Nine months after submitting a suit in the International Court of Justice in the Hague, South Africa is working to extend its deadline to present evidence, Kan Reshet Bet revealed on Tuesday.
South Africa's tactic is an attempt to "buy time" understanding that it does not have enough evidence to prove its allegations that Israel is committing genocide.
South Africa is required to submit its evidence next month, on October 28th, 2024, but is trying to extend the deadline by several months, with the hope that in the meantime evidence would come from other places.
According to the report, South Africa's conduct is seen as especially surprising because the plaintiff usually wants to speed up proceedings while the defendant is the one who usually attempts to buy time. Israel has refused to comment.
On Monday, Israel attempted to convey to South Africa that there would be a price for its actions against Israel. Axios reported that the Israeli Foreign Ministery sent a classified cable to the Israeli embassy in Washington, DC, and all Israeli consulates in the US asking to "ask members of Congress and Jewish organizations in the US to reach out directly to South African diplomats in the US and make clear South Africa would pay a heavy price if it doesn't change its policy."
Israeli officials stated that Israel hopes the new coalition government in South Africa would take a different approach to Israel and the war.