Dr. Naledi Pandor, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, used her platform to call on world leaders to cooperate in resolving the Israel-Palestine conflict on Tuesday.
“South Africa appeals to the international community to exert all possible effort and to offer powerful political, economic, and humanitarian support in order to bring about peace.
Support in terms of money and other resources must go together with speaking out for the rights of the Palestinian people, she said.
She also added that South Africa will keep exerting pressure on Israel as the occupier.
The Palestinian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Dr. Riad Malki, who is presently in South Africa, invited the Minister to speak at the Palestinian African Heads of Mission Conference.
She also expressed alarm over the ongoing violations of human rights in the occupied areas, saying that these violations only serve to fuel animosity.
“Annexing all Palestinian territory, imprisoning Palestinians, building huge concrete walls and checkpoints, or maintaining the siege of Gaza do not contribute to Israel’s security or that of its future generations,” she stated.
Instead, it is in a neighbour that is stable and peaceful, a Palestinian state that is sovereign and independent, and whose children can go to school, play, pray, and participate in athletic events in safety and peace, just like Israeli children can.
The core of the decades-long struggle between Israelis and Palestinians has been the conflict over the holy land, which includes disagreements over the boundaries, Jerusalem, security, and Palestinian refugees.
However, the Minister is of the opinion that a lasting discussion, negotiations, mediation, compromise, and understanding on the parts of both parties could lead to an end to the Israel-Palestine conflict.
She added that recent events in Ukraine and the responses of the most influential parties should now make it possible for the West to back the Palestinians’ rightful struggle.
Israel Status as Observer
Pandor has once more denounced the African Union Commission’s (AUC) arbitrary choice to grant Israel observer status the previous year.
“The choice is even more stunning after a year in which the oppressed Palestinians have endured bombings and ongoing illegal settlements on their territory.
The AU vehemently protested the killing of Palestinians and the destruction of infrastructure used by civilians. In this situation, the AU Commission’s decision is puzzling.
She claimed that Israel’s “unjust” actions violated the AU Charter’s spirit, which captures the aspirations of all Africans, particularly with regard to self-determination and decolonization.
She reminded a group of ambassadors that despite its international obligations and relevant UN resolutions, Israel continues to illegally occupy Palestine.
The AU Commission’s decision to reward Israel at a time when its treatment of Palestinians has been demonstrably more brutal is, therefore, puzzling.
The South African government, according to her, would continue to support all initiatives aimed at creating a Palestinian State that could coexist peacefully with Israel within the internationally recognised 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem serving as its capital, in accordance with all pertinent UN resolutions and international law.
“South Africa affirms that the two-state solution and the pertinent UN resolutions call for the establishment of a permanent peace between Palestine and Israel as well as the restoration of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people in order to bring about peace and stability in the Middle East.”
Dr. Naledi Pandor, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, used her platform to call on world leaders to cooperate in resolving the Israel-Palestine conflict on Tuesday.
“South Africa appeals to the international community to exert all possible effort and to offer powerful political, economic, and humanitarian support in order to bring about peace.
in terms of money and other resources must go together with speaking out for the rights of the Palestinian people, she said.
She also added that South Africa will keep exerting pressure on Israel as the occupier.
The Palestinian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Dr. Riad Malki, who is presently in South Africa, invited the Minister to speak at the Palestinian African Heads of Mission Conference.
She also expressed alarm over the ongoing violations of human rights in the occupied areas, saying that these violations only serve to fuel animosity.
“Annexing all Palestinian territory, imprisoning Palestinians, building huge concrete walls and checkpoints, or maintaining the siege of Gaza do not contribute to Israel’s security or that of its future generations,” she stated.
Instead, it is in a neighbour that is stable and peaceful, a Palestinian state that is sovereign and independent, and whose children can go to school, play, pray, and participate in athletic events in safety and peace, just like Israeli children can.
The core of the decades-long struggle between Israelis and Palestinians has been the conflict over the holy land, which includes disagreements over the boundaries, Jerusalem, security, and Palestinian refugees.
However, the Minister is of the opinion that a lasting discussion, negotiations, mediation, compromise, and understanding on the parts of both parties could lead to an end to the Israel-Palestine conflict.
She added that recent events in Ukraine and the responses of the most influential parties should now make it possible for the West to back the Palestinians’ rightful struggle.
Israel Status as Observer
Pandor has once more denounced the African Union Commission’s (AUC) arbitrary choice to grant Israel observer status the previous year.
“The choice is even more stunning after a year in which the oppressed Palestinians have endured bombings and ongoing illegal settlements on their territory.
The AU vehemently protested the killing of Palestinians and the destruction of infrastructure used by civilians. In this situation, the AU Commission’s decision appears puzzling.
She claimed that Israel’s “unjust” acts violated the AU Charter’s spirit, which captures the aspirations of all Africans, particularly with regard to self-determination and decolonization.
She reminded a group of ambassadors that despite its international commitments and relevant UN resolutions, Israel continues to unjustly occupy Palestine.
The AU Commission’s decision to award Israel at a time when its treatment of Palestinians has been indisputably more cruel is, therefore, puzzling.
The South African government, according to her, would continue to support all initiatives aimed at creating a Palestinian State that could coexist peacefully with Israel within the internationally recognised 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem serving as its capital, in accordance with all pertinent UN resolutions and international law.
“South Africa affirms that the two-state solution and the pertinent UN resolutions call for the establishment of a permanent peace between Palestine and Israel as well as the restoration of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people in order to bring about peace and stability in the Middle East.”