SA must act against Israeli ‘apartheid’

MORE than 200 Palestinians were reported injured when Israeli occupation forces stormed the al-aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem’s Old City while thousands of people were at prayer. The police fired rubber-coated steel bullets, set off sound bombs and unleashed tear gas into the mosque where hundreds of worshippers had gathered for prayers marking the last week of the holy month of Ramadaan. The people were trapped inside the mosque compound for hours as police and soldiers surrounded it and emergency services battled to access the injured.

Since last week, the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood of Jerusalem has also been under attack from Jewish settlers who, with the protection of Israeli soldiers, removed Palestinians and their possessions, taking over houses their families had lived in for generations. The world has watched in silence at pitiful scenes of dozens of people being hounded out of their own homes in the middle of the night while brutal and vulgar strangers moved in. We express our full support for the Palestinian families left homeless. Would we hear the same silence if Muslims or Christians attacked a synagogue congregation on a Jewish holiday? We demand that Minister of International Relations and Co-operation Naledi Pandor, immediately issues a démarche to the Israeli ambassador in Pretoria, expressing anger at these acts.

Last week Human Rights Watch released a report that shows how Israel commits the crime of apartheid. The barbaric actions taking place in Jerusalem are an escalation of the ethnic cleansing Palestinians have suffered since 1948.

How many more atrocities must they suffer before South Africa raises its voice, expels the Israeli ambassador, breaks off diplomatic ties and imposes sanctions on Israel state? South African BDS Coalition: South African affiliate of Palestinian BDS National Committee