Programme Director,
Our host, the Chief Executive Officer of Freedom Park, Dr Jane Mufamadi,
Former Chairperson of the AU,
Your Excellency, Ambassador of The State of Palestine Hanan Jarrar,
Your Excellency, Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, Ambassador Salih Omar Abdu,
Your Excellency, Dean of the Council of Arab Ambassadors, Ambassador Mubarak Mahash Saeed Alhameli,
Mr Nelson Muffue, United Nations Resident Coordinator in South Africa,
Members of the Diplomatic Corps,
Mr Ibrahim Ayesh, Representing Gift of the Givers,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Extraordinary Session of the Executive Council of the AU
Let me pause and thank my predecessor, Former Minister Pandor, for our collaborative work in taking this matter to the International Court of Justice. I reserve the highest honour to President Ramaphosa, who agreed on behalf of the South African government, including the cabinet of the Republic of South Africa, when a proposal was made.
It is fitting that we gather here at this site, which houses the names of liberation struggle icons and heroes from every corner of the world. It is most appropriate that this commemoration of the 47th UN International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People takes place in these hallowed walls.
I want to begin by continuing to call for a ceasefire in Sudan; this is a call to all the warring factions to open lines of communication that can lead to a peaceful resolution of the conflict; we also call for unfettered access to humanitarian access in Sudan.
As we commemorate this occasion, ours is to ensure that we achieve a dream expressed 27 years ago by our icon and founding father of democracy in South Africa, the late President Nelson Mandela, when he aptly stated, “We know too well that our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians.” We dare not fail this vision.
I am deeply humbled by His Excellency President Mahmoud Abbas’s decision to bestow on me and the South African Government the Order of the Star of Merit. We also honour the late President Yasser Arafat, who sadly left us 20 years ago.
February 2025 will mark the 30th anniversary of establishing fraternal and diplomatic ties between South Africa and Palestine. This milestone highlights the long-standing solidarity between the two nations, rooted in South Africa’s struggle for liberation and its commitment to supporting Palestinian rights.
Our solidarity with the people did not start last year, as some would have us believe, as it was not on the instruction of another State.
Those who make this claim ignore our history for their convenience; they ignore our history to blunt their conscience. Our consciousness will not be blunted.
Allow me to echo the words of Ambassador Johnny Makhathini Statement at the meeting of the Special Committee against Apartheid in observance of the International Day of Solidarity with the Struggling People of South Africa (Soweto Day)
Encouraged by the position that the committee has always taken in stigmatising the economic, military and nuclear collaboration between South Africa and Israel, I seize this opportunity to add the voice of the ANC to the vehement condemnation of the wanton aggression currently being perpetrated by Israel against Lebanon. In so doing, we reaffirm our revolutionary solidarity with the valiant people of Palestine, who, we are certain, will emerge, as they have done in the past, from this ongoing savage attack stronger than ever before and united under the leadership of their sole and authentic representative, the Palestine Liberation Organisation.
That, we can echo the words of the African National Congress in the UN as far back as 1982 almost verbatim, today speaks of the impunity that has prevailed where Israel is concerned for decades.
We, with the assistance of the anti-apartheid movement from all corners of the world, defeated apartheid in South Africa.
We gather here to reflect on the shared values of freedom, justice, and human dignity that bind South Africa and Palestine. how paradoxical that in 1948, the same year that the UN Charter on Human Rights came to life, apartheid became the official policy in South Africa.
It was also in 1948 that the Palestine question became vivid. It was in 1948 that Israel consolidated its occupation of Palestinian territory beyond that allotted to it by the partition plan.
This underscores South Africa’s continued advocacy for a just solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, driven by the principle of international law, particularly international humanitarian and human rights law.
The upcoming anniversary reminds us of our collective responsibility in the global movement for peace and self-determination. It reinforces the importance of diplomacy in fostering global partnerships based on mutual respect and shared aspirations for a better future.
Let this gathering be a call to our conscience.
It cannot be that any criticism towards Israel is rendered antisemitic.
It cannot be that every action aimed at justice is rendered as a proxy action by Iran or another force.
To question who bears responsibility for the countless child corpses emerging from the rubble of what were once homes destroyed by Israeli bombs is not an act of antisemitism. It is a profound call to humanity’s conscience, a plea for justice. It is a cry for accountability, a demand that the world recognise and respond to the suffering of the innocent.
A call for humanity (ubuntu) cannot be reduced to antisemitism.
Today’s occasion, ladies and gentlemen, provides us with a crucial opportunity to reflect on and take stock of the plight of the Palestinian people.
In 1947, the Assembly adopted resolution 181 (II) on the partition of Palestine. In 1977, the General Assembly called for the annual observance of 29 November as the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
The question of Palestine remains unresolved after 77 years. Despite flare-ups in other regional hotspots, the Palestinian question remains at the heart of tensions in the Middle East. A just and equitable settlement is a prerequisite for peace and security in the region.
Encouraged by the United Nations, our government has continued to promote efforts to ensure international attention is focused on Palestine and a Middle East peace process.
We have always believed that only a comprehensive and unconditional negotiated settlement can bring about lasting peace in the region. For this to happen, there is an urgent need for an immediate and sustainable ceasefire, an immediate end of the illegal occupation of Palestinian territories by Israel in accordance with the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2735 (2024), along with the blockade and destruction of Gaza.
Today, we should pause and reflect on the events that have unfolded from October 2023 to date, which have marked one of the most tragic and violent periods in the history of the people of Palestine and of the region. Over the past year, the military onslaught on Gaza has brought untold suffering to the Palestinian population, who have suffered unspeakable atrocities in an unrelenting campaign of genocide, ethnic cleansing and war crimes.
South Africa acted in accordance with its obligations contained in the Genocide Convention by instituting proceedings against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on 29 December 2023. The Court found the evidence of genocide plausible and ordered provisional measures. Third-party States have the responsibility not to condone international wrongful acts such as genocide and the crime of apartheid and must act to prevent genocide.
Several countries have filed declarations of intervention in support of South Africa’s case. They include Nicaragua, Colombia, Türkiye, Palestine, Libya, Mexico, Chile, Spain, Maldives, and Bolivia. Ireland has announced that it intends to join South Africa’s case before the end of the year.
At the time South Africa filed its case at the ICJ, Israel had killed approximately 15,000 Palestinians in Gaza. Israel’s continuous bombardment has now killed over 43,000 Palestinians, in addition to more than 10,000 who are still missing under the rubble of destroyed buildings.
According to a UN report by Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and I quote, “The violence unleashed on Palestinians in Gaza is not happening in a vacuum, but is part of a long term intentional, systematic, State organised forced displacement and replacement of the Palestinians. This trajectory risks causing irreparable prejudice to the very existence of the Palestinian people in Palestine. Member States must intervene now to prevent new atrocities that will further scar human history.” End of quote.
If the genocide is not halted, the mass slaughter and displacement of 2.3 million residents of Gaza will jeopardise their existence. The international community needs to intervene before Palestinians are driven from their homeland. There is a near-total lack of humanitarian aid reaching Northern Gaza, and aid missions to the area have so far been denied entry. International humanitarian law must be respected, and Israel must comply with the provisional orders of the ICJ.
In a separate case to the one on genocide, on 19 July 2024, the ICJ delivered an advisory opinion on the legal consequences arising from the policies and practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territories arising out of questions posed to it by the UN General Assembly. South Africa submitted oral and written submissions and argued that Israel’s practices and policies in the Occupied Palestinian Territories are tantamount to the crime of apartheid. Forty-nine UN member states and three international organisations presented oral statements.
The Court held that Israel’s continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territories is unlawful under international law, and it should end its illegal occupation and cease all new settlement activities, evacuating its settlers.
The ICJ concluded that all States have an obligation not to recognise Israel’s presence nor to render aid or assistance in maintaining the situation.
On 18 September 2024, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on the advisory opinion of the ICJ urging member states to “prevent trade or investment relations that assist in the maintenance of the illegal situation created by Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including with regard to the settlements.” A total of 124 nations, including South Africa, supported the resolution. With the hope that there would be UN Security Council countermeasures against Israel for its non-compliance with the orders of the ICJ, it is now up to individual states to institute such countermeasures.
In marking the Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, we need also reflect on the suffering of Palestinians in the West Bank who are suffering egregious oppression, apartheid, and targeted killings, albeit to a lesser extent than what is happening in Gaza.
The continued construction of illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank stands in direct opposition to the hopes for peace. These actions not only undermine the Palestinians’ aspirations of statehood, but also violate international law and UN Security Council resolutions, which clearly state that all Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories are illegal. Such measures represent a systematic approach to advancing the settler colonial policies of the State of Israel.
We note and welcome the arrest warrants issued on Israeli and Hamas leadership by the International Criminal Court (ICC), which will ensure much needed accountability.
By standing in solidarity with the Palestinian people, we are reminded of the resonant words of Palestinian Revolutionary leader, Chairman Yasser Arafat when he stated: “I come bearing an olive branch in one hand and a freedom fighter’s gun in the other. Do not let the olive branch fall from my hand.” In these words, Arafat captured the painful and delicate balance by the Palestinian people, between the hope for peace and the necessity of resistance in the face of relentless aggression. Today, Palestinians continue to extend that olive branch, yearning for their deferred freedom and to live peacefully on their rightful land, in the face of continued Israeli aggression.
South Africa’s history and experience are closely intertwined with that of the Palestinians. We recall the pivotal role played by the UN and civil society in supporting our respective liberation struggles and the impact this had on our achieving self-determination.
UN Member States, the international community, and civil society must join efforts to strengthen international action and coordination to uphold international norms and standards as we seek justice for Palestinians. It is an obligation of the international community to satisfy the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian People.
We reaffirm our unwavering solidarity, believing that restoring all legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, in accordance with the two-state solution and the relevant UN resolutions, will culminate in reaching a lasting peace between the Palestinians and Israelis.
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, 2024 marked a significant milestone in pursuing unity in Palestine. Let me use this platform to congratulate the State of Palestine for your commitment to peace. South Africa is encouraged by the positive outcomes of the recent unity talks held between Fatah and various other political parties in Beijing in 2024.
The ongoing Palestinian peace talks have demonstrated remarkable progress toward a more harmonious future. The commitment to unity through dialogue, negotiation, and ongoing engagement among all parties has been commendable.
The progress made in these talks is a testament to the tireless efforts of negotiators, mediators, and all stakeholders who have shown tremendous resilience, patience, and vision. By prioritising diplomacy and peaceful solutions, the parties have demonstrated the power of dialogue in paving the way for transformative change.
Furthermore, the involvement of various international actors, who have lent their support and expertise to the process, has underscored the global recognition of the importance of peace in this region. The achievements thus far are an inspiring example of what can be accomplished when the commitment to unity and peace transcends differences.
As I draw to a close, I recall the words of our late former President, Nelson Mandela, when he stated, “The Palestinians must be allowed to determine their own future, in their own land, free from occupation and oppression.” This was not just a call for action, but a moral imperative, the recognition of Palestinian self-determination, free from the constraints of occupation. As we stand here today, we must reaffirm this commitment. Palestine, like South Africa, deserves the right to choose its own path, to build its future, and to live in peace and security.
I thank you!
ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COOPERATION
OR Tambo Building
460 Soutpansberg Road
Rietondale
Pretoria
0084