Published on 22 July 2014

Written by The African National Congress in Parliament (ANC)

Following nationwide protests across South Africa against the ongoing Israeli attacks on Gaza (Israel has killed over 400 Palestinians including 100 children in the last 10 days) the ANC in Parliament has called for the Israeli ambassador in South Africa to leave with immediate effect. The ANC must implement this and the decision to recall the South African Ambassador from Tel Aviv with urgency.

The African National Congress in Parliament is extremely outraged by the wanton and unjustifiable bombardment and killings of innocent civilians, including children, in Palestinian territory of Gaza by Israel military forces. We echo the widespread condemnation of these senseless attacks on defenceless Palestinians and call on the government of Israel to immediately cease with this blatant act of criminality.

It is unacceptable that as the Israeli military is flagrantly violating the territorial integrity of Gaza, claiming hundreds of lives and injuring thousands, the United Nations Security Council fails to intervene decisively in line with its powers. The office of the UN Secretary General issues statements which have not effect. The UN Security Council must stand up and act to support vulnerable Palestinian people at the time when they need their protection. The situation involving Palestine and Israel is an undeclared war, in which the aggressor, Israel, has destroyed the Palestinian economy, robbed people of their land, unilaterally changed borders, and unilaterally built a wall of exclusion
to keep Palestinians out of their land. When it feels provoked, it unleashes the most sophisticated military hardware on a defenceless people. Palestinians have been reduced to cheap labour for the Israel economy. This relentless destruction of the Palestinian territory and its people by Israel must be stopped. The international community needs to act in unison on this matter.

As the ANC in Parliament, we stand unapologetically with the people of Palestine and pro-Palestinian campaigners in an endeavour to exert pressure on Israel’s government to comply with the UN Security Council resolutions and stop its killings and gross persecution of Palestinian people. We remain resolute in our view that the only long lasting peaceful solution to the situation in the Middle East is the attainment of a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine in which the two states exist side by side independently and peacefully.

Our strong condemnation of Israel's violent aggression, however, does not in any way mean approval of the continuing firing of rockets by Hamas into Israel, which has put the lives of innocent civilians at risk. We echo the call by the South African government for both parties to end all forms of aggression towards one another.

The ANC in Parliament will mobilise other political formations in this institution to take a principled stand against the criminal acts of Israel and further to ensure that Parliament as an institution formally condemns the deadly violence visited upon the people of Palestine. We will also invite other parties to the lunchtime picketing outside Parliament in support of the people of Palestine and in calling for peace in the Middle East region. As one of the measures to put pressure on Israel, we are of a firm view that our government must recall our ambassador to Israel and also ask the Israel ambassador to South African to leave with immediate effect.

During this International Nelson Mandela Day in which South Africans and the world are called upon to engage in noble acts in emulation of the world icon, we align ourselves with his profound statement that “our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians”.

http://www.alternativenews.org/english/index.php/politics/politico/8322-document-anc-calls-israeli-ambassador-to-leave-the-country

9c n fantastic step taken by isreal; God almighty, will punish isreal for this inhumane act they re pouring on people; on their own land; Now I begin to see wat hitler saw yrs back; n launched the "Holocaust" on them; lord help palestanians

Mandela's thoughts...

In case you are wondering why Bibi Nethanyahu never deemed it fit to attend Madiba's funeral......

Freedom and foced internment do not mix

Democracy and apartheid do not mix

Peace and war do not mix

who first threw the stone

im longing for a time when Nigeria wl deal with its enemies(boko haram) in such a way dat they wl come begging for forgiveness.. the hamas militia started it hence they must not run away from it.i do support the war although civilians have bn made to be at the receiving end of the whole drama..ITS A NECESSARY WAR!!
The Isrealis Govt don't take shits from its enemies especially the Arab world which houses the most tryannts n bloodthirsty people in the world..osama,bin laden,ghadaffi,to mention but a few...they(hamas militia group) shud av realised dat before they fired the first rocket into Gaza thereby puting the lives of civilians at risk..
by the way,why are the ANC members so bent on having the Isrealis ambassador recalled by his country when they are fully aware dat such move wl not cause a stir neither wl it mk the Israelis army stop launching rocket into Gaza..OF WHAT SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC, POLITICAL,SOCIAL use IS SOUTH AFRICA TO ISREAL?.is its dia diamond or wot?Mandela only fought for a just cause(aparthied).he neva allowed anoda man*s biz to become sth of great concern to him..its obvious dat they are embarking on a mission which wl produce nothing positive result...just watch out for the major headlines of most South African newspapers by next month n u wl see sth like **SA ANC APOLOGISE TO ISREALIS FOR UNGUIDED UTTERANCE N LIBEL OVER CRISIS IN GAZA+++
them no get things to do with their time..

SA ANC shud just mind their own biz n kp fighting the continuous injustice in their land rather dan pokenose into the affairs of another country..what did the Palestinian people do wen apartheid was the order of the day in SA?why shud they(ANC)complain of pains whereas it is the Palestinian govt dat suffers from hernia..
They Palestinian govt is to blame in the first place cos they did nothing tangible to stop the undisciplined Hamas militant sect from bombarding Gaza which is under Israelis radar..were they not aware dat the cant match dia enemies military strength?
Kp fighting Isreal for dis is a necessary war..

And so what

People all over the world should condemn terrorism in all its forms.

Shooting rockets indiscriminately into any territory is NOT ACCEPTABLE and should be condemn.

When Nigeria military hand was strong against Boko Haram the International community in collaboration with internal enemies of Nigeria were crying genocide.

Hamas should take responsibility for endangering the life of her citizens and civilians by using them as a shield.

TERRORISM IS A WORLD FIGHT and the Axe of devil for the end time battle, say NO to TERRORISM – Firefire.

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Hamas should stop using Civilians as Shield againt's the Israeli attack, because they wont be spared.

When OBJ was in Power and the Niger Delta Militants were busy kidnapping and causing all sorts of crimes, OBJ never looked back when he ordered a total raid of the Ijaw communities involved knowingly fully well that the life of the innocent Civilians were at stake.

Same applies here

Hmm...

America will know if South Africa is right. But me thinks Hamas is simply using civilians as cover or civilians are covering Hamas

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Brb to comment

rozayx5: who first threw the stone

U dey mind those fOolish piple

The Palestinians were warned, but they didn't listen..


They should enjoy it while it last.

and so?

God Bless the South Africans!!
This is the 2nd good thing that I will be witnessing coming out of that country after hosting the 2010 World Cup.

Okay fine, you guyz are supporting Israel because Hamas and his people have been bombarding them with rockets. Why cant Israel as a developed country try as much as possible to find these people (Hamas)?
As they claim Hamas is the terrorist not the 'People of Palestine', but who are they bombing now?
They have been killing innocent CHILDREN for days now. Just imagine Russia did the same thing when Ukraine was having problem with them. Lets all imagine what the likes of USA would do, just because Ukraine is part of NATO and since the DEFENSELESS PEOPLE OF PALESTINE are not they are free to die.
The UK keep selling weapons to Israel, USA keep giving Israel money to buy weapons, and later some people would be here to celebrate Israel triumph. Cant we try to stop being HYPOCRITICAL for once?
ISRAEL IS A BULLY!!!

GOOD BLESS THE CITY OF ILORIN!
GOOD BLESS NIGERIA!!
GOOD BLESS AFRICA!!!

hmm

South african looking for another reign of slavery and problems. How is that meant to be their business? They better steer clear of another man troubles. You are not invited to partake in the so-called killing so why the fuss?

front page tins. Im in full support of South Africa stand on dis. D are showing d whole world dat Africa have cum of age to mek dia stand knwn on international politics. I tink Nigeria over silence on international politics meks me feel dat, we are onli showing ourselves as giant of Africa to only African countries nt to d whole world. D tin dey tire wen ever i read comments of my fellow Christians supporting d gross inhumanity of wat Israel is doing to d Palistinian. D tin self dis ppl no b Christians self and d have more muslims dan Christians.

in as much as I condemn the killings of civilians in Gaza, I believe Israel has the right to self-defensed herself from the evil called hamas, let's not forget that this started with the killing of 3 Israeli teenagers and Netanyahu warned there will be repercussions, when Israel killed a Palestinian in retaliation the next thing hamas did was to fire mortar.... hamas is deliberately using civilians to shield themselves by asking them not to leave after Israel urged them to do so. south africa wanna play freedom card, this isn't about freedom, it's about defending yourself.

Whatever action taken by the GAYS is best known to them...but that's none of my business...what I know is that Hamas Must Pay!

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No peace to those that inhabits our land till we retake it

Akbee: updating...

Akbee: updating

bros, why only you dey hold two spaces now. Me wey for be 6th to comment, you come make me 7th now. I no dey like this thing wey una dey do here o.

Make I go message wey my mama send me jare. But first my 2 cents:

Somebody should tell those homophobic ANC bastards to shut up their mouth filled with nothing but hypocrisy. Hamas and Palestine started something, una no talk. All the daily mortar attacks does not warrant attention because Israelis are not humans shebi? When Israel retaliates, even South Africa wey dey 1 million miles away go put mouth. Let them prove that Israel has EVER attacked Palestine or Gaza territory without first being provoked then we will talk. Some people want to terrorize others and when they get attacked for their actions, they use innocent civilians as human shields and turn the whole thing into a media propaganda. Nonsense

Hamas are the bringers of death to those gazans,
The should stop shooting those rockets from civilian enclaves

In obama's voice" isreal has every right to defend itself" I stand with obama he's the bloody president of america

If only Israel would go back to its pre1948 borders there would be peace in the middle east.. in the first place they were imposed in that place by the British and the west to serve as their attack dog in the middle east

I'll lyk to see how 'Shout' Africa responds if some Zimbabwean Rebels started firing rockets into Jo'burg for any Self-justified reason whatsoever... Dem wan form 'notice me'!...

israel doent need south africa. this is the rule: if palestinians want this to stop, they should stop shielding and aiding hamas among civilian populations, full stop. if they dont do this, den israel go on with the act. nice move by israel

ok this war abi fight say e nor wan end?


anyways endtime bombing