Hague group announce steps to hold Israel accountable in Bogota summit
State representatives attending The Hague Group summit gather for a group photo at the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bogota, Colombia, on 16 July 2025. Picture: X/Getting real
A coalition of 30 countries from across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas has agreed to a series of unprecedented measures aimed at halting what they described as an ongoing genocide in Gaza and reasserting the primacy of international law.
The announcement came as part of an 'emergency summit' in the Colombian capital, Bogotá, co-hosted by the governments of Colombia and South Africa as co-chairs of The Hague Group.
Genocide
They met to coordinate diplomatic and legal action to counter what they describe as 'a climate of impunity' enabled by Israel and its powerful allies.
Many of the participating nations have described the violence as genocide against the Palestinians.
In the most ambitious multilateral action since the start of the Gaza genocide 21 months ago, the coalition of cross-regional states agreed to six coordinated diplomatic, legal and economic measures to restrain Israel's assault on the Occupied Palestinian Territories and defend international law at large.
Resolution
That resolution called on all states to take effective action on Israel's violations of international law — including accountability, sanctions, and cessation of support — within one year of adoption.
'What we have achieved here is a collective affirmation that no state is above the law,' said South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola.
'The Hague Group was born to advance international law in an era of impunity. The measures adopted in Bogotá show that we are serious — and that coordinated state action is possible.'
'We saw 10 children killed while drinking water. There is no way to rationalize what we are seeing in Gaza.'
South Africa's FM spox Chrispin Phiri labels crisis in the region a 'genocide'
'By the time the ICJ rules, there may be no Gaza left' pic.twitter.com/YpfK9Mq8pe — RT (@RT_com) July 16, 2025
ALSO READ: Dirco calls for global action to stop Israel's 'genocide' in Gaza [VIDEO]
Measures
On the second and final day of an emergency summit, the twelve participants—Bolivia, Colombia, Cuba, Indonesia, Iraq, Libya, Malaysia, Namibia, Nicaragua, Oman, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and South Africa—committed to the following measures:
Preventing the provision or transfer of arms, munitions, military fuel, related military equipment, and dual-use items to Israel
Preventing the transit, docking, and servicing of ships at any port where there is a clear risk of the vessel being used to carry the aforementioned items to Israel
Preventing the transportation of such items aboard vessels flagged in participating nations;
Launching an urgent review of all public contracts to prevent public institutions and funds from supporting Israel's illegal occupation of Palestine and entrenching its unlawful presence
Complying with obligations to ensure accountability for the most serious Israeli crimes under international law
Supporting universal jurisdiction mandates in national legal frameworks and judiciaries to ensure justice for victims of international crimes committed in Palestine.
The future
Varsha Gandikota-Nellutla, executive secretary of The Hague Group, said the conference marked a turning point not just for Palestine, but for the future of the international system.
'For decades, states — particularly in the Global South — have borne the cost of a broken international system. In Bogotá, they came together to reclaim it — not with words, but with actions'.
Israel's war
More than 58 000 people have been killed since Israel launched the assault in October 2023, according to Palestinian health authorities.
Israeli forces have also imposed several total blockades on the territory throughout the war, pushing Gaza's 2.3 million residents to the brink of starvation.
ALSO READ: Israeli strikes kill children collecting water in Gaza
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Citizen
an hour ago
- The Citizen
Carte Blanche's John Webb, a Mzansi media legend
Webb has a simple plan, not to effect change to a television staple favourite, but rather to refine the programme and continue sharing a strong narrative across segments. It's the hot seat, where the heat is on every day. And it's been John Webb's dream to take on one of journalism's biggest challenges for some time. Being executive producer of one of South Africa's longest-running television shows, Carte Blanche, is not for sissies, and Webb's been behind the wheel for almost a handful of years. The show celebrates its thirty-seventh season this year, and keeping it relevant, sourcing compelling stories and maintaining high standards of journalism for such a long time has been no mean feat. Webb has a simple plan, not to effect change to a television staple favourite, but rather to refine the programme and continue sharing a strong narrative across segments. Said Webb: 'We are storytellers, first and foremost, that's what we call ourselves. When we come up with ideas, we call them stories. When we got to shoot them, we say, 'We're going to go shoot a story', and that is our primary focus.' He believes that focusing on characters within a story makes it more accessible to viewers, and getting that element right is not always easy. 'But when it comes together, it's magic.' Exposing rot and corruption Carte Blanche has earned a reputation over the years for its exposés, revealing some of the rot and corruption across various echelons of government, business and society. As the media landscape is changing along with consumption patterns, he believes that it's more important than ever to weave a story within a story. 'It's about more than just hearing negative news about the place we live in; we are fatigued about this. Instead, it is about finding the characters inside this picture, looking at them too, the human narrative.' It's important to him to share stories with integrity, clarity and to ensure balance in reportage. Also Read: What to watch: Stream these Netflix shows Last year, the show covered elections live for the first time. Webb said the focus remained on the human aspect, not the party-political narrative. He said: 'We needed to make a contribution to the national discussion around what was happening, so we went to four provinces, places that don't get a lot of publicity necessarily. And we told service delivery stories without actually mentioning political parties. You know, we told the stories of the people who live alongside rivers of sewage. We told the story of businesses trying to stay afloat and retain their workers when they have intermittent electricity at best.' He added that sometimes sharing in this way is harder hitting than simple reporting. It's South African stories, set in the milieu of an issue or situation, and it brings it to life and reveals home life truths, every time. Veteran broadcaster It's a strategy that works. As a presenter on talk radio for several years, including Talk at Nine on 702, Webb tackled tough issues, and his interviews were challenging for subjects who were on the receiving end of a Webb-terrogation. John Webb is a dynamic storyteller and at the reins of Carte Blanche, which he joined as a journalist and segment presenter in 2004, it's the genesis of subtle nuance to further develop the art of storytelling. Webb said he's never really thought of journalism as a job, nor a calling. The thrill of the chase is there, too, but to him, it's the never-ending flow of stories that makes every day different. The investigations, the hidden cameras that lift the veil on wrongdoing. He said: 'The team are passionate about what they do, some producers have been at it since the beginning of the show. And I have enormous respect for them.' Webb added that it's impossible not to be impacted by the show's content. 'When you are filming in abject poverty or witness injustice, it does affect you on a personal level. I think this is why we are able to speak so powerfully about issues, because we care about them. We are not standing on the outside looking in, but rather, become immersed into it and telling it as it is.' Now Read: What to watch: It's binge weekend
IOL News
2 hours ago
- IOL News
US set to swoop on SA poultry industry, says FairPlay
The government is hinting at yet another blow to the country's poultry producers, says Fairplay Image: Umfanekiso ogciniweyo The government is feeding South Africa's chickens to eagles swooping in from the United States. Not for the first time, the country's poultry industry is being sacrificed to secure a trade deal with the US. Worse, it is happening without consultation with the industry on the details or implications of what it is proposing, or possible alternatives. No trade deal has yet been concluded, and there is little information about what South Africa is putting on the table. Yet, as it attempts to avert the 30% tariffs on all South African exports that President Donald Trump has threatened, the government is hinting at yet another blow to the country's poultry producers. A statement by trade minister Parks Tau gave little away. Outlining what South Africa had proposed – so far without any response from the US – Tau said South Africa had offered increased access to South African markets for US poultry producers. This would be achieved 'by (the) simplifying of US poultry exports under the 2016 tariff rate quota and unlock approximately $91 million in trade'. Exactly what this means is anybody's guess – the only thing that is clear is that, as in 2015, the poultry industry is once again going to be made to suffer for the sake of a trade deal. The 2016 quota which Tau hopes to 'simplify' resulted from negotiations in 2015 when the US demanded that South Africa exempt huge volumes of US chicken from the anti-dumping duties that should apply according to World Trade Organisation rules. This was a make-or-break condition for the renewal of South Africa's benefits under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa). The result was an annual quota which started at 65 000 tonnes in 2016 and rose to 72 000 tonnes last year. It was effectively a licence to dump chicken in this country – US producers could send South Africa their chicken offcuts at any price they chose, and the country could do nothing about it unless the quota was exceeded. The quota was exceeded in early years, rising to nearly 83 000 tonnes in 2019, before US exports dropped sharply as bird flu spread across the country. The fact that US negotiators are once again pushing for duty-free chicken exports indicates that they anticipate the flow will resume. The sting was that the US chicken quota was tied to the Agoa agreement, which is itself under threat. In terms of the US Agoa legislation up for renewal again this year, if South African industries lost their beneficial access to US markets, then the chicken quota falls away. Because of tariffs already ranging from 10% to 25%, those benefits have been lost by South Africa's steel, automotive and fruit industries, so the quota should no longer apply. Poultry producers have asked for the quota to be nullified, but they have so far been ignored. Does Minister Tau intend to 'simplify' the quota by making it a standalone item, not linked in any way to Agoa, which may or may not be renewed? That would expose South African poultry producers to a potential R1.65 billion worth of unfairly priced US bone-in chicken pieces such as leg quarters. These are the cuts specified in the anti-dumping duties which the US has demanded should not apply. Minister Tau should remember that those anti-dumping duties were recommended by the trade regulator ITAC, which falls under his department. Since 2000, ITAC has repeatedly renewed anti-dumping duties - and has just done so again – because, in terms of World Trade Organisation rules, it has found that US chicken is being imported at unfairly low prices, threatening the local poultry industry and its jobs. Now Minister Tau wants to make it even easier for US poultry producers to dump their chicken here, competing with the popular packs of locally produced individually quick frozen (IQF) chicken pieces. South African chicken farmers and South African jobs will be at risk. Not only does this extend the contravention of international trade rules, but it is completely against the spirit and objectives of the poultry master plan, which he is in charge of resuscitating. The master plan aims to protect the South African poultry industry from unfairly priced imports, boost local chicken consumption and expand local production and job creation to meet increased demand from domestic and export markets. In terms of the first phase of the master plan, signed in 2019, the poultry industry invested more than R1.5 billion to increase production. Unfortunately, some of that new capacity has been idle, because the government failed to come to the party, particularly in terms of promoting domestic consumption and expanding export markets. That is what Minister Tau should be doing, instead of meekly acceding to US demands that anti-dumping duties should not apply to them. Clearly, he is under extreme pressure to offer the Trump administration something that would prevent 30% tariffs applying to everything South Africa sends to the US. However, if he is going to ask the poultry industry to make costly and job-threatening sacrifices, as it did in 2015, then he should take poultry industry leaders into his confidence and ask for their input. Better still, he should give the poultry industry a seat at the negotiating table, instead of ignoring their request. It is their future that is at stake. Francois Baird is founder of the FairPlay movement. Image: Supplied Francois Baird is founder of the FairPlay movement. *** The views expressed here do not necessarily represent those of Independent Media or IOL. BUSINESS REPORT
The South African
2 hours ago
- The South African
5 August 2025: 'Iran asks Taliban for spy kill list to exploit Britain's lost database' and other world headlines
Home » 5 August 2025: 'Iran asks Taliban for spy kill list to exploit Britain's lost database' and other world headlines A bundle of newspapers on the table. Image: The South African/CANVA Here are the stories that made headlines on the front pages of newspapers worldwide on Tuesday, 5 August 2025. The New York Times front page reported that, with fate in his hands, Netanyahu fumbled it. The Washington Post reported that Netanyahu has dismissed the attorney general. The Jerusalem Post's front page reported that Netanyahu has decided on the full reoccupation of the Gaza Strip. China Daily's front page reported that World Heritage Sites bear new fruit. The Daily Mail's front page reported that Iran 'asked the Taliban for a spy kill list' to exploit Britain's lost database exposing MI6 spies and special forces. The Guardian's front page reported that police warned of mass arrests at a Palestine Action protest. If you wish to stay up-to-date – for FREE – on the latest international and South African news, then bookmark The South African website for all that plus the latest in the world of finance, sport, lifestyle – and more. Did we mention it was 100% free to read …?
