Cape Town – Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Naledi Pandor has expressed a troubling concern that the spectre of genocide is distressingly prominent in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine in Gaza.
She warned that the crime of genocide is a significant concern in the current situation in Gaza.
Pandor called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the opening of humanitarian corridors to provide aid to those in need.
“We recall that in 1994, a genocide occurred on the African continent, with much of the whole world watching as innocent people were massacred,” she said on Tuesday as she delivered a statement in the National Assembly explaining the country’s standpoint on the war
She added: “The actions that we are witnessing daily by Israel are a violation of international law, including the United Nations Charter, the Geneva Convention and all its protocols, and its attacks on and kidnapping of innocent civilians.”
She criticised Israel for what she perceived as violations of international law and also noted that Hamas had violated international law.
Minister Naledi Pandor 🔥#FreePalestine 🇵🇸 pic.twitter.com/SRK5u0zyEj
— ATHI GELEBA 🇿🇦 (@AthiGeleba) November 8, 2023
“While we express horror at the violence, it is critical that we acknowledge that the illegal occupation of Palestine by Israel for several decades has led to bitter hatred and increased violence, and this violence is not the first violence the people of Palestine have experienced,” Pandor said.
The violation, she said, has been going on for decades.
“The murder of children of women… is an act that should have resulted in the International Criminal Court issuing an immediate arrest warrant for key decision makers, including Mr Benjamin Netanyahu, who is responsible for violations of international criminal law.”
She emphasised the need for a two-state solution with a Palestinian State created along the 1967 border, with East Jerusalem as its capital, and called for a peace process initiated by the United Nations.
Pandor also proposed concrete actions to end the suffering, including a comprehensive ceasefire, the release of civilian hostages, and the deployment of a UN Rapid Deployment Force in Palestine to monitor and protect civilians. She urged the international community to stand together and call for a ceasefire.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
