South Africa Denies Approval of Arms Sales to Israel Amidst Conflict

In response to mounting concerns raised by Palestinian groups involved in the global initiative to halt arms supplies to Israel, the National Conventional Arms Control Committee (NCACC) has emphatically stated that it has not sanctioned nor authorized any arms sales to Israel.

This follows accusations by pro-Palestinian groups targeting the international aerospace and technology conglomerate Paramount Group, alleging the sale of armored vehicles to Israel Defense Forces military contractors with the aim of enhancing their lethal capabilities. Paramount Group has vehemently denied these allegations.

Advocate Ezra Jele, the head secretariat of the NCACC, conveyed to City Press: "South Africa has been a signatory to the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty since 2014 and is committed to the rule of law, both in the international and domestic spheres."

The NCACC, serving as the regulatory body overseeing arms exports, requires companies to undergo an approval process for any proposed arms sales. According to Jele, the committee is bound by law to refrain from granting arms export permits for weapons intended to escalate conflicts or to governments engaging in human rights violations.

Jele clarified that, in the event of arms transfer, companies are obliged to seek approval through the export process outlined in section 15 of the NCACC Act.

"Applications for countries that are in conflict will not meet the criteria of the act since this is proscribed and, therefore, would not be eligible to be considered by the cabinet committee. Further to that, the NCACC abides strictly by the amended National Arms Control Act (Act 41 of 2002 and the regulation and control lists from the Framework of Arms Prevention Control,” he said.

Furthermore, Jele urged any party or entity making claims regarding South Africa approving arms sales to Israel to provide information to the NCACC for verification purposes. This, he emphasized, would facilitate the clarification of such claims and ensure transparency in the arms export approval process.