Solidarity march at Israeli Embassy: ANC members label Israel an apartheid state

ANC members marched to the Israeli embassy in Pretoria yesterday and called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to close it down.

Naledzani Mashapha, former president of the South African Students Congress, said he supported the march in solidarity with Palestine because one of the principles of the ANC was working-class internationalism.

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“We are here today with the people of Palestine. Working-class internationalism is a sacred principle of the working class.

“Palestinians have a right to self-defence. They have been killed since 1948, and no-one has done anything. The United Nations has betrayed the Palestinians,” he said.

“We call for the imposition of armed embargo and sanctions of all companies of Israel, disinvestment in Israeli companies.”

Mashapha said they didn’t even want Israel to be part of Afcon (the Africa Cup of Nations) and Fifa.

“What we share with Palestine is, in 1948, apartheid was implemented via (former SA prime minister Hendrik) Verwoerd and in 1948, Israel invaded Palestine. We share a common history,” he said.

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Mashapha said Israel was an apartheid state, just like South Africa was before 1994. The South African Municipal Workers’ Union has also joined the cause against Israel.

Its deputy secretary-general, Dumisane Magagula, said the only plausible solution for this situation would be the freedom of Palestine and its people.

“Palestinians have attempted for years to obtain justice through peaceful ways,” he said. “This has, however, brought increased oppression, frequent bombardments, imprisonment, economic blockades and the stripping of Palestinians of their dignity and humanity.”

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A protester, Shereen Taybosaid many people, especially people in South Africa, didn’t have a clue about Palestine.

“We don’t see any articles regarding the inhumane treatment of Palestinian people. Many people, especially some Afrikaners, don’t have any idea about Palestine and some form their own opinions of Muslims.”

Taybo said she was tired of being labelled as a terrorist.

“I am a Muslim and live among people who are quite verbal in their dislike for Muslims. It is mainly because they don’t have a clue as to who Muslims are, except for what the media says: that we are terrorists, which is racist,” she said.

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