Cape Town, South Africa - South Africa's foreign minister, Naledi Pandor, has announced that South African citizens who fight in the Israeli armed forces or alongside them in Gaza will be arrested upon their return to the country. This announcement comes after South Africa accused Israel of genocide, which was presented at the United Nations' top court.

Minister Pandor made the statement during a Palestinian solidarity event attended by officials from South Africa's ruling African National Congress party. She also encouraged people to protest outside the embassies of the "five primary supporters" of Israel, despite not explicitly naming them. It is widely believed that the United States, the U.K., and Germany are among these supporters.

In December, the South African government expressed concerns about its citizens joining the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) to fight in Gaza. The foreign ministry warned that those who had not been granted permission to do so under South Africa's arms control laws could face prosecution. Additionally, dual citizens with South African-Israeli citizenship could potentially have their South African citizenship revoked.

Minister Pandor's statements signify a hardening of the government's stance towards Israel. It remains unclear how many South African citizens have joined the IDF during the current conflict in Gaza. South Africa has a significant Jewish population of approximately 70,000 individuals.

South Africa has long been a vocal supporter of the Palestinian cause and a critic of Israel. The ruling ANC party and many South Africans have drawn comparisons between Israel's policies towards Palestinians and the apartheid era in South Africa, characterized by racial segregation and oppression.

Israel vehemently denies South Africa's accusations of enforcing apartheid on Palestinians and the charge of committing genocide in Gaza, which is currently being heard at the International Court of Justice. Israel has countered by accusing South Africa of being supportive of the Hamas militant group responsible for attacking southern Israel, resulting in Israeli casualties and the war in Gaza.

The Israeli assault on Gaza has caused significant devastation, with over 31,000 Palestinians killed and displacing most of the enclave's 2.3 million inhabitants. The humanitarian crisis has left hundreds of thousands of Palestinians on the verge of starvation.

Minister Pandor urged attendees at the solidarity event to raise awareness by creating posters with the words "Stop Genocide" and protesting outside the embassies of the "five primary supporters" of Israel.

The situation between South Africa and Israel continues to deepen, with differing narratives and strong emotions surrounding the conflict. The case presented at the International Court of Justice is expected to take years before a verdict is reached.