By Johnathan Paoli
Monday marks the one-year anniversary of the escalation of the war in the Middle East, with President Cyril Ramaphosa reiterating that South Africa remains committee to a peaceful resolution to the violent onslaught against the Palestinian people.
More than 43,000 people have been killed so far.
“As South Africa, we remain committed to the peaceful resolution to ending the occupation of Palestine, to upholding the tenets of international law and to advancing social justice,” Ramaphosa said in his weekly newsletter.
While acknowledging the loss of over 1000 Israeli lives in the initial attacks and the ongoing plight of over 100 Israeli hostages held in Gaza, the president emphasised the disproportionate toll on Palestinians, mainly women and children, which has been exacerbated by Israeli Defence Force operations in the region.
He called for the release of all prisoners, including the estimated 6000 Palestinians currently detained in Israeli prisons.
Ramaphosa said that amid efforts by the international community to secure a ceasefire, the situation has been worsened by strikes by Israel on Lebanon and by Iran on Israel.
“The escalating situation in the Middle East is of grave concern. It threatens to plunge the region into a war in which civilians will inevitably bear the greatest and the most cruel brunt of this conflict,” he said.
As part of the government’s commitment to international justice, the president outlined plans to present a memorial to the International Court of Justice later this month.
It would detail evidence that Israel was committing acts of genocide against the Palestinian people.
He reiterated calls for adherence to international law and accountability for all parties involved in the conflict.
“Israel has consistently declared that it aspires to live in peace and security with its neighbours. Yet its military occupation of the Syrian Golan Heights since 1967 and its invasions of Lebanon in 1978, 1982 and 2006 undermine this aspiration,” he said.
The president stressed the importance of rebuilding Gaza’s infrastructure and addressing the dire humanitarian crisis, urging the international community to act decisively to prevent further loss of life and to foster lasting peace in the region. Meanwhile, he appealed to South Africans to continue advocating for justice and peace while opposing all forms of racism and intolerance, emphasising the necessity for a unified international effort to end the violence and secure a just resolution to the long-standing occupation of Palestine.
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