Palestinians see SA as “knight in shining armor’
President Cyril Ramaphosa says the people of Palestine see South Africa as a knight in shining armor for defending their rights.
On Friday, the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to halt it's military offensive in Rafah in Gaza, and to open the Rafah crossing.
The world court delivered its ruling on additional provisional measures requested by South Africa in it's case of genocide against Israel.
Ramaphosa spoke on the sidelines of his election campaign in Soweto.
"The people of Palestine see us as a knight in shining armor defending their rights and advocating justice for them, and we do this because a lack of justice for the people of Palestine is also a lack of justice for us."
"We were taught by the father of our democracy that we would not be completely free until the people of Palestine are free as well."
Meanwhile, the SA Jewish Board of Deputies has reacted to the ICJ ruling saying ICJ has no jurisdiction over Hamas.
The lobby group has also condemned South Africa for overlooking the crimes committed by Hamas against Israel.
National Director Wendy Kahn says South Africa is ruining its role as a peacemaker.
"In its many damning statements, interviews and speeches the ANC government has made against Israel, they have not once commented on the bodies of hostages that they have found in Gaza including three in Rafah in the past week.
"Neither have they acknowledged or condemned Hamas footage also found in Rafah this week, showing sexual threats by Hamas against young Israeli women captives.
"This shows the cavalier attitude that the ANC government has regarding sexual assault of Jewish women and the murder of Jews.
"South Africa has forever tainted itself in its a willingness to overlook the horrendous crimes of Hamas, impugning its reputation as honest peace broker."
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