ANC Decries Israel's Call for Gaza Citizens to Leave Territory

South Africa's ruling party, the African National Congress (ANC), has strongly condemned Israel's call for all citizens of Gaza to leave the territory, which it has vowed to raze to the ground. The ANC has offered to immediately begin peace negotiations between Israel and Palestine.

ANC Pledges Solidarity with Palestine

Following a meeting of the ANC's National Executive Committee, all members, draped in the scarves symbolizing Palestine, stood alongside party President Cyril Ramaphosa, who is also the President of South Africa, as he briefed the media on Saturday afternoon. "We are all standing here pledging our solidarity with the people of Palestine. We stand here because we are deeply concerned about the atrocities that are unfolding in the Middle East," Ramaphosa said.

Ramaphosa Condemns Israeli Occupation and Calls for an End to Violence

Ramaphosa expressed his condolences to the people of both Israel and Palestine after over 2,000 have died in the war so far. He emphasized that the Palestinian people have been under Israeli occupation for almost 75 years and that the Israeli government's recent actions, including the call for the evacuation of 1.1 million people from the northern part of Gaza, amount to "almost genocide."

Ramaphosa called on the international community, the UN, and all other concerned international bodies to ensure that peace is restored in Palestine and that the Israeli government withdraws its command for people to leave the northern part of Gaza.

South Africa Offers to Mediate Peace Talks

Ramaphosa reiterated South Africa's commitment to the peaceful resolution of conflicts and offered to participate in peace talks between Israel and Palestine on a neutral basis. He emphasized that South Africa has a history of successfully participating in conflict resolution efforts around the world, regardless of the ideological positions of the parties involved.

South Africa to Provide Humanitarian Assistance

Ramaphosa announced that South Africa has received requests from several countries in the Middle East to assist and send humanitarian assistance, which is currently being processed.

Pandor Condemns Western Double Standards

Earlier on Saturday, South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Naledi Pandor criticized Western countries and media for their double standards in the Israel-Palestine conflict. She accused Western powers of criticizing Palestine while providing unwavering support for Israel, despite the fact that the root cause of the conflict is Israel's illegal occupation of Palestinian territories.

Pandor called on social movements to raise their voices in solidarity with the Palestinian people and urged trade unions worldwide to stand up against Israeli oppression, which she likened to the apartheid from which South Africa had risen.

South Africa's strong condemnation of Israel's actions in Gaza and its offer to mediate peace talks reflect the country's commitment to justice and peace in the Middle East. The ANC's solidarity with the Palestinian people and its criticism of Western double standards highlight the need for a more balanced approach to the conflict. South Africa's willingness to provide humanitarian assistance and participate in peace talks is a positive step towards finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict.