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Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera
Crystal Orderson

Altruism, opportunism or both: What pushed South Africa to ICJ over Gaza?

Journalists watch a large screen showing the South African President Cyril Ramaphosa addressing the International Peace Summit hosted by the Egyptian president in Cairo on October 21, 2023, amid the war between Israel and Hamas [Khaled Desouki/ AFP]

Cape Town, South Africa – Last week, South Africa took the unprecedented step of asking the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague to rule on whether the continuing violence and humanitarian tragedy unfolding in Gaza amounts to genocide.

South Africa’s move against Israel has confounded many within and outside both countries — including those who have applauded Pretoria.

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