This issue reviews the reasons and motives upon which South Africa relied to file the lawsuit against Israel, especially since it is the first lawsuit of its kind that forces Israel to appear before the International Court of Justice, since its occupation of the Palestinian territories. Moreover, the issue analyzes South Africa’s stance on the Palestinian cause and the Israeli military escalation against the Gaza Strip since last October, in addition to reviewing the Israeli reaction after South Africa’s escalation against it, and the future of Israeli-African relations in this regard.

The issue addressed the transformation in political relations between Israel and South Africa, and the consequences of the lawsuit filed by South Africa against Israel recently in the International Court of Justice on the nature of bilateral relations between the two countries, due to the Israeli military escalation against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Bilateral relations between Israel and South Africa witnessed significant diplomatic escalation following the outbreak of October 2023 in Gaza, as Israel carried out an unprecedented escalation of its military operations against the Palestinians there.

The issue concluded that Israeli relations with South Africa are likely to move towards greater tension and escalation during the coming period in light of the mutual diplomatic escalation between Tel Aviv and Pretoria at the present time. Also, Israeli-African relations may witness a new phase after the end of the current escalation in Gaza. Israel may resort to renewing and developing the pattern of existing partnership relations with African countries in order to preserve Israeli interests in light of the regional and international competition to extend influence on the African continent.