Israel’s Foreign Ministry said Sunday that South Africa’s genocide case against the Jewish state at the International Court of Justice is showing signs of collapse, after Pretoria requested an additional 18 months to file its next written submission.
The ministry argued that the request undercuts South Africa’s repeated claims that the case required urgent international intervention.
According to an ICJ order dated May 21 and published Friday, South Africa now has until Nov. 22, 2027, to submit its reply. Israel will then have until May 22, 2029, to file its rejoinder, meaning the written phase of the case will continue for years.
“This case was never about the facts,” Israel’s Foreign Ministry said, describing the proceedings as a propaganda effort serving Hamas while presenting itself as a legal process.
South Africa’s baseless “genocide” case at the ICJ is collapsing.
South Africa has requested an extraordinary 18-month (!) extension to submit its arguments.
The written submissions will not end before 2029.
All the claims of “urgency” have now turned into South Africa’s quiet… https://t.co/PbSrOaKAln
— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) May 31, 2026
South Africa brought the case before the Hague-based court accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza. Israel has firmly rejected the allegation, saying its military campaign is directed against Hamas following the Oct. 7, 2023 massacre and that it acts in accordance with international law.
The ICJ said South Africa argued that a second round of written pleadings was needed because of the complexity of the case.
Israel opposed an additional round of written arguments, saying it was not necessary. However, once South Africa was granted 18 months, Israel requested equal time to respond.
The Foreign Ministry said the new timeline shows that Pretoria’s claims of urgency have given way to an effort to buy time.
The case will now remain before the court deep into 2029, long after the political and military landscape surrounding the Gaza war may have changed.
Want more news from Israel?
Click Here to sign up for our FREE daily email updates
