Hands Off Minister Naledi Pandor!
10 August 2022
The human rights NGO, Africa4Palestine, condemns the recent attacks against South Africa’s Minister of International Relations, Minister Naledi Pandor, by members of the Israeli lobby. We, and our fellow South Africans, have simply grown tired of the endless insults by the SA Zionist Federation, the SA Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) and other members of the Israeli lobby against our South African government, our President and Ministers for their support of the Palestinian people.
We, together with South Africans, South African civil society organisations, NGOS, trade unions, churches, mosques and other faith bodies welcome the strong and firm stance by the South African government, and our ruling party, the ANC. Their strong stance in support of the people Palestine and their condemnation of the most recent Israeli attacks on the Palestinian Gaza Strip is inline with our commitment to the upholding of international law and human rights.
Israel’s latest assault and bombing of the Palestinian Gaza Strip, in the last 72 hours, has left over 45 Palestinians killed, including 15 children.
South Africa’s slamming of this barbarity by the Apartheid regime of Israel is indeed a reflection of the people of South Africa. This clear and consistent stance by South Africa is borne out of the support of human rights which is in our DNA. The recent statements condemning the horrific murder of Palestinians by Israel reflects the view of the majority of South Africans, who have elected the ANC into government.
It is clear that the SAJBD is a lobby group for a foreign regime and works closely with the Israeli spy agency Mossad together with the Israeli embassy in Pretoria. It has now become the norm that they will attack the ANC, our national government and leaders, while cosying up to reactionary parties such as the DA, ACDP and other small insignificant parties which blindly support apartheid Israel. The South African Jewish Board of Deputies must decide if they are South African or Israeli agents.
Africa4Palestine welcomes the recent ceasefire that has been announced in Gaza but we worry that the human catastrophe of the Palestinian Gaza Strip still exists. We also worry for Israel’s next assault on the Palestinian Gaza Strip. We remain committed to bringing an absolute end to Israel’s Apartheid regime. It is only with the dismantling of Israel’s apartheid policies that peace can be pursued. To this end we recommit ourselves to working with all parties that support Palestinian human rights including the ANC, NFP, other progressive political parties as well as the South African government and our democratically elected leaders. When the SAJBD attacks Minister Naledi Pandor for her pursuance of a Free Palestine and a more just world, they attack South Africa – the time has come and we are telling them to stop their endless Apartheid Israeli agenda and stop insulting our leaders.
Issued by Tisetso Magama on behalf of Africa 4 Palestine, 10 August 2022
