By Neelam Rahim

Human rights NGO Africa4Palestine has condemned recent attacks against South Africa’s Minister of International Relations Naledi Pandor by members of the Israeli lobby. According to the NGO, they are tired of what they call the endless insults by the SA Zionist Federation, the SA Jewish Board of Deputies and other members of the Israeli lobby against the government, President Cyril Ramaphosa and ministers for their support of the Palestinian people.

Speaking to Radio Islam International, the NGO’s Bram Hanekom said for too long, the South African Jewish board of deputies have been attacking and insulting our Minister, President and various elected leaders of South Africa. For standing up in favour of Human Rights and against the ongoing occupation and assault on Palestinian Human Rights.

“We felt the need to speak out and call them out because they have insulted our leaders for too long.”

Regarding the stance of South Africa, Bram said South Africa is one of the most critical countries in the world. We have a huge responsibility because we know the effects of apartheid. We believe that what’s happening in Palestine is, at best, apartheid, at worst, as Desmond Tutu described, an open-air prison.

According to Bram, our country has a big responsibility to spearhead calling out Israel for what it is doing and continues to do.

He says we have never been this clear as a country. We have only become more and more firm. It was heart-warming to see and hear that our Minister Naledi Pandor told the US secretary in no uncertain terms that South Africa views the assault on the Palestinian people in the context of land grabs and occupation.

As a country, we are increasingly taking up the responsibility for taking up the plight of the Palestinian people, he added.

“We do need to do more but we certainly are doing more than South Africa has ever done to support the Palestinian people.”

Listen to the interview on Radio Islam’s podcast below.