The South African government and the country’s ruling party have strongly condemned the Israeli army’s attacks on Palestinian worshippers praying at the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Israeli government’s planned evictions of Palestinians from the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in occupied East Jerusalem to make way for illegal Israeli settlements.
In a statement released on Saturday South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Co-operation reiterated that “Israel’s actions are in stark violation of international law also a disregard of international humanitarian law and UN Security Council Resolutions.”
“It is perplexing that during these unprecedented times as the international community addresses the global challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic. Israel is exploiting the situation to advance its de facto annexation of Palestinian land. These acts are not only illegal but also risk undermining the viability of a negotiated two-state solution and will have negative consequences on the entire peace process” the statement read.
On Sunday morning Lindiwe Zulu head of the ANC’s International Relations committee also condemned the Israeli army’s brutal crackdown on worshippers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Zulu together with ANC spokesperson Pule Mabe called on the United Nations to “put relentless pressure on the Israeli regime to stop its campaign of systematic repression and ruthless brutality against the people of Palestine.”
Pule and Zulu urged the international community “to rise to the occasion and stop apartheid Israel from expanding its illegal occupation of Palestinian lands and property and ensure that apartheid Israeli is held accountable for perpetrating crimes against humanity. Apartheid Israel cannot continue to violate international law with impunity.”
The South African BDS Coalition deplored international silence on the attacks on Al-Aqsa. “Would we hear the same silence from the world and South Africa if Muslims or Christians attacked a synagogue congregation on a Jewish holiday” asked the group’s spokesperson William Shoki.
The group also called on South Africa’s Minister of International Relations Naledi Pandor to immediately issue a demarche to the Israeli ambassador in Pretoria expressing the anger of the South African government and people at these acts of state terror and crimes against humanity by Israel.
