South Africa pursues call to boycott 'Israel'
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Scores of people are urging the South African government to close the Israeli Embassy in South Africa and to implement legislation for a boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) campaign against "Israel".
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Protests were organized in South Africa to show solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza on October 26 (AFP)
A National Day of Action took place was held in solidarity with Palestine. During the event, protesters continued to urge the South African government to close the Israeli Embassy in South Africa and to implement legislation for a boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) campaign against "Israel".
The Occupy Sea Point demonstration, on Saturday, which was hosted by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), received support from political parties, trade unions, and civil organizations.
On Friday, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution urging for an "immediate, lasting, and sustained humanitarian ceasefire," along with the continuous, adequate, and unimpeded delivery of life-saving aid and services to Palestinians in Gaza.
However, this resolution was largely disregarded as "Israel" escalated its aggression on Gaza, leading to a complete disruption of communication networks. The health authority reported that the Israeli airstrikes have resulted in the martyrdom of over 8,500 Palestinians, with the majority being women and children.
Jaamia Galant, the chairperson of PSC Cape Town, expressed that a letter and a list of demands were forwarded to President Cyril Ramaphosa and Minister Naledi Pandor of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) through their affiliated organization, the SA BDS Coalition.
The Presidency responded by referring the organization to President Ramaphosa's statements expressing solidarity during the Cairo "Peace Summit". They also advised the organization to reach out to the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco).
“We have done so, the minister of International Relations has told us, as the BDS, we must go and speak to the unions because it is the unions that can mandate their workers to stop handling trade goods. But we as PSC and BDS are saying that's not good enough. We need our government to legislate BDS,” the letter read.
"I don't think that me boycotting these brands would affect them."
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) October 30, 2023
Think again.#PalestineGenocide #GazaUnderAttack pic.twitter.com/rGkj8vVwKt
A follow-up Day of Action is scheduled for Wednesday, featuring a rally starting at Keizersgracht Street in District Six and concluding at Cape Town City Hall, beginning at approximately 10 am.
It is worth noting that criticism was also directed at the National Prosecuting Authority for its failure to prosecute South Africans serving in the Israeli occupation forces, despite a complaint filed in 2014.
The speakers at Saturday's rally rejected characterizing the situation as a war between two equal parties, opting instead to label it as genocide, colonization, and ethnic cleansing.
Sherwood Park resident, Fatimah Davids said, “This is a humanitarian crisis, an ecological crisis, a spiritual crisis. We have examples of one country dropping the equivalent of one atomic bomb on a population the size of Cape Town and less than. The impact of that is going to affect us and future generations, thousands and thousands of lives that's going to be affected by nuclear waste that is laying on Gaza and on its people.”
“We have no business dealing with companies like El Al who offer flights to Tel Aviv,” Davids added.
“I’ve just been watching people running around with their dead children in their arms and you’re not there, you can’t help them, but if this helps, we will try,” she concluded.
Massive rallies in support of #Palestine were held in a number of countries around the world, including #Turkey, the #UK, and #Canada.
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) October 9, 2023
People took to the streets with flags of Palestine and chanted slogans in support of the #Palestinian resistance in the #Gaza Strip.
The… pic.twitter.com/ezIE4VUi7o
Operation Al-Aqsa Flood ignited a wave of solidarity, uniting voices from the Arab world and beyond. Scores of people continue to gather across Arab, Islamic, and Western nations, fiercely condemning the relentless Israeli aggression.
Read next: Worldwide mass demonstrations in support of Palestine
