Leader of the opposition Marius Fransman (ANC), Member statement, Western Cape Provincial Parliament, July 30 2014
The ANC Western Cape strongly condemns the recent relentless attack on the people of Palestine by Israel and welcomes the report by South Africa's special envoy today.
With more than one thousand Palestinians killed and six thousand injured of whom many women and children; this latest aggression is a gross violation of human rights and international law, as well as tantamount to genocide.
The Premiers recent pronouncement may seem to some like the DA have undergone just another flip-flop. We are concerned that the premier sidestepped questions if she met one billionaire Nathan Kirsh that has significant contracts with the Israeli apartheid state for that wall of shame.
Today the DA's premier Zille once more showed her hypocrisy when she sidestepped questions on Palestine and especially the request to unreservedly condemn the attacks on innocent children in Palestine.
We therefore call upon this House and the Premier in particular to come clean on the Palestinian question and join us in our calls:
Support the call for the recall of our Ambassador to Israel and for the expulsion of the Israeli Ambassador from South Africa;
Denounce Israel as a state that practises Apartheid;
Denounce the excessive force and aggression by the IDF on unarmed civilians as violations of international law and human rights;
Join the thousands of South Africans in our marches in solidarity with the people of Palestine;
Unequivocal support for our civil society organizations like BDS, Cosatu and PSG in our international solidarity campaign with the Palestinians and their current demands.
As the ANC we commend our government for its historical and current consistent support to the people of Palestine.
This includes:
Multi-lateral lobbying;
Humanitarian Support;
The Deployment of 2 Special Envoys;
Demarching the Israeli Ambassador;
Diplomatic Lobbying of our international allies to condemn this latest aggression.
We ask our government to provide further humanitarian aid including medical support to the thousands of critically injured civilians and in particular the women and children.
In this regard the ANC calls upon all political parties and civil society organisations to unequivocally support our position. We also make the clarion call to all political parties to support the sterling efforts of the civil society and religious organisations.
Premiers Zille's arrogance, paternalism and racism shines through her stance for all to see. By her setting conditions to the people of Palestine for her call for an Israeli seize fire, like that Hamas a political party must first change its policies and recognise Israel and stop its rocket launches before Israel should implement a seize fire is in fact tantamount to calling on Israel to continue with its slaughter.
Issued by the ANC Western Cape, July 31 2014
Click here to sign up to receive our free daily headline email newsletter
