South Africa, eight others sever diplomatic ties with Israel
…to protest the bombardment and rising deaths in Gaza
From Aljazeera-22.11.23
“As a people with our own painful history of discrimination, racism and prejudice,” President Ramaphosa said, “let us remember our personal duty to be tolerant and respectful of others.”
South Africa in a milestone move has become the first African country to sever diplomatic ties with the state of Israel as a way of protesting the attacks and occupation of Palestinians in Gaza that has so far seen about 13,500 palestinians and 1,400 Israeli´s d£ad.
South Africa has also called on the International Criminal Court or ICC to issue an arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel whom they want to be charged with ´war crimes ‘because of continued deaths in Gaza that includes some 5,500 children as the conflict enters week six.
On X formerly known as Twitter, Cyril Ramaphosa, the President of South Africa which suffered its own share of occupation, humiliation and deaths called on the world to act and stop Israel from further occupying Gaza.
“As a people with our own painful history of discrimination, racism and prejudice,” President Rhamaphosa said, “let us remember our personal duty to be tolerant and respectful of others.”
He added that, “let us (South Africa) promote dialogue and meaningful engagement so that, as South Africans, we may work together to support the realisation of just, peaceful and secure future for the people of both Palestine and Israel.”
South Africa in its bold move joins eight other countries that have cut diplomatic ties with Israel in protest Palestinian bombardment which include:
Bolivia, Chile, Turkey, Colombia, Bahrain, Chad, Honduras, and Jordan as world-wide pro-Palestinian chants rise from Pakistan, New York to Downing Street.
In a recent United Nations General Assembly vote to garner support to cease fire and cessation of hostilities, Zambia abstained when some 120 countries voted for a cease fire angering local leaders such as Dr Fred M’membe of the Socialist Party Zambia who said ´abstaining ‘or ´running´ away equals to ´supporting´ the ´massacre´ of Palestinians by Israel.
IS HOPE FOR PEACE AROUND THE CORNER?
The ´good news´ however, is that Qatar has managed to negotiate a ´humanitarian pause´ or ´cessation of hostilities´ between Israel and Palestine that starts on Thursday from 10am-4pm.
During the pause humanitarian aid shall be allowed to enter Gaza as Israel and Hamas exchange 15 prisoners each, mostly women and children held by both sides.
The UN is elated at the humanitarian pause which they hope to use to save lives in the besieged West Bank and other parts of Gaza where thousands face starvation and sickness.
Meanwhile some three journalists covering the war d!ed in Israel hostile fire on Tuesday, not as collateral damage, according to media reports bringing the number of dead journalists since Oct. 7 to just over 42.
Aljazeera is the only international media reporting on the war from within Gaza as others fear death.
It is not known how long the temporary hostilities shall hold but the fact that the killing shall subsidies has cheered the UN and its 18 agencies that have been calling for an end to the deaths.
Source: Aljazeera and others