AFP- Gil Cohen-Magen
The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) has issued a warning to South African nationals joining the war in Gaza.
In a statement issued on Monday, DIRCO says they are alarmed by reports that SA citizens have joined or are considering joining the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) and in some cases the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
The Department says citizens doing this can potentially violate international law and commit international crimes, thus making them liable for prosecution in South Africa.
DIRCO referred to the Regulation of the Foreign Military Assistance Act, 1998 (Act No. 15 of 1998), stating that any person wishing to render foreign military assistance in Israel must first apply to the National Conventional Arms Control Committee (NCACC) will make a recommendation to the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans that such an application be granted or refused.
Any person joining the IDF without the necessary permission of the NCACC is breaking the law and can be prosecuted.
