While the deadly conflict between Israel and the Palestinian military group Hamas continues, the Palestinian Solidarity Forum in Cape Town has called on the South African Government to cut all diplomatic, sports, education and business ties with Israel.
Also read: At least 250 people killed in ‘most coordinated Hamas attack’ on Gaza Strip
At least 2 000 people have already been killed in the conflict, which reached a new peak on Saturday when Hamas launched an attack on Israel.
Earlier today, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) confirmed that two South Africans have died in the conflict.
‘The Department of International Relations and Cooperation can confirm that we have been notified that two South African nationals have died in this ongoing conflict between Palestine and Israel,’ says Dirco spokesperson Clayson Monyela.
‘The verification process is currently underway because one of the individuals is reported to have an Israeli ID number, so we need to determine whether there is dual citizenship or what the picture is.’
Monyela told News24 that the South African missions in Ramallah and Tel Aviv are coordinating efforts and rendering consular assistance and services to the families. The department called for the immediate cessation of violence, restraint and peace between Israel and Palestine on 7 October, expressing its ‘grave concern’ over the escalation in the conflict.
‘The new conflagration has arisen from the continued illegal occupation of Palestine land, continued settlement expansion, desecration of the Al Aqsa Mosque and Christian holy sites, and ongoing oppression of the Palestinian people. The region is in desperate need of a credible peace process that delivers on the calls of a plethora of previous UN resolutions for a two-state solution and a just and comprehensive peace between Israel and Palestine.’
‘South Africa, working together with the international community, seeks to ensure a lasting and durable peace that produces a viable, contiguous Palestinian State, existing side-by-side in peace with Israel, within the 1967 internationally recognised borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.’
‘Violence, killings, imprisonment, forced removals, illegal settlements, and the continued siege of Gaza are not conducive to resolving the conflict. Urgent attention must be given to resolving the final status issues such as borders, the status of Jerusalem, the release of political prisoners, and the right of return.’
Shaniae Maharaj, chair of Cape Town’s Palestinian Solidarity Forum, states that the fight is not against Jewish people but against Zionists. ‘Zionism is a form of racism, it’s a form of white supremacy and underpins the Israeli apartheid regime. Jews on the other hand, they’re just a religious group.’
‘We have absolutely no problem and support their alliance with us and our struggle. A good example of this is South African Jews for a Free Palestine (SAJFP).’
According to EWN, the organisation also called for international sanctions against Israel.
Conversely, the executive director of the Cape South African Jewish Board of Deputies, Daniel Bluch, says that anyone who justifies the killing of civilians supports terrorism.
‘There’s no justification as to why these attacks happened over the last few days. We are calling on our government, we’re calling on members of South Africa, the citizens of South Africa to condemn the acts by the terrorist organisation Hamas.’
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Picture: Ehimetalor Akhere Unuabona / Unsplash
