The world cannot be silent when the rights of Palestinians are ignored.
That’s according to the South African Anti-Apartheid Steering Committee Chair Reverend Frank Chikane.
Chikane and his peers will host the Global Anti-Apartheid Movement in support of the struggle of Palestinians.
They briefed the media in Johannesburg about their plans to host the international gathering in May next year.
A call to action to ensure that people of Palestine do achieve self-determination.
Reverend Frank Chikane says the international gathering seeks to mobilise global support to resolve the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
“The rights of Palestinians have been ignored completely. I mean, they have been occupied for 56 years, they have no rights of movement, they have been constrained when you leave you can’t go back and the blockade for 16 years, it’s untenable. So, we are convinced it’s been checked by human rights organisations and it’s time to end oppression from Jordan to Mediterranean, we have been shown this is apartheid.”
The South African Anti-Apartheid Steering Committee members say they will not give up.
“The apartheid conference was born many years ago and we are saying we need to formalise this just like we formalised for South Africa in fighting apartheid. So, the apartheid convention will be a global movement to build momentum and include people throughout the world towards a common objective to end of the Palestinians.”
“I think from our perspective, as SA Jews for Free Palestine, we recognise that genocide is not Jewish value, we recognise the deep connections between the fascists project of Nazism of apartheid and we fight I think it is incumbent upon us we are indebted to so many.”
“We have to follow what our country is saying very clearly, we have got to stop what is Israeli army is doing in Gaza in a small space where millions live, we have seen thousands killed and many more people have been displaced so what has to stop is the attack on those people.”
Some international relations experts have welcomed the initiative saying peace is key for all parties.
Senior Research fellow, Thembisa Fakude AFRISID Research Institute says, “I think all initiatives that aim at trying to elevate the challenges that Palestinians are facing should be welcomed and this one is important because it will amplify the current situation, which is extremely dire so more of these, the better for the prospects of solving Palestinian problems.”
The organisers are hoping to see over 200 delegates meeting in South Africa to amplify the cause of the Palestinians.
This will coincide with the Day of Nakba or Day of Catastrophe to mark the anniversary of the mass displacement of Palestinians during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war.
Meanwhile, South African Jewish Board of Deputies says International Relations Minister, Naledi Pandor has dragged the country into dangerous water by having a call conversation with the Hamas leader.
