After the population of Palestine made a democratic choice to elect Hamas as their leadership 2 years ago, an election recognised and acknowledged by the South African government, the Israeli Occupation Forces continues its brutal and unrelenting punishment of the people of Gaza which is an attack on democracy and a violation of international law. The current and crippling siege, sanctions, and virtual imprisonment of 1, 5 million people surviving off international aid have now been subjected to further military attacks by the regions most powerful war machinery.

Despite calls for humanitarian aid, Israeli Occupation forces has subjected the people of Gaza to brutal military raids which have left 125 civilians dead, a third of them children, in the past two weeks alone.  This we condemn in the strongest terms.

The Israeli Occupation forces has unashamedly and without conscience taken up arms against a defenceless occupied people who are in a permanent state of siege and subjected them to a constant bombardment of a wide array of weapons of mass destruction. As the most powerful military settle state in the region, their barbaric deeds have continued relentlessly and deepened the severe humanitarian crisis which the Palestinians find themselves in.

Despite these barbaric actions which can only be described as the worst form of terrorism, the voices calling for justice coming from the Special Rapporteur, Mr John Dugard at the United Nations, and many human rights NGO’s, including the International Food Programme, are calling for global condemnation, boycotts, divestment, and sanctions are ignored and marginalized by the United States, Israel and their allies.

We therefore categorically state that the implementation of justice WILL NOT and CANNOT be expected to come from the United States and Israel as it is not their specialty.  The history of these countries is enough proof for the discerning scholar to know that they can never serve as judge or referee in any conflict situation.  We implore our government and all countries, human rights groups, anti war groups to voice their strong international vote of no confidence against these oppressors of justice. 

Israel’s history, its existence and strength was built on the suffering and oppression of a nation which has witnessed the massacre of its villagers, terrorization of poorly armed resisters, the destruction of farms, bulldozing of homes and today the imprisonment of the people of Gaza.   Israel is not the master of the Palestinian people. It NEVER was. And it WILL NEVER be. The deed of sale of the land of Palestine was never signed over to the Zionists Occupation forces by the people of the land. 

Over and above the usurpation of Palestinian land, the Occupation force has now made it clear that the people of Palestine will not have the freedom to elect their own leadership.  Hence the sanctions and siege of Gaza; a bitter, cruel and inhumane price being paid by the families in Gaza.  This extreme violation of human dignity, fraternity and liberty has not been condemned strongly enough to ensure that stronger actions against the Israeli occupation forces is implemented which will ensure that Israel abides by international law.  Until such action is taken against the illicit behavior of Israel, it will continue with its military actions against the poorly armed resisters.    

We hereby believe, with utmost conviction, that if action is not taken by governments seeking justice, the oppressed will remain oppressed, justice will never be served, and humanity will remain in turmoil.  This will spill over into conflicts across the globe enflamed by the paralysis of global leaders who have the responsibility to ensure that all nations are held accountable to a standard set of international laws which ensure justice, freedom, respect, dignity, honor, non racist environment and growth. A peaceful environment is the right of every human being on this planet.

The facts, as presented by 8 humanitarian organisations in Britain:

·        Israeli Occupation forces has used helicopter-fired missiles, tanks and explosive devices, manufactured in the United States, which killed 125 Palestinians and most of the dead and injured, are civilians, including women and children.

·         Palestinians are denied BASIC human rights and necessities such as clean water, electricity, food, medical and health care etc

·        Collective punishment of the Palestinian people, long a practice of the Israeli occupation forces, is an unacceptable and inhumane response to a situation that calls for
political solutions.

·        The disproportionate response to the rockets fired from Gaza into Israel,

·        Israeli offensive has deepened the severe humanitarian crisis and suffering of the people of Gaza, there is no intention by them to bring about a peaceful solution;

·        The situation in the Gaza Strip is the worst in 40 years,

·        80% of the territory's 1.5 million people is dependent on food aid and 40% are unemployed.

·        Medical spare parts cannot be imported and hospitals cannot keep lifesaving equipment working,

We therefore call on our government to:

1.      RECOGNISE AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE CANNOT BE DIPLOMATIC EQUILIBRIUM IN A SITUATION AS BIZARRE AS HAVING TIES TO BOTH THE OCCUPIER AND THE OCCUPIED;

2.      RECOGNISE AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT CONTINUING DIPLOMATIC LINKS WITH THE OCCUPYING POWER, WITH THE FULL KNOWLEDGE OF ITS VIOLATIONS OF INTERNATIONAL LAWS, INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAWS AND THE PROVISIONS OF THE GENEVA CONVENTION PARTICULARLY IN SO FAR AS THEY RELATE TO THE LEGAL OBLIGATIONS OF AN OCCUPYING REGIME, UNDERMINES OUR GOVERNMENT'S CAPACITY AND ABILITY TO PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE SOLIDARITY FOR THE OCCUPIED;

3   RECOGNISE AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT ITS TIES WITH THE UNELECTED SALIM FAYAD REGIME TO THE EXCLUSION OF THE ELECTED GOVERNMENT OF PALESTINE, HAMAS, FURTHER ERODES AND UNDERMINES OUR GOVERNMENT'S CAPACITY AND ABILITY TO SECURE AN EFFECTIVE PARTNERSHIP WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THE DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED GOVERNMENT OF HAMAS;

 4  RECOGNISE AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT UNTIL AND UNLESS THE MORAL AUTHORITY OF OUR GOVERNMENT IS EXERCISED, THE SUFFERING OF THE PALESTINIAN MASSES WILL CONTINUE UNABATED; HENCE WE DEMAND THAT ALL TIES WITH ISRAEL BE SEVERED IMMEDIATELY AND THAT AS A FIRST STEP GOVERNMENT SHOULD:

A]  RECALL the South African Ambassador to Israel with immediate effect;

B]   Close down the Israeli Embassy in South Africa;

C]   Remove Israeli flags from all government buildings;

WE FURTHER URGE THE SOUTH AFRICAN GOVERNMENT TO INSIST THAT THE DUGARD REPORT BE INCORPORATED BY ALL MEMBER STATES OF THE UNITED NATIONS AND THAT HIS RECOMMENDATIONS BE UPHELD BY THE UNITED NATIONS AND:

 1. Condemn the systematic and grave violations of international humanitarian and human rights law by Israel,

 2. Urge the United Nations Security Council to authorize the establishment of an   international observer mission to monitor and report on continuing human rights and international humanitarian law violations in the West Bank and Gaza.

3. Incorporate the text and standards contained in the December 2001 Declaration of the reconvened conference of the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention. 

4. Call on Israel to immediately open Gaza's border crossings and allow the delivery of humanitarian aid;

5. Call on the international community to continue providing humanitarian assistance
to the Palestinian people.