NATIONAL NEWS - International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola has denied claims that Pretoria has an agreement with Israel to depopulate or to remove people from Gaza to South Africa.
About 153 Palestinians arrived in South Africa on Thursday, 13 November, leaving their war-torn homes and belongings in Gaza.
Palestinians
They were initially detained for several hours because they did not have the required immigration documentation and approvals.
However, the Palestinians were later released into the care of the humanitarian organisation Gift of the Givers.
No agreement with Israel
Speaking to CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, Lamola said South Africa did not approve any flights for Palestinians.
“No, we didn’t approve any. We don’t have any agreement with Israel to depopulate or to remove people from Gaza to South Africa because that will go against a resolution that we support of a two state solution as resolution of the United Nations that Palestinians and the Israelis must live side by side in the in the Gaza Strip, with the Palestinian authorities, and also in Jerusalem, with his Jerusalem, its capital,” Lamola said.
“So, there is no way we can agree to such an arrangement, because it will go against that resolution of the United Nations, and then we will also not accept any further flights of this nature, just because it is against that resolution of the United Nations that there must be a two-state solution.”
Probe
Lamola said Pretoria is suspicious about how the alleged refugees came to the country.
“Indeed, we are suspicious, as the South African government, about the circumstances surrounding the arrival of the plane and the passengers that were on the plane. This is the subject of investigation,” Lamola told reporters this week.
Lamola said the findings of the investigation will be made public once the probe is completed.
ICJ
South Africa, a staunch Israel critic and supporter of the Palestinian cause, filed a case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in late 2023, accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza, which Israel has vehemently rejected.
In its initial application, South Africa submitted an 84-page application at the ICJ on 29 December 2023, pleading with the court to find Israel guilty of genocide and order it to, among other things, halt its invasion of Gaza.
Since launching the case at the ICJ, South Africa has approached the court four times, requesting interim measures to halt Israel’s attacks on the occupied territory.
Despite three orders being granted in South Africa’s favour, they have had little to no impact on all forms of Israel’s attacks on Palestinian life, essential services and the need for humanitarian aid.
The case is ongoing.
Article: Caxton publication, The Citizen
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