Axios revealed that it obtained a copy of a cable issued by the Israeli Foreign Ministry indicating that Israel is exerting pressure on members of Congress to pressure South Africa to drop its legal proceedings before the International Court of Justice regarding its war on Gaza.

South Africa has until October 28 to present its arguments before the UN's highest court to continue its case against Israel over alleged violations of the Genocide Convention during the war in Gaza.

Israeli officials say (according to the cable) that they want members of Congress to make clear to South Africa that there will be consequences for continuing to pursue the case.

Officials said Israel hopes the new coalition government in South Africa will adopt a different approach toward Israel and the war in Gaza.

In late December, South Africa filed a lawsuit at the International Court of Justice accusing Israel of violating its obligations under the 1948 Genocide Convention.

It claimed that Israel's actions "have a genocidal character because they aim to destroy a significant part" of the Palestinian population in Gaza. Israel rejected the accusations.

Since then, the court has held several sessions and issued interim orders, the most recent of which was last May when it called on Israel to halt its military operations in the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.

The court has not yet begun to substantively discuss South Africa's genocide charges, but is expected to do so in the coming months.

According to the website, Israeli officials said that the Israeli Foreign Ministry has launched a diplomatic campaign in recent weeks to pressure South Africa not to proceed with the case before the International Court of Justice. The US Congress is a key tool in this effort.

On Monday, the Israeli Foreign Ministry sent a secret cable to the Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C., and to all Israeli consulates in the United States regarding South Africa's case before the International Court of Justice.

According to the website, the cable stated: “We ask you to work immediately with your federal and state legislators, governors and Jewish organizations to pressure South Africa to change its policy toward Israel and make clear that continuing its current actions, such as supporting Hamas and pushing anti-Israel moves in international courts, will come at a high price.”

Israeli diplomats have been instructed to ask members of Congress to issue public statements condemning South Africa’s actions against Israel and threatening that this could lead to the suspension of US-South African trade relations. This is unlikely to happen because the US wants to maintain its relationship with South Africa in order to counter the influence of Russia and China, the website reported.

Israeli diplomats were also instructed to ask members of Congress and Jewish organizations in the United States to communicate directly with South African diplomats in the United States and make clear that South Africa would pay a heavy price if it did not change its policy.

Israeli diplomats were instructed to pursue another course of action, which was to push legislation against South Africa at the provincial and federal levels, “even if it does not materialize, introducing it and talking about it will be important” in trying to influence politics in South Africa.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry asked Israeli diplomats to push for hearings (in both the House and Senate) on South Africa's policy towards Israel in state legislatures.

Israeli diplomats were also instructed to make their diplomatic activity regarding South Africa as public as possible in the American press and on social media.

The website indicates that the Israeli Foreign Ministry refused to comment, and the South African Embassy in Washington, DC, did not respond to a request for comment.

It is noteworthy that last June, an unprecedented multi-party coalition government was formed in South Africa after the ruling African National Congress lost the majority it had held for 30 years.

According to the cable, Israeli diplomats were instructed to reinforce the message that the ANC had an opportunity to change course as part of the new government and pursue dialogue with Israel “rather than boycotts and sanctions.”