Israel lobbying US Congress to press South Africa to drop ICJ genocide case: Report

Axios is reporting, based on a diplomatic cable, that Israel is lobbying members of the US Congress to press South Africa to drop its case in the International Court of Justice (ICJ), in which Pretoria is calling on the court to label Israel's actions against Palestinians a genocide.

"We are asking you to immediately work with lawmakers on the federal and state level, with governors and Jewish organizations to put pressure on South Africa to change its policy towards Israel and to make clear that continuing their current actions like supporting Hamas and pushing anti-Israeli moves in international courts will come with a heavy price," read the cable from Israel's foreign ministry to Israel's embassy and all consulates in the US.

According to Axios, Israeli diplomats were instructed to reach out to South African diplomats in the US and tell them their country will "pay a heavy price" if it doesn't change its policy towards Israel.

The Israeli diplomats were also instructed to ask US lawmakers to issue statements saying South Africa's ICJ case could lead to a suspension of US-South Africa trade, a highly unlikely possibility.