THE ANC has called for peace in the Gaza Strip as the war between Israel and Palestine rages on.
It's reported that more than 1 000 people have died since Saturday's attacks on Tel Aviv by Hamas, the Palestinian group.
ANC spokeswoman Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri said attacks were as a result of the unlawful Israeli occupation.
“The ANC stands with the people of occupied Palestine as it is clear that the degenerating security situation is directly linked to the unlawful Israeli occupation. Israel's policy of settling its civilians in occupied Palestinian territory and displacing the local population contravenes fundamental rules of international humanitarian law,” she said.
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Bhengu-Motsiri said on the accounts of Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, Israel was a blatant apartheid state that imposed privilege on Jewish Israelis' behalf and discriminated against Palestinians.
She said Israel's policy of settling its civilians in occupied Palestinian territory and displacing the local population contravened rules of international humanitarian law.
She said: "It can no longer be disputed that apartheid South Africa's history is occupied Palestine's reality. As a result, the decision by Palestinians to respond to the brutality of the settler Israeli apartheid regime is unsurprising.”
She said the ANC supports calls on all sides to seize the opportunity for peace as opposed to violence.
The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) said it supports the Palestinian people in their struggle for justice and freedom.
“We condemn Apartheid Israel for oppressing Palestine,” the union said in a statement.
Israel has occupied Palestine land since 1967, making it the longest occupation in modern history.
