ANC Palestine solidarity march in Sandton as ruling party shows support

Johannesburg – The ANC will picket outside the American Consulate, in Sandton, north of Johannesburg, on Wednesday morning, in a bid to show solidarity with Palestinian people.

Shocking images of Palestinians being killed in the Gaza Strip have emerged over the past two weeks.

In 11 days, airstrikes by the Israeli armed forces have reportedly killed more than 230 people, including more than 60 children. Among those murdered were three pregnant women.

ANC deputy secretary-general Jessie Duarte has said the National Working Committee condemned the continuous assault by “apartheid Israel” and the escalation of the violence inflicted on the Palestinian people.

Last night, Duarte said the ANC, its alliance partners and progressive civil society would continue to take part in solidarity actions in support of the Palestinians. The support included pickets at the Israeli embassy and consulates and the growing call to boycott Israeli products.

“The ANC reaffirmed its support for the inalienable right to self-determination of the Palestinian people, and for negotiations towards a viable two-state solution. The state of Israel must immediately cease its assault on the Palestinian people, stop and reverse the seizure of Palestinian land, and its apartheid policies that is an attack on the human rights and dignity of Palestinians,” said Duarte.

0n Tuesday, more than 100 ANC members staged a picket outside the Israeli embassy in Pretoria East.

ANC anti-Israeli campaign organiser Nomvula Mokonyane said the UN must act against Israel.

Mokonyane will lead the campaign in Sandton today. Various groups will be given a platform to pass a message of support. Among them are the ANC Youth League, the ANC Women’s League, the SA National Civic Organisation, Cosatu and the SACP.

ANC regional spokesperson Sasabona Manganye said: “The ANC in the Greater Johannesburg region has always been clear that ours is to better the lives of our people locally and at the same time to lend solidarity to oppressed people of the world,” Duarte said.

“The Palestinian people provided us with resources, military training and others forms of support during our darkest days of apartheid. Today, as they live under apartheid, we stand with them as they once stood with us. However, we also stand with the Palestinians because of the ANC’s commitment to internationalism.”

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Political Bureau