South Africa’s top diplomat begins US trip amid reports of Israeli push to get Pretoria genocide case dropped

​​​​​​​By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) - South Africa’s Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola arrived Thursday in Washington for a week-long visit, amid reports that Israeli diplomats are lobbying US lawmakers to pressure South Africa into dropping its genocide case against Tel Aviv at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Lamola arrived in Washington on his first trip to the US since being appointed in July, South Africa Foreign Ministry’s spokesman Chrispin Phiri said in a statement.

Lamola will attend the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s 53rd Annual Legislative Conference which will discuss critical issues facing Africa and the diaspora and discuss solutions, including US policy toward the continent, said Phiri.

He will also meet business stakeholders, including the US Chamber of Commerce.

Lamola will participate in a panel discussion on South Africa-US relations at George Washington University.

In addition to an engagement with the Quincy Institute Responsible for Statecraft, Lamola will meet members of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Lamola believes the “visit will deepen and strengthen the political and economic ties between the two countries,” said Phiri.

Notably, the statement did not indicate whether Lamola will have bilateral meeting during his trip.

The visit comes amid reports that Israeli diplomats are being instructed to lobby members of the US Congress to pressure South Africa into dropping a genocide case against Tel Aviv at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

South Africa filed the case at the tribunal based in The Hague late last year, accusing Israel, which has bombed the Gaza Strip since last October, of failing to uphold its commitments under the 1948 Genocide Convention.

But the government of President Cyril Ramaphosa has vowed to continue the case until the ICJ “makes a finding” and indicated that South Africa will file a “memorial,” or amendment, next month.​​​​​​​