SA reiterates its support for the people of Gaza

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The Department of International Relations and Cooperation has reiterated South Africa’s support for the people of Gaza, saying it is not a matter of taking sides.

The move is in response to Minister Naledi Pandor calling for the International Criminal Court to issue a warrant of arrest for Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and other senior officials for alleged contraventions of international law in relation to the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.

Director-General of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation Zane Dangor says, “I don’t think that this is a situation where you can have more support for one side or the other- the one is an occupying power and occupying power is not an allegation by South Africa, it’s a statement of fact by the International Court of Justice- and it’s an occupying power at least since 1967- and it’s not a situation where two- countries are at war with each other. This is a situation where there’s an ongoing conflict by virtue of an act of occupation being in place since ’67- against all numbers of Security Council resolutions, and general assembly resolutions. South Africa has taken a position that the occupation must end; the violence associated with the occupation must end.”

Dangor insists that the call made by Minister Pandor was not out of the ordinary and that it was not meant to support the actions of Hamas.

“So, the call that the minister is making was not out of the ordinary- it also came in the same week that we’ve had discussions with organisations keen for humanitarian support and we had to find out what the humanitarian needs are. One does not speak about the humanitarian needs outside of the authority in that space- and that authority in that space was Hamas. The minister did not under any circumstances support the attack by Hamas on the Israeli civilians- in fact, she’s on record criticising it, and in fact, has called for Hamas to be investigated for war crimes as well.”

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