Authority, which acted secretly due to fears of Israeli sanctions.

The United States has called South Africa’s lawsuit against Israel in the UN International Court counterproductive and unfounded.

The first hearings will take place on January 11-12. South Africa will present its case on January 11, and the Israeli side will present on January 12. Israel will be represented by British lawyer Professor Malcolm Shaw, an expert in international law specializing in territorial disputes.