In a recent public address, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed his support for Palestinians following a severe terrorist attack by Hamas that resulted in the death of 1,300 Israelis, left 3,600 injured, and between 100-200 kidnapped.
The President's speech, delivered against the backdrop of electrified fencing - a common sight in South Africa due to its high crime rate - was part of a rally organized by the National Executive Committee of the African National Congress (ANC), the ruling party of the country.
The ANC, despite being widely criticized for its corruption and incompetence, has a history of anti-Israel sentiment dating back to its Cold War-era alliance with the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) within the Soviet sphere.
This sentiment was evident in Ramaphosa's speech, where he failed to condemn the Hamas terror attacks, instead expressing solidarity with the "people of Palestine."
The South African President, donning a Palestinian keffiyeh - a traditional scarf that has become a symbol of Palestinian resistance against Israel - detailed what he termed "atrocities" against Palestinians. However, he did not once mention the brutality of the Hamas terror attacks.
Ramaphosa's comments suggested that he, and by extension the South African government, view all Israeli territory as "occupied," including areas within the pre-1967 borders. This implies a belief in the illegitimacy of Israel's claim to these territories. He defended Palestinians as "people under occupation who have been waging a struggle against an oppressive government that has occupied their land," and noted that Israel had recently been labeled an "apartheid state."
The President also expressed the Palestinians' grievances about the presence of "settlers so close and into their land," despite the fact that Israel withdrew all of its settlers from Gaza in 2005.
Ramaphosa criticized the Israeli order for Palestinian civilians to evacuate northern Gaza in anticipation of a ground invasion, describing the impending conflict as "almost genocide."
He called for a "peaceful resolution of conflict" and a "two-state" solution, although he did not elaborate on how this solution would address the issue of Israeli territory he considers "occupied."
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