The leaders of South Africa, Malaysia, Colombia and The Hague Group have penned a joint article calling for an end to impunity for Israel’s violations of international law.
“The choice is stark: Either we act together to enforce international law or we risk its collapse,” South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Colombian President Gustavo Petro wrote in Foreign Policy magazine.
The leaders added that “the assault against the Palestinian people echoes dark chapters” in their own countries’ histories, including colonial rule, counterinsurgency and apartheid.
“We may hail from different continents, but we share the conviction that complacency is complicity in such crimes. The defense of the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self-determination is a collective responsibility,” read the article.
The article was co-authored by Varsha Gandikota-Nellutla, the chair of The Hague Group, which represents eight countries taking “decisive, coordinated action in pursuit of accountability for Israel’s crimes”, such as South Africa’s ongoing case accusing Israel of genocide in the International Court of Justice.
