Dirco calls for global action to stop Israel’s ‘genocide’ in Gaza [VIDEO]

As the humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) Director-General Zane Dangor says there are continued and urgent calls from UN Member States and the international community for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Dangor spoke to delegates from 30 countries meeting in Colombia’s capital, Bogota, on Tuesday to discuss the Israel-Hamas war and ways that nations can try to stop Israel’s military offensive in the enclave.

Conference

The two-day conference organised by Colombia and South Africa is being attended mostly by developing nations, although Spain, Ireland and China have also sent delegates.

The conference is co-chaired by South Africa and Colombia, which last year suspended coal exports to Israeli power plants.

It includes the participation of members of The Hague Group, a coalition of eight countries that earlier this year pledged to cut military ties with Israel and comply with an International Criminal Court arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

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Genocide

Many of the participating nations have described the violence as genocide against the Palestinians.

Dangor stated that the meeting comes one year after the General Assembly passed a resolution that affirmed the International Court of Justice (ICJ) Advisory opinion that found that Israel’s presence in the occupied Palestinian territories is unlawful.

He said the resolution affirming the ICJ’s advisory opinion was supported by the overwhelming majority of member states. 

“The carnage we see in Palestine today is testament to Israel’s grand exceptionalism from accountability to international law and norms. All states have the obligation to act on these directives. We do not have the luxury of time. This is happening now.”

Durante la Conferencia Ministerial de Emergencia sobre Palestina, que se desarrolla en Bogotá, Zane Dangor, secretario general del Departamento de Relaciones Internacionales y Cooperación de Sudáfrica, explicó el propósito de este encuentro. pic.twitter.com/vDUQjvslGV

— Cancillería Colombia (@CancilleriaCol) July 15, 2025

‘Impunity continues unabated’

Dangor added that the “impunity continues unabated”.

“Israel continues with its violence against Palestinians, with forced evacuations, and targeted attacks on schools and medical facilities being the order of the day. An unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe, exacerbated by further denials of safe access to, and delivery of, desperately needed aid, has been unfolding before our eyes.”

Dangor warned that enabling Israel to simply ignore decisions of the courts and the United Nations with no consequence is negatively impacting the integrity of international law, including international humanitarian law and the organisations that are tasked with its administration. 

“Israel’s continued disregard for the rulings of the ICJ undermines the integrity of the court and harms the capacity of the institutions of global governance to end impunity.

“This is unacceptable, and we should not be complicit in Israel’s endeavours to irreparably harm the institutions that were established to hold all of us accountable to the goals of a more peaceful and just world,” Dangor said.

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International law

Dangor said the international community cannot proclaim that the importance of international law, including that of the UN Charter, applies in some situations and not in others.

“We should not pick and choose which binding orders of the ICJ to abide by and which to set aside or simply ignore.  

“Israel’s unlawful actions are enabled when we seek to rationalise their actions. The crime of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of apartheid are not complex, they are unlawful,” Dangor said.

Humanitarian support

He added that the violence and restrictions under Israeli occupation have rendered the mandates of humanitarian and development organisations virtually impossible to fulfil.

“Humanitarian support provided by member states is regularly obstructed and destroyed by Israeli authorities, or is being allowed to be destroyed by right-wing and extreme elements. 

“As Member States of the UN who have pledged our commitment to upholding the UN Charter, we have the ultimate responsibility to ensure and protect the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people,” he said.

Dangor said Israel’s government must immediately halt the forced displacement of civilians in Gaza, which is causing “untold suffering and trauma”.

“The government of Israel, as the occupying power, must uphold its obligations under international law, protect and uphold the rights of Palestinians, refrain from excessive and lethal use of force and  guarantee unimpeded access to humanitarian assistance, including healthcare and  other essential services in the West Bank and Gaza.”   

‘Concrete actions’

The United Nations’s special rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territory Francesca Albanese said that it is time for nations around the world to take concrete actions to stop Israel’s “genocide” in Gaza.

“Each state must immediately review and suspend all ties with the State of Israel … and ensure its private sector does the same,” Albanese said. “The Israeli economy is structured to sustain the occupation that has now turned genocidal.”

Gaza death toll

More than 58 000 people have been killed since Israel launched the assault in October 2023, according to Palestinian health authorities.

Israeli forces have also imposed several total blockades on the territory throughout the war, pushing Gaza’s 2.3 million residents to the brink of starvation.

Analysts say it’s not clear whether the conference’s participating countries have enough leverage over Israel to force it to change its policies in Gaza.

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