IN a powerful display of solidarity with the besieged Gaza Strip, hundreds of South Africans took to the streets of Cape Town on Friday, demanding an end to the ongoing Israeli attacks. The protestors, waving Palestinian flags and holding banners expressing their support for Palestinians, marched toward the Parliament building.
Addressing the crowd, Mandla Mandela, the grandson of Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s revered first black president, called upon President Cyril Ramaphosa to move beyond rhetoric. He implored the President not only to speak about the Palestinian cause at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) but to take tangible actions.
Mandela’s passionate speech also called for the cancellation of Israeli airline El Al’s air traffic licence by South Africa’s Minister of Transport. He went on to demand that the Department of International Relations and Cooperation Minister, Naledi Pandor, relay the message to the President that the Israeli Embassy, often referred to as an ‘apartheid’ state, is no longer welcome in South Africa. These declarations were met with enthusiastic cheers from the crowd.
The protest, organised by the Al-Quds Foundation, drew participants from diverse religious backgrounds, including Muslims, Christians, and Jews. This demonstration marked the second of its kind in Cape Town during the week. Earlier, on Wednesday, South Africans in Johannesburg had picketed outside the US Consulate, and Cape Town residents had marched to the offices of the South African Zionist Federation.
Many of the protestors called for a boycott of Israeli goods and urged the South African government to sever diplomatic ties with Israel.
This protest comes against the backdrop of a dramatic escalation of tensions in the Middle East. Israeli forces initiated a sustained and forceful military campaign against the Gaza Strip in response to a military offensive by the Palestinian resistance group Hamas in Israeli territories.
The conflict commenced on the previous Saturday when Hamas launched Operation Al-Aqsa Flood against Israel, a surprise attack involving a barrage of rocket launches and infiltrations into Israel through land, sea, and air. Hamas cited this operation as retaliation for the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem and the escalating violence against Palestinians by Israeli settlers.
In response, the Israeli military initiated Operation Swords of Iron, targeting Hamas within the Gaza Strip. Israeli actions have extended to cutting water and electricity supplies to Gaza, exacerbating the already dire living conditions in an area that has endured a crippling siege since 2007.
The Cape Town protest serves as a poignant symbol of international solidarity with the people of Gaza, as they endure the consequences of this ongoing conflict. South Africans from all walks of life are making their voices heard, calling for a peaceful resolution and an end to the suffering in the region.