South African leaders celebrate but the lack of a ceasefire order is a huge blow

As the interim ruling of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on South Africa v Israel was read out in the Hague, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was wrapped in a Palestinian keffiyeh watching with the leadership of the African National Congress in Johannesburg. When the verdict finally landed, he turned and hugged the Palestinian deputy ambassador Bassam Elhussiny. The South African delegation in the Hague in the Netherlands also celebrated – and their rejoice was formalised in a statement by South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO). It read: “Today marks a decisive victory for the international…