South Africa faces criticism for not prosecuting Israeli fighters
The South African government faces growing criticism from anti-war activists for failing to prosecute citizens who fought for the Israeli army in Gaza, the Middle East Eye reported on April 1st.
The Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), which is an initiative whose goal is to endorse the cause of Palestinians, is seeking legal action against the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) over the lack of arrests since the war in Gaza began. Martin Jansen, the chairperson for PSC in Cape Town said, “after years of communication with authorities, we have no alternative but to seek legal recourse.”
The NPA is a government body in charge of prosecuting people within the remit of South African law.
Since the war began, several South Africans have participated in the conflict. One high-profile case involves a citizen from the Western Cape who shared images among bombed buildings, wielding light machine gun. The NPA claimed to be unaware of the case, despite the PSC submitting a list of South Africans serving in the Israeli army.
An Al Jazeera documentary identified another South African as a member of an elite unit killed unarmed civilians in Gaza. Jansen questions why the authorities have not requested footage from the documentary for investigation.
As the war unfolded, South African officials warned that nationals who joined the conflict could face prosecution and lose their citizenship. However, activists allege authorities have deliberately stalled the process.
The issue has been raised in parliament since 2023, but without concrete responses. Jo Bluen, spokesperson for South African Jews for a Free Palestine, says legal actions have instilled fear in the local Zionist community.
Middle East Eye
