South Africa’s Deputy President Paul Mashatile advocates for a ceasefire in Gaza, condemning the killing of innocents. He highlights South Africa’s legal actions against Israel at the ICJ and calls for peaceful negotiations. Furthermore, he emphasizes the country’s commitment to aid African development, particularly during its G20 presidency.
South Africa’s Deputy President Paul Mashatile has asserted the need for a ceasefire in Gaza, condemning the killing of innocents. Speaking at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan, he emphasized South Africa’s long-standing support for Palestine and the advocacy for a two-state solution, allowing both nations to coexist peacefully.
Mashatile highlighted South Africa’s legal actions against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which resulted in an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on genocide charges against Palestinians. He stated, “The killing of children, innocent children and women in Gaza is something that should not be tolerated.”
He expressed South Africa’s desire to see both Israel and Palestine resolve their conflicts, hoping that the proposed ceasefire will be effective. Emphasizing the need for negotiations and development, he remarked, “Let’s make sure that the killings stop, that people can negotiate, and that they focus on development.”
Regarding the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Mashatile reaffirmed South Africa’s non-aligned stance, clarifying that the country does not support either side. He mentioned that South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s trip to Ukraine aimed to foster dialogue between the conflicting parties.
Mashatile also revealed that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will be visiting South Africa soon to further discussions on peace. He reflected on South Africa’s resolution of apartheid, saying, “We negotiated. People thought we couldn’t do it because some of us were in jail under apartheid… But we did it, and we managed to agree on a peaceful resolution of our conflict.”
In Japan, Mashatile is also engaging with the Japanese government to enhance investment in Africa, facilitated by the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD). He noted that the African continental free trade area would stimulate investment opportunities, emphasizing the importance of African development in South Africa’s G20 presidency agenda.
In summary, Deputy President Paul Mashatile of South Africa calls for a ceasefire in Gaza and highlights his country’s role in supporting Palestine. He recounts legal efforts against Israeli leadership at the ICJ and emphasizes the importance of negotiations for conflict resolution, drawing on South Africa’s own experiences with apartheid as a model. Additionally, he addresses South Africa’s commitment to African development, particularly through G20 initiatives.
Original Source: www.arabnews.jp
