Download PDFThe General Industries Workers Union of SA (GIWUSA) believes that the Cabinet decision to withdraw South Africa’s ambassador to Israel is wholly inadequate given the daily massacres of Palestinians that Israel is continuing to commit.
The South African government seems not to appreciate the urgency of the situation and must pick up the pace of their actions against Israel before all of Gaza is exterminated. Our demands are very clear – the Israeli ambassador and all Israeli diplomatic staff must be immediately expelled from South Africa.
The South African government must terminate all diplomatic relations with the Zionist and Apartheid State of Israel now. Israel has killed at least 9770 Palestinians in less than a month, including 4000 children. It has bombed over 300 000 homes to pieces and ethnically cleansed nearly the entire North Gaza area.
Apartheid Israel has maimed thousands more Palestinians in the Gaza Strip with missiles and chemical bombs, after disabling the hospitals there. Doctors reported yesterday that they are unable to treat children with burn wounds because even as they wash and dress these chemical burns, they continue to burn through deeper layers of tissue.
They have run out of medical supplies and are forced now to wash children’s burns with vinegar. GIWUSA also demands that the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) implement the Prohibition of Mercenary Activities and Regulation of Certain Activities in Country of Armed Conflict Act 27 of 2006 and prosecute all South Africans who are fighting for the Israeli Occupation Force, rather than turning a blind eye to these mercenaries.
GIWUSA also demands that the South African government implement a full package of sanctions against Apartheid Israel and expropriate all Israeli-owned corporations in the country. GIWUSA views the Cabinet decision as a step in the right direction one made following pressure by years of campaigning and intensive rolling mass actions by the Palestinian Solidarity Movement in the country and determined resistance of the Palestinian masses.
However, the Cabinet has said it themselves: Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinians. If genocide is not a reason to expel an ambassador, then what is? GIWUSA will continue to support the Palestinian Solidarity, BDS and community marches and targeted boycotts of Israeli brands being sold in South Africa. GIWUSA is very clear that we choose the side of justice and support the Palestinians right to resist, exist and return to the land that has been stolen from them ever since 1948.
We are currently engaging trade unions to further escalate our solidarity. We welcome the decision of SAFTU to convene the campaigns committee meeting and we hope it will lay the foundation for a more united, active trade union mobilisations to push the government further until all our demands are met. Issued by GIWUSA.
This press statement was released by GIWUSA Office on 08 November 2023.
