Civilians, including women and children in gaza and wounding many more. The regime has also intensified the siege of gaza, leaving the city home to more than 2. 3 million palestinians without water, electricity and fuel. The people of africa have come out to strongly condemn israeli war crimes while expressing solidarity with our oppressed palestinians. We can no longer. Stand idle while we watch our brothers and sisters being madled by the zionist state of israel, apartate has been declared a crime against humanity and apart it israel is an apartate state, we call on the president , his excellency president ramaposa, not to only stand in the united general ass and speak on palestine, but act upon it. Africans slam israeli atrocities in gaza. This weeks edition of africa today focuses on the continuing condemnation of israel across africa by the masses and governments. African solidarity for palestine has always been strong. Early this year the African Union decided to reject the Israeli Regimes observer status in the block atmit the regimes crimes against the people of palestine. The genocide being perpetrated by the Israeli Regime against palestinians in gaza, angered africans who have also been victims of similar atrocities during the colonial era. South africas postapartide of government has been particularly vocal in support of palestine. South african president siril ramafosa speaks. Here during a recent demonstration for solidarity with oppressed palestinians organized by the Ruling African National congress. We have a full understanding of how the people of palestine have taken up this issue because they are people as many countries and leaders in the world have uh opineed that they have been of under occupation. For almost 75 years and people under occupation who have been waging a struggle against an oppressive government that has occupied their land, but also a government that has in recent times been dubbed and apartate state, as people and an organization that has struggled. Against an oppressive system of apart, we do pledge solidarity with the palestinians and as the African National congress, we have always plaged our solidarity with them. To get incisive analysis on the solidarity of the people of africa with palestinians facing genocidal crimes perpetrated by the Israeli Regime, we have contacted muhammad. Khalid sayid, political analyst and member of the western Cape Provincial Parliament cape town, altaf adam, founder of the Palestine Solidarity Alliance youth league in johannesburg, and shahied bolson, political analyst in jakarta. A large number of propalestine south africans protested outside the us consulat in johannesburg, criticizing washingtons decision to send weapons to israel, which is currently engaged in a deadly conflict with. Palestinians in the gaza strip. Similar protests have taken place in cape town and other parts of the country where people expressed outrage at israeli atrocities in gaza and called for an end to. Speaks here on the significance of the expression of solidarity to palestinians by south africans. Our former president and founder of our democratic project in south africa, Nelson Mandela oce said that south africa cannot be considered to be free until palestine is free. Now he says that because he understood that as south africans, we have experienced decades of aparte and before that settler colonialism. The palestinians are experiencing the same, under extremely brutal conditions. So it demands of us, us who can relate to an apartate reality, us can relate to settler colonialism and its brutality, which has also been supported by the west. Remember the same americans, the same british supported the apparted government up until the very end. Uh as they are supporting israel now. Shaheed bolson concurs with the south african president that the Israeli Regime is intent on committing genocide against palestinians. Theyll never be allowed to return to their homes ever again. Uh, what the israelis are actually doing is threatening mass murder, theyre threatening genocide, theyre threatening a palestinian holocaust, because obviously, expelling over million. People in the time frame that theyve stipulated is logistically impossible and they know it, so in other words, this is not actually a warning to leave, its a death notice, we also know that they bombed the routes when any palestinians did try to leave, so the intention is simply to kill, thats the thats the only reason that theyre doing this. President ramafosa had Harsh Criticism for the Israeli Regime, saying it was viewed by many as an apartite state. That had continued to oppress Palestinian People. He says the anc stood with palestine and its citizens who have been oppressed for more than 70 years. Despite International Pressure from zionist lobby groups, the south african government remains resolute in supporting palestine. Altaf adam, founder of the Palestine Solidarity Alliance youth league in johannesburg, says this stance can be a lesson to other african countries that are at times forced to back. The Israeli Regime. President ramapozas strong criticism of israel and south africas unvebing support for palestine can indeed uh lesson for other african countries that may face pressure to align with the Israeli Regime. First and foremost the stance reflects south africas historical experience the apartted. A system of institutionalized racial segregation and discrimination that oppress the majority of. Africas population, the parallel drawn between apart in south africa and the situation in palestine underscores the importance for empathy and solidarity when other nations are facing oppression or injustice. South africas commitment to supporting palestine in the face of International Pressure highlights the principle of sovereignty and independence as well as Foreign Policy decisions. The African Union Commission Chairperson has said that the denial of the fundamental rights of the Palestinian People, particularly that of an independent and sovereign state, is the main cause of the permanent Israeli Palestinian tension. Experts have termed this statement as extremely significant, whats happening now in palestine, these palestinians are reduced to buntustans, to homelands, youve got a situation where youve got an authority, so this Palestinian Authority in ramala and the west bank, then you got gaza where hamas are, its become a human concentration camp, they are restricted into one area, everything has to depend on the israelis and that most certainly builds up resentment, even amongst ordinary people, it it frustrates, it it creates psychological problems, so until the israelis are willing, and theres been numerous United Nations resolutions on the need for palestinian statuod. Until the israelis are willing to come to the table and to say, look, let us agree to a palestinian state. African people continue to hold demonstration in solidarity with palestinians, while insisting that they are not opposed to jews, but rather atrocities committed by the israeli apartide regime. Israel is turning gaza into a holocaus, and this is not fair. We live through apart. We know what it is, so we will stand by gaza, we here in south africa, we are living with each other in peace, we even living with the jews in peace, we not fighting against them. Here in cape town, so we are here to raise our voice and we say free palestine. Some Media Outlets have claimed that african nations are divided over the gaza war. Many analysts have rejected this assertion, particularly considering the fact that only few countries have spoken on the issue and only a handful have shown support for the brutal Israeli Regime. I would not necessarily agree to say that the african countries are divided on the issue. Number one, if you look at the african street, the masses on the african continent are extremely clear that they support the palestinians in this particular struggle, and they condemn israel colonialism because the african population feels the wrath of imperialism of which israel is an outpost, but number two, even at the diplomatic level, the mere fact that israels application for observer status was rejected indicates that there is a unity around the issue amongst africans, so ever, the challenge would be that there somewhat of an indifference at times and lack of priority, because some of them are fearing western funding and those type of things, its not necessarily a division, but i think somewat of a indifference or lack of focus and urgency because they have other fear some of them, but we need to do our work among them to ensure that to take a much more clear stance and much more consistent. African slam israeli atrocities in gaza. Its a dire situation in in the gaza strip that were were seeing evolve. Weve got the israelis that have have clearly uh not followed uh obligations, particularly the people in the ghaza strip. Theres a huge amount of sympathy in the air world for palestinian. I think the israeli economy will have a significant hit just because the market uncertainty around israel based on where it is in the region and what its economy relies on. South africa says it is ready to mediate in the conflict between israel and the palestinian territories. President Siril Ramaphosa of south africa is calling for immediate cease fire and says his country can draw its experience of conflict resolution in africa and beyond. The berligeran Israeli Regime has not responded to this offer. I think firstly the the initiative by president ramapoza needs to be welcomed. This has been something that south africa has been trying to do for a for a while, weve even a certain point even within the palestinian groupings united played a big role in trying to unite the palestinian political formations, but there was a particular stage, i think under yitsak rabin, where there was at least some type of the israelis were willing to. My own view is that yes the president has come out very clearly and its the right thing to do, its the moral thing to do, the ball is now in israels court, we highly doubt though that at this moment in time given the behavior of netanyahu and their own pressures inside of israel and the need for them to continue this war, that they will at this point agree to an engagement, however as the pressure mounts, you may well find a situation to their knees and then they will agree, and that is when south africa becomes an important player in this in this in this scheme of things. South african foreign minister Naledi Pandor says colonial occupiers are using financial muscle to provide grants in aid to african countries and secure the depoliticized support of african countries for the oppressive Israeli Regime. Is that countries that are oppressers that continue to be. Occupiers are using financial muscle to provide grant in aid to african countries and secure the depositicized support of african countries for these oppressive nations. The United States and other oppressive western countries have been armtwisting african countries to support the israeli apartide regime and action should be taken to end this bullying. I think that more african countries today, in the era of bricks and in the era of the pivot the Global Economy to the south, also should understand that they are actually in the position to resist that same sort of pressure. Uh, i think more and more nations are realizing that the western empire, the american empire isnt what it used to be, europe is imploding, the United States is bankrupt, and no one has to be bullied anymore, no one has to accept being bullied anymore, colonialist forces uh are being driven out of mali, of niger. Burkina faso, those days are over and the global south can establish new paradigm in international relations, and that includes affirming the rights of the palestinians and it includes uh condemning uh the occupation and it can includes condemning the israeli apartide system, and i dont see any reason why any african country today uh should stand for that or accept to be bullied into backing a colonialist regime when they themselves have a history of. Opposing colonialism and resisting colonialism and resisting it successfully. In 2019, dr. Ramsey barroud, palestinian author and journalist academic visited kenya to launch his new book. Speaking to local tv station, he attempted to elaborate on the commonalities between the palestinian and the kenyan struggle for independence. Frankly, and maybe im being a little bit too bold with the statement, but i believe that if you do not. Support the Palestinian People, you are betraying the very legacy of your own anticolonial struggle in this country, you have um, there are certain parts of your history, if i take that text or that passage describing these parts of your history, and i take the certain terminology out and replace it with palestinians, it would read as if you are reading palestinian history, its one and the same, the Kenya Palestine Solidarity Movement issued a statements. Saying that it regards the palestinian struggle as legitimate, similar to the kenya land and freedom struggle, and the mau freedom heroes. The Kenya Palestine Solidarity Movement statement draws between struggle, and historic movements like the kenya len and freedom struggle and the mama of freedom heroes, highlights the organizations perspective on the legitimacy of the palestinian cause, the Historical Context. The the the comparison between the palestinian struggle and the historical struggles in kenya were important chapters were important were important chapters in kenyas fight for independence from colonial rule. By drawing these parallels, the statement emphasizes that the palestinian struggle is part of a broader Historical Context context of resistance against oppression. Shaid bolson believes the comparison of the malou resistance in kenya. And the Palestinian Resistance movement is appropriate. I think obviously the uh the comparison between the palestinian struggle and the mau resistance is entirely appropriate and accurate. Mean, the mas grievances were rooted in land disposition, exploitation and obviously brutal colonization, just like the palestinians, but i think mean in my opinion, what the palestinians have suffered and are suffering is considerably worse than anything that we saw in kenya back even in the colonialist days, i mean every palestinian is indiscriminately targeted by the israelis, man, woman, child and infant, as if theyre all active resistance fighters, as if theyre all mau, as if just by existing theyre regarded as combatants, while some african countries such as south africa have allowed massive demonstrations, masses in other countries have had to contend with smaller gatherings like candle light. Organization organize a candle vigil and sort of a protest candle light vigil and people getting together for to protest the ongoing genocide on the ghaza strip and on occupied palestine as a whole. We are here to show solidarity. Nigeria, the most populaus african country, has seen massive protest. In support of palestine, a nigerian speaks here on dable standards when it comes to israeli atrocities against palestinians, look at compare this with the issue of russia and ukraine. Russia attempted to to to invade ukraine to annex ukraine as part of his territory, the whole world, especially the western country, supported ukraine with military, Financial Aid and what have you against russia, but now what compared it with what is going on that israel has grabbed all palestinian lans, despite the fact that the israel is the aggressor, the whole world is still in his support. In morocco, a kingdom that normalized ties with the zionist Israeli Regime, despite objections by mass. As the apartite Israeli Regime commits atrocities and genocide in gaza, whichever step is taken to show solidarity with palestinians, including street protests and smaller gatherings such as candle light vigils are seen as significant. Kender light vigils organizing kenya and some of the smaller gatherings in of palestine in various parts of the world to carry a symbolic message uh. These peaceful gatherings are means of expressing empathy and support for the people of palestine, depending on each individual countrys laws and regulations and their policies around the Israeli Palestinian conflict, would determine the type of solidarity actions determined by the people within a particular country. However, these small vigils dont go unnoticed and can lead to a larger support based for the people of. Palestine and it is important to have these vgals to show solidarity, peaceful protest, remembering the lives lost um and and creating Global Awareness as well as calling for peace and resolution in the area. The Palestine Solidarity Campaign psc is calling for the south african government to end its relationship with israel. There are growing calls for african countries to act in unison to boy. The brutal israeli apartite regime just like the boycot of the apartite regime in south africa. The issue around the closure of the Israeli Embassy has become a hot potato and debate even within the solidarity movement. Its a strategic question. So yes, african countries should act within unisen but do things within what is possible in their context and what is required uh within the state. We find ourselves in and the role that we need to play, so our our minister, minister pando to this point is said, look, if we do want to close the embassy, it needs to be based on what are we going to achieve from it. Former south african president Nelson Mandela, famously stated that we know too well that our freedom is incomplete without the freedom the palestinians. This statement is enough to eject israel from africa and all the people of africa and beyond in their support for the Freedom Movement in palestine and particularly in gaza. Tell us what you think about the statement by mandela at this juncture . The statement is powerful and enduring expression of solidarity with the people of palestine. It underlines the interconnectedness of struggles for and freedom around the world. Um, some of my thoughts about the statement shows that there is solidarity in. Struggles in sh struggles. Mandelas words emphasize the idea that the struggle for justice and freedom is not only confined uh within borders and regions, they reflect the belief that the fight for human rights and Self Determination is a universal cause that transcends national boundaries. In this sense, it resonates with the idea that the struggle of the Palestinian People is intimately connected with the broader global. Struggle for justice and human rights. Mandela statement remains highly relevant in the context of the ongoing conflict with the Israeli Regime by the Palestinian People. It serves as a reminder that issues of justice, equality and freedom, continue to matter and be matter of concern, not just for Palestinian People or people within the region, but for those who stand in solidarity with them all around the world. First of your headlines, the one rice chief calls for an immediatefire in gaza, as the death poll from israels genocidal war exceeds 5,000, nearly half of them children, themos leader lashes out of. Some countries for supporting israels genocidal war in gaza, saying the west is complicit in the massacre of palestinians, free, palestine, free, free, palestine, and millions of people around the world voice solidarity with the people of palestine, calling for an end to the israeli bloodshed in gaza
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