South Africa recently brought the case of genocide against Israel before the ICJ. Discussing the matter, GPTT invited the  South African ambassador to Iran, Francis Moloi on February 26 for an in-person event.

In his remarks, he emphasized South Africa’s “indebtedness” to those who supported its anti-apartheid struggle, which now should be repaid by promoting and upholding human rights globally. Drawing parallels between the Palestinian plight and South Africa’s apartheid as “lived experiences,” the ambassador stressed the Palestinians have been deprived of the promises of international conventions.

According to him, South Africa as a “responsible” state in the family of nations brought the case before the ICJ conforming to its inherent duty to prevent genocide and is pursuing a number of goals regarding the Palestinian question, including halting Israel’s genocide, holding the regime accountable, pressing Israel until its total isolation, making the international community take the Palestinian question “seriously,” and resurrection of the global movement that ended apartheid for Palestinian freedom.

Moloi encouraged think tanks like GPTT to counter “false” narratives propagated by Israeli-influenced think tanks. Quoting from Nelson Mandela that “the question of Palestine is the most important moral question facing humanity,” the ambassador mentioned South African youth supporting their legal campaign against Israel.