As Palestinians began to slowly rebuild their lives with help from the international community following a bloody conflict with Israel, Chatsworth residents protested on the Higginson Highway to show solidarity with them.
In the past week, South Africans across the country showed up in their numbers on the streets by hosting placard demonstrations to show their support for the Palestinians. Chatsworth residents protested alongside the Higginson Highway dressed in black, red, white and green, while waving the Palestinian flag high. The rally was an initiative of the ‘Youth Activists 4 Palestine’ Movement who are highlighting the humanitarian crisis in that country. Youth activist Raeesa Joosab said young South Africans had decided to speak out in numbers just as the generation before them poured onto the streets to protest apartheid. “The week of 10 May saw unprovoked military engagement against the Palestinians, from forced evictions in Sheik Jarrah Palestine and then the assault on the Al Aqsa compound by Israeli Military, while Palestinian worshippers prayed on the holiest of nights in Ramadaan at the third holiest mosque in the Islamic world. This was followed by the bombardment of Gaza with the full might of the Israeli regime. From this there has been a global outcry and solidarity with Palestinian people with events of solidarity being held the world over, on a daily basis.”
Joosab and the group of young activists, calling themselves Youth Activists 4 Durban feel that it is now their turn to put pressure on the South African Government to enforce sanctions on Israel, until Palestinians have the same rights as free citizens all over the world. “We, the youth and future of South Africa, will speak up and continue to protest, until Palestine is free from occupation. The continuous bombardment and aggression against Palestinians especially women and children has to end. Many of us have grown up in a free South Africa, after international solidarity and condemnation. It is now our responsibility to fight for the freedom of young Palestinians,” she said.
Meanwhile, International Relations and Cooperation Minister, Dr Naledi Pandor, has called on the United Nations (UN) and the Gulf Council to be more resolute in pursuing freedom for the people of Palestine. “The recent vicious attacks by Israel on Palestinian people and the forced removal of Palestinians from their homes are clear evidence of the absence of peace and security for millions worldwide. Sadly, we all watched as Palestine suffered more and more brutally. “Greater effort must be exerted to achieve peace in the Middle East. Powerful nations must accept that we all depend on each other and even the most powerful will not achieve peace and security through unilateral actions and neglect of the poor, the oppressed and marginalised. We call on the UN and the Gulf Council to be more resolute in pursuing freedom for the people of Palestine,” she said.
Pandor said the South African government is pleased to be serving in the UN Peacebuilding Commission for 2021-2022, as this will contribute towards the maintenance of international peace and security just as South Africa did during its term on the UN Security Council. She said peace and security are extremely fragile or absent in many parts of the globe. Meanwhile, the SA Jewish Board of Deputies and the SA Zionist Federation has condemned the South African Government’s position. In a statement, it accused Pretoria of ‘taking a one-sided stance’ on the current conflict. The organisations have questioned the government’s ‘concern for innocent civilians.’ “SA’s concern over the bloody Israel-Palestinian conflict has only been on the Palestinian side. It is a pity that the concern is only for those on the Palestinian side. Having set up a 24-hour hotline to Gaza …. Government forgets the fears that SA Jewish citizens have for their families who have been indiscriminately targeted by Hamas and their rockets.’’
