South Africa may prosecute those citizens that have been found to be working for or have flown overseas to fight with the Israeli Defense Force.

The issue came to a head when a pro-Palestinian advocacy group opened up a case against Dean Goodson of Cape Town, claiming that he had been working with the Israeli Defense Force.

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Another group called the Action Forum in Support of Palestine said that it had plans to pursue at least four other South African individuals suspected of being connected with the Israeli military.

The Defense Department of South Africa spoke to the South Africa Independent, saying that is has not given permission to citizens to participate in the Gaza conflict in any way. To do so would be in violation of the Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Act.

Anyone who is found guilty of breaking the act can face jail time.

Some, however, find this unfair and a breach of their ideology. A resident of Durban told the South African newspaper The Sunday Tribune that it was "his responsibility to serve" in the Israeli Defense Force.

The threat of punishment by South Africa is not toothless. A spokesman for the police force in Western Cape, Lieutenant Colonel Andre Traut, confirmed that a docket had been opened.

Some of the difficulty South Africa has is that the country's obligations to a soldier become murky if they are deployed by another military outfit.

The defense ministry said soldiers have come to them asking for medical or military aid, but South Africa did not deploy nor lead the soldiers and thus are not liable.

It is difficult for a South African to legally serve in the Israeli Defense Force. Only the Defense Minister can authorize someone to enter into a conflict abroad, and only on the recommendation of the National Conventional Arms Control committee.

TagsIsrael, Israel-Gaza crisis, Palestine, IDF