South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor stated on Sunday (10) that citizens fighting alongside the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will be arrested upon their return to the country. The announcement was made during a conference in solidarity with Palestinians at the headquarters of the Executive Branch, in Pretoria.
“I have already issued a statement warning those who are South African and who fight alongside or in the Israel Defense Forces. We are ready. When you return home, we will arrest you,” said Pandor.
The chancellor stated that citizens need prior approval from the government to legally fight alongside Israel.
In December, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had already warned naturalized citizens who actively participate in the conflict on the Israeli side that they were at risk of having their nationality suspended, as the country does not support Tel Aviv's offensive in Gaza.
Since the start of the war in the Middle East, in October last year, South Africa has positioned itself strongly on the side of the Palestinians, condemning the Israeli defense attitude in the face of the Hamas massacre on its territory. The ruling party, the African National Congress (ANC), often links the current conflict to its own fight against apartheid.
The country even filed a lawsuit with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to demonstrate its opposition to Israel's response to the Hamas attack on October 7, which started the war. South Africa accused Tel Aviv of committing genocide against the Palestinian people, however the UN's highest court did not accept the request for conviction at the time.
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