South Africa convened the first Global Anti-Apartheid Conference for Palestine, on May 10-12, in a historic move that aims to amplify the urgent need to address Israel’s ongoing genocidal actions against Palestinians- especially in Gaza- and its illegal colonial practices in Palestine.
The conference’s chief view is to set the basis for the mobilisation of a Global Anti-Apartheid Movement to hold Israel accountable for its crimes against the Palestinian people, and to work to dismantle Israeli apartheid from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea.
The Global Anti-Apartheid Conference on Palestine was kicked off with a moment of silence for the more than 34,000 Palestinians who have been killed in Israel’s ongoing genocidal assault on the Gaza enclave.
Representatives from over two dozen nations strongly condemned what they described as a century of colonialism and Israeli actions characterized by ongoing genocide, colonialism, and apartheid.
They emphasized Israel’s relentless bombardment of Gaza, which they likened to turning the region into an extermination camp, and highlighted the severe impact on Gaza’s infrastructure and essential services.
“We will not rest until Palestine’s freedom is realized,” South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor’s said during his speech to the Global Anti-Apartheid Conference on Palestine.
The conference, hosted at the Sandton Convention Center in Johannesburg, featured distinguished international speakers, including Declan Kearney from Sinn Fein and Mustafa Barghouti, the Secretary-General of the Palestinian National Initiative and a prominent human rights activist.
Speaking at the opening session, Palestinian Dr. Mustafa Barghouti said “What is happening in Gaza is a terrible crime no one should live with…How many wars can the world allow this Israeli fascist regime to commit” against the Palestinian people?
“We’ve woken the people of the world against genocide and injustice …and hypocrisy of international governments,” he added.
“Israel initiated this war but Israel will not be the one who decides how it ends.”
Sinn Féin MLA Declan Kearney stressed that the connection between the people of Palestine, South Africa and Ireland is unbreakable.
“Just as we stood with South Africa against apartheid, Sinn Féin and the people of Ireland stands fully with Palestine in its stance against Israeli occupation and aggression,” Kearney added.
Sinn Féin, in addition, affirmed that Ireland will spare no effort to support the development of a global anti-apartheid campaign for Palestine, and to bring an end to Israel’s genocidal war.
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