South Africa’s FM Regrets 'Unfortunate' US Congress Review of Relations Amid ICJ Gaza Ruling

South Africa's Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor expressed regret over the United States' decision to reassess its relationship with South Africa, but added that it's "their democratic right to do so," the local media reported on Monday.

"This is their democratic right to do. I believe we have a valuable and good relationship in trade and people-to-people exchange, and I don’t see why that should be harmed. The United States has often shared with us their belief in human rights in freedom and democracy. That is all that South Africa is upholding," Pandor said, as cited by the local media.

During her speech at the Football 4 Humanity event, the minister also emphasized the importance of global support for South Africa's stance on the conflict in Gaza.

"We are a very courageous people, and what we're doing is taking a moral stand on behalf of the world. The world should be standing with South Africa. It cannot be correct that so many thousands of people are being killed every day, innocent people, who had no role in the attack by Hamas," the SA's top diplomat added.

Last week, a bill was introduced to the US Congress, urging a full review of the nation's relation with South Africa in light of the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) verdict on Gaza. The bill alleges that the ruling party of the SA has acted in a manner that is inconsistent with its publicly declared policy of nonalignment in foreign affairs.

"In contrast to its stated stance of nonalignment, the South African Government has a history of siding with malign actors, including Hamas, a US designated Foreign Terrorist Organization and a proxy of the Iranian regime, and continues to pursue closer ties with the People’s Republic of China and the Russian Federation," the bill read.

Moreover, the document accused South Africa of filing a "politically motivated suit in the International Court of Justice, wrongfully accusing Israel of committing genocide."

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It's noteworthy that the ICJ itself did not see any political motive on the part of South Africa in the case against Israel and ordered the Jewish state to take urgent measures to prevent acts of genocide and ensure the flow of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian enclave.

However, Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, last week expressed her belief that Israel may be violating the recent rulings.

Moreover, according to the reports, Israeli special forces recently raided a hospital in the occupied West Bank and fatally shot three alleged members of Palestinian armed groups. South Africa strongly condemned these actions, stressing that they violated the interim measures ordered by the ICJ.