In the midst of escalating military aggression by Israel against the people of Gaza, South Africa has expressed deep concern, characterising the violence as an act of genocide.
President Cyril Ramaphosa yesterday told the BRICS Summit Outreach and BRICS Plus that the ongoing humanitarian crisis, particularly the suffering of innocent women and children, has prompted South Africa to approach the International Court of Justice in a bid to halt the bloodshed and ensure accountability on the global stage.
The BRICS Summit agenda yesterday was particularly focusing on the peaceful resolution of conflicts, certainly including a serious discussion of the deteriorating situation in the Middle East.
Ramaphosa said South Africa has been unwavering in advocating for a two state solution that would see an independent Palestinian state along the borders set out in 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital, adding that this would be in line with UN resolutions, international law and internationally agreed parameters.
“South Africa is concerned about the military aggression by Israel against the people of Gaza, which we have characterised as genocide. This genocide led South Africa to approach the International Court of Justice with a view to stopping the killing of innocent women and children in Gaza. We believe the world cannot sit by and watch the suffering,” Ramaphosa said.
“We call on the international community and the UN Security Council in particular to address the spiralling conflict. On our own continent, Sudan enters its second year of horrific conflict and devastation. This is another conflict the world seems to have forgotten about.
“The protracted conflicts in the Sahel and Great Lakes regions in Africa persist. We must find lasting solutions to all these conflicts. We must remain committed to the peaceful resolution of all disputes through negotiation and inclusive dialogue. We cannot allow conflicts to continue in perpetuity.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is chairing the BRICS Summit, said the current round of the Palestinian-Israeli confrontation is probably one of the most sanguinary in the long list of conflicts.
More than 40 000 people, most of them civilians, have been killed in the ongoing hostilities in the Gaza Strip and the humanitarian situation is rapidly worsening.
Putin said the immediate task was to launch a comprehensive political process for addressing the Middle East problem in its entirety.
“Violence must stop, vital assistance must be provided to the affected people, and their suffering must be alleviated. A settlement must be achieved on the basis of universally recognised international law, which actually stipulates the establishment of an independent Palestinian State that will live peacefully side by side with Israel,” Putin said.
“Mending the historical injustice done to the Palestinian people would guarantee peace in the Middle East. The vicious circle of violence will not be broken until this problem is solved. People will continue to live in an atmosphere of permanent crisis, with inevitable outbreaks of massive violence.
“I would like to repeat that the main condition for restoring peace and stability in the Palestinian territories is the realisation of the two-state formula approved by the UN Security Council and General Assembly resolutions.”
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