South Africa has a new top diplomat. What does that mean for Palestine?

Foreign minister Ronald Lamola takes over at critical time amid ICJ case against Israel and ongoing regional conflicts.

Pretoria, South Africa – When South Africa brought a case against Israel to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) late last year, its foreign ministry led the charge.

Then-minister of international relations and cooperation, Naledi Pandor, sat with lawyers and experts in The Hague in January as the ICJ announced provisional measures in the case accusing Israel of committing genocide in its war on Gaza.

“We could not stand idly by and continue to observe the killing of thousands of Palestinian citizens who had no role in the awful act of hostage-taking and killing,” Pandor told reporters at the time, explaining the decision to approach the World Court.

The 70-year-old veteran minister urged judges to get Israel to “end the massive level of harm” against civilians in Gaza, and has been resolute in her country’s commitment to standing up for the rights of Palestinians.

Now, after a landmark national election in May that shifted the country’s top governance, South Africa has a new top diplomat. But will its foreign policy change? “No,” said an emphatic Ronald Lamola in an interview with Al Jazeera.