From the Liveblog of
Monday, December 18, 2023
South Africa threatens to prosecute citizens fighting with IDF in Gaza
JOHANNESBURG — South Africans fighting for Israel in Gaza could face prosecution at home, the government warns, as South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa once again denounces the conflict as “genocide.”
The foreign ministry says it’s “gravely concerned” by reports that some South African nationals have joined the Israeli Defense Forces to fight in Gaza, or are considering doing so.
“Such action can potentially contribute to the violation of international law and the commission of further international crimes, thus making them liable for prosecution in South Africa,” the ministry says.
It doesn’t specify how many South Africans are thought to have enlisted.
The government has previously said the State Security Agency (SSA) was tracking them down.
South Africans need prior government approval to legally fight in Israel, the ministry says.
Naturalized citizens are at further risk of being stripped of their South African nationality for engaging in a war that the country “does not support or agree with,” the foreign ministry adds.
