Hundreds of pro-Palestine demonstrators chanted that they will never allow another Nakba on their watch as they commemorated the 77th anniversary of the Nakba. Led by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) they called for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.
The Nakba or catastrophe took place in 1948 and led to the massive displacement of Palestinians from their homes and land, paving the way for the creation of Israel.
The PSC has vowed to intensify calls for boycott, disinvestment and sanctions against Israel. Jamia Gallant, the PSC chairperson, said that they want the South African government to lead the world in legislating sanctions against Israel. “We want the government to halt all trade with Israel, including the export of coal, and to prosecute all South African mercenaries serving in Israeli Occupation Forces,” Gallant said.
Earlier this year, the Palestine Solidarity Campaign announced that it was going to take the National Prosecuting Authority to the high court for failing to prosecute South Africans who have broken the law by serving in a foreign army without the permission from the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, as required by the Foreign Military Assistance Act.
According to the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco), joining foreign armed forces without the permission, contributes to the violation of international law and the commission of further international crimes, making them liable for prosecution in South Africa.
Once an MK commander and the minister of intelligence in Mbeki’s cabinet, Ronnie Kasrils said that even though thousands of Palestinians have been murdered and continue to be killed “in horrific and unspeakable ways in the past nineteen months”, the resistance by Palestinians and global protests against Israel mean that the Palestinians are winning.
“The global population are mobilising and more we mobilise to isolate Israel and put pressure on dreadful powers like the USA, the more likely we will get the more kind of utterances that we are already hearing. The former foreign minister of the EU [Josep Borrell] has already said that what is happening in Palestine is genocide,” Kasrils said. “More people in the Israeli army including reserves are refusing to go to war. Whether it is conscience [objection] or they are dying at the hands of resistance in Gaza, it means the resistance is strong.”
