Israel“/>A South African civil society activist has protested the presence and inclusion of the German ambassador to Pretoria because of Berlin’s support for Israel. Zackie Achmat criticized Andreas Peschke who was included as a panelist on Thursday at the 6th International Social Justice Conference at the Center for Social Justice at Stellenbosch University, South Africa.
“Sir, aren’t you ashamed? You are one of the biggest arms suppliers to the state of Israel. You are not welcome in our midst,” Achmat told Peschke, according to a TikTok video uploaded by the Cape Argus news outlet.
South African news website IOL said Achmat had reportedly approached the stage where Peschke was sitting and accused Germany of donating weapons to Israel. Achmat asked the audience, which supports the people of Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq and Iran, to join him in leaving the venue.
“Mr. Achmat shouted at my country. I listened. When I answered, he didn’t listen. This is a shame. If we don’t listen to each other, we won’t solve a single problem,” Peschke wrote later in X.
The South African government openly supports the Palestinian cause and condemns Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip and Lebanon.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said Thursday his country’s support for the Palestinian cause was irrevocable.
Pretoria also condemned the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, for attacking and kidnapping Israeli civilians.
Hamas is demanding the release of hostages taken in attacks on Israel last October and asking for humanitarian aid to reach the people of Gaza.
South Africa filed a case with the Hague-based International Court of Justice in late 2023, accusing Israel, which has been bombing Gaza since last October, of failing to uphold its commitments under the 1948 Genocide Convention.
Several countries, including Türkiye, Nicaragua, Palestine, Spain, Mexico, Libya and Colombia, have joined the case which began open hearings in January. (Yeni Safak/Z-2)
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