The African Union (AU) has expressed solidarity with the Palestinian people over violence in the Middle East.
The AU has condemned Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip that have killed dozens of Palestinians and says Israeli defence forces are acting in violation of international law.
AU Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat says in a statement he ‘strongly condemns’ the bombardment of the Gaza Strip, as well as what he describes as ‘violent attacks’ on the Al-Aqsa mosque earlier this week. He says the actions of the Israel Army, such as forced evictions of Palestinians from East Jerusalem, violate international law. Moussa Faki Mahamat claims it’s adding to tensions in the region. He’s reiterated AU support for the Palestinian people in securing an independent and sovereign state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
The AU says there must be ‘renewed and genuine international efforts’ to find a lasting solution in the region on the basis of two states being secured, Israel and Palestine.
The Palestinians have observer status at the African Union and Palestinian leaders are given an opportunity to address the AU summit every year.
SA Zionist Federation rejects calls for Israel to be sanctioned
The Chairperson of the South African Zionist Federation Rowan Polovin has rejected calls for Israel to be sanctioned over the latest flare-up of violence in Jerusalem and elsewhere.
The Muslim Judicial Council led a march to Parliament with various other organisations against the continued clashes in the Middle East. The pro-Palestine protest was organised by the MJC, the Al Quds Foundation and some political parties, including the ANC, the Good Party, the EFF and Al Jamaah. The groups want tougher action against Israel, including a boycott and sanctions.
Polovin says a sanction is not the solution, “Calls to boycott and isolate and discriminate against the one and only Jewish State of Israel should be firmly rejected for three reasons; firstly, boycotts are cohesive and anti-democratic and they will never provide a way forward to the Israeli Palestinian conflict, because they will not allow for engagement and dialogue. Secondly, boycotts would never work. Israel has an economy larger than South Africa; has very high levels of foreign direct investment and has innovations that are used daily in South Africa and throughout the world.” – additional reporting Berenice Moss
