Israel has carried out unprecedented airstrikes on Qatar, targeting what it claimed were senior leaders of Hamas, in an escalation that threatens to destabilise the Middle East and derail fragile mediation efforts. Videos shared on social media showed residents in the Qatari capital, Doha, fleeing in panic as explosions lit up the night sky. Huge plumes of smoke rose over the city, with unverified footage depicting buildings reduced to rubble and ambulances racing to the scene. In a statement, the…

The humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza has deepened as Israeli airstrikes, drone attacks and ground assaults continue to devastate communities, leaving tens of thousands dead and entire neighbourhoods flattened. The Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), a civilian initiative aimed at breaking Israel’s blockade on Gaza, confirmed on Monday that one of its main vessels, the Family Boat, was attacked by a drone in Tunisian waters. Sailing under a Portuguese flag, the boat carried six passengers, including GSF Steering Committee members. While all…

A press statement by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) warning Israel against annexing parts of the occupied West Bank is circulating on global media platforms — and in South Africa, it has struck a familiar chord. For many South Africans, the message from the UAE carries deeper meaning than just Middle Eastern diplomacy. It touches on questions of justice, liberation, and the right of a people to self-determination — themes central to South Africa’s own history of resistance against apartheid.…

The South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) has condemned the overnight decision by Israel to attack Iran, saying it will lead to wider instability in the Middle East. The labour federation says the attack will also lead to a catastrophic war by the entire world. According to the federation, the act of aggression is not an isolated act but a direct consequence of decades of U.S. imperialism, which arms, funds, and emboldens Israel’s apartheid regime to carry out genocide,…

In recent months, a growing controversy has surrounded South Africa’s defense sector, driven by reports of questionable industrial deals and political maneuvering that raise concerns about transparency and oversight. At the center of this discussion is the Democratic Alliance (DA) and Rheinmetall Denel Munition (RDM), with speculations emerging about their roles in the broader defense industry landscape. Recently, DA representatives were reportedly denied access to the arms control directorate, an event some sources suggest may be linked to ongoing debates…

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says he won’t attend the G20 Summit in Johannesburg this year, accusing South Africa of “doing very bad things” and “anti-Americanism”. The new US top diplomat repeated President Donald Trump’s false claim that Pretoria was confiscating private property and violating human rights, indicating deteriorating relations between South Africa and the US over various foreign and domestic policy disagreements. South Africa’s policies on China, Russia, Ukraine and Israel are at the centre of the tension.The…

South Africa’s President, Cyril Ramaphosa, has defended Pretoria’s genocide case against Israel, saying his countrymen would “not be passive bystanders and watch” when a crime against humanity is being perpetrated elsewhere in the world.  In a show of power and assertiveness on the global stage, Ramaphosa hailed the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling against Tel Aviv as a victory for international law and justice. He added that South Africa’s stance that Israel committed genocidal acts in Gaza had been…

In a landmark ruling with far-reaching implications for international law, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has ordered Israel to stop genocide against Palestinians, punish soldiers who commit genocidal acts, and facilitate humanitarian aid in Gaza.  The court sitting in The Hague, Netherlands, ruled in South Africa’s favour on Friday, January 26, and ordered the Zionist state to preserve evidence of genocide and submit monthly progress reports on measures taken.   However, the highest court in the United Nations (UN) system…

South Africa has presented a persuasive and detailed case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), alleging genocidal intentions, systematic massacres and the dehumanization of the Palestinians.  In oral presensations widely seen as cogent and compelling by observers, Pretoria’s heavyweight legal team told the judges at The Hague, Netherlands, on Thursday that Israel intended to commit pre-meditated genocide against Palestinian civilians in the name of retaliations against Hamas attacks on October 7.  The oral arguments took place amid…

As more than 150,000 Palestinians are being forced to flee Central Gaza, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has confirmed that South Africa has lodged an application asking that Israel’s ongoing attack on Palestine should be classified as genocide. In a statement, Monique Legerman, the Hague registry, under the leadership of First Secretary of the Court and Head of Department, stated that South Africa has also made a request to the Court for provisional measures. She mentioned that the application…