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Israel failed to implement UN resolutions aimed to bring peace to Middle East: Pandor

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International Relations Minister, Naledi Pandor, says Israel has failed to implement several United Nations (UN) resolutions that aimed to bring peace to the Middle East.

She also expresses her hope that the required steps will be made to implement the recommendations of the Human Rights Council’s Special Session conducted last year.

Since the dawn of democracy in 1994, South Africa has been an ally of Palestine and has consistently highlighted the predicament of the Palestinian people.

During her address at the Heads of Mission in Africa Conference in Pretoria, Pandor says they have urged the UN to ensure the safeguard of the Palestinian people.

“Israel has consistently offended the UN Charter and ignored territorial integrity and sovereignty. The Amazon Centre for Human Rights Report which was released in June this year recalls that over the last 15 years, Israeli military attacks have killed 5 418 Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip. 23% of the victims were children, 9% were women.”

‘We need Africa’s support’

Meanwhile, Palestinian Foreign Minister, Dr Riyad al-Maliki, says his country cannot afford to lose Africa’s support.

Dr al-Maliki says they are of the view that Africa is stepping away from the Palestinian struggle and there’s a need to regain the continent’s attention regarding their struggle for self-determination. He says there are efforts to have a two-state solution, however, Israel is reluctant.

“First thing to do though is to come forward and have courage and to recognise the state of Palestine if you believe in the two-state solution. So, a two-state solution requires recognising the state of Palestine. This is exactly what President Mahmoud Abbas has told President (Joe) Biden. The two-state solution is dying. The two-state solution is slipping away also because Israel is taking advantage that there is hesitation among many countries.”


In the video below, Professor in Public International Law at the University of Johannesburg, Hennie Strydom, speaks about the Israel-Palestine conflict: 

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