Would be ‘absurd’ for SA not to side with Palestine – Nehawu
Nehawu in Gauteng staged a picket outside the US consulate to demand America’s withdrawal of its support to Israel amid the deadly conflict in Gaza.
The National Education, Health and Workers Union (Nehawu) in Gauteng says it supports the South African government’s call for an immediate ceasefire and a return to the negotiating table to find a permanent security solution founded on the 1967 borders.
“It would be absurd for a government borne out of the demise of an oppressive system of apartheid to stand aside when apartheid is emergent in another part of the world and not take a side,” said provincial secretary Mzikaysie Tshontshi.
Nearly two weeks ago, Hamas militants killed more than 1,300 people in a surprise attack that sparked a deadly retaliatory bombing campaign by Israel in Gaza that has claimed over 2,000 lives.
In its statement on Wednesday, Cabinet condemned the attack by Hamas while slamming the Israeli government and accusing it of using the assault to “continue its genocide against the people of Palestine”.
READ: Cabinet: Gaza hospital strike constitutes war crime
America has pledged its unwavering support to Israel while calling for a cautious approach to avoid a spillover into other parts of the Middle East.
Tshontshi accused the US government of turning a blind eye to the decades-long oppression, displacement, imprisonment, and killing of Palestinians but rushing to call Hamas “terrorists” for taking up arms and defending their homeland.
“America is the biggest backer of Israel; they are the biggest supporter of what is happening there. We are here to demonstrate our anger at the attitude of America and the selective way in which America sees people in the world. We’re here to say Palestinians' lives matter just as much as Israeli lives matter.”
The union’s deputy provincial secretary Thulisile Msimang, read out the memorandum of demands, addressed to US President Joe Biden, after telling demonstrators that representatives of the US consulate had received it but refused to acknowledge or sign it.
“[We demand that America]…ensures that Israel dismantles the apartheid wall of shame; force the retreat of the Israeli army from all occupied territories since 1967 including in Syria and Lebanon; end all the blockades against the Palestinian people in the West Bank and the Gaza strip…”
READ MORE: Israel-Hamas war 'likely' to spread into Arab region
Meanwhile, Biden said a deal had been struck to allow aid into war-torn Gaza, where scores have been left with no access to water, food, electricity, and sanitation.
After face-to-face talks in Israel and intense telephone diplomacy with Egypt, Biden said a limited number of trucks would be allowed to cross the shuttered Rafah crossing from Egypt into Gaza from Friday.
It would be the first international relief to enter Gaza since 7 October.
*Additional reporting by AFP
