ICJ: International fightback still possible, warns expert

This comes after President Cyril Ramaphosa said the party should expect a fight-back campaign from Israel and its supporters, which may influence this year's election outcome and could possibly lead to the ANC being removed from power.

“The fightback may focus on our domestic politics and our electoral outcomes in order to pursue a regime change agenda. Some people have said this was a David and Goliath contest,” Ramaphosa said during his closing address at the ANC NEC lekgotla.

Van Heerden says Ramaphosa's concerns about meddling in the country’s elections are not as far-fetched as some would imagine.

"He is moving from the track record of the countries that are involved. You look at the US and UK; recent history shows that if they don't agree with you, they are quick to want to effect regime change.

"Some of the possible regime change tactics include instigating a popular uprising against the government, or having soldiers on the ground; or a soft regime change which is to support opposition parties to the governing party.

"What Ramaphosa is trying to imply is that there is some credible circumstantial evidence to suggest that it is already underway," he said.

Van Heerden believes the repercussions may not be immediate.

"All these Western countries have been embarrassed. History shows that when you are embarrassed on such a scale, internationally, such great powers do not take it lightly; there will be repercussions. It might not be immediate, but there will be. The question is what kind of consequences should South Africa expect as a backfire."

Van Heerden pointed to the cancellation of Israeli airline El Al’s Johannesburg route.

Last week, the airline said it would suspend flights from Tel Aviv to Johannesburg following a 'decline' in demand from Israeli travellers.

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