Eviction of Palestinians in Sheikh Al Jarrah is lamentable
by Samaoen Osman
We condemn the determination of the Israeli regime to evict Palestinians from their homes in Sheikh Al Jarrah, East Jerusalem.
This development must not be seen in isolation.
It is part of a well co-ordinated and elaborate agenda by apartheid Israel to entrench its illegal occupation of Palestinian lands and to render the people of Palestine landless in their own land.
We also condemn the callous brutality and repression meted out against innocent Palestinian protesters at Al Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock, where more than 200 peaceful protesters were injured.
A situation where Palestinians are forced off their land and into exile or refugee camps must not be allowed.
We have consistently expressed its profound opposition to the colonial occupation of Palestinian land by the Israeli regime.
A heartless campaign of systematic land dispossessions, ongoing human rights violations, state-sponsored violence against innocent civilians are the harsh realities faced by the people of Palestine on a daily basis.
We call on the UN to put relentless pressure on the Zionist apartheid Israeli regime to stop its campaign of systematic repression and ruthless brutality against the people of Palestine.
We urge the international community to rise to the occasion and stop apartheid Israel from expanding its illegal occupation of Palestinian lands and property, and ensure that apartheid Israeli is held accountable for perpetrating crimes against humanity.
Apartheid Israel cannot continue to violate international law with impunity.
We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to stand firmly on the side of the people of Palestine in their struggle to achieve freedom and self-determination.
We believe that peace and justice will only be achieved when recognition is given to the rights of the people of Palestine to their land and freedom.
We urge all Muslims and all freedom-loving people of the world to remain steadfast in our collective solidarity with the people of Palestine.
* Samaoen Osman, Crawford.
** The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Newspapers.
by Mohamed Saeed
The brutal, inhumane, illegal and unacceptable crimes against humanity that are being waged against Palestinians, the indigenous people of the land, need to be condemned in the strongest possible terms.
The disgusting scenes of settler violence in Sheikh Jarrah and other parts of Palestine are nothing new.
The Palestinians have been subjected to this brutal violence of systematic discrimination, displacement, persecution and dominance even before Israel declared its illegal independence on the Palestinian homeland. It still continues, relentless till this day.
The Palestinian good fight for freedom, human dignity and human rights against a brutal regime is a just and moral right. Global leaders need to stop using hollow language such as “clashes” or “deep concern”, or “evictions” or “de-escalate tensions” to describe the violence carried out by the military regime and illegal occupiers.
This mild vocabulary does nothing to liberate Palestine from the brutal, settler-induced violence and occupation. Using such gentle jargon de-escalates the settler violence. The violence needs to be labelled and condemned correctly.
Palestinians are facing a highly militarised and well-oiled regime, but regrettably, they are blamed for the violence and are directed by Western diplomats to show restraint and adopt non-violence and come to the negotiating table with no conditions if they want freedom.
The Israeli regime needs to stop the colonial process and return to the Palestinians their land and homes.
* Mohamed Saeed, Pietermaritzburg.
** The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Newspapers.
Palestinian terrorism wreaks havoc for Israeli people
by the Embassy of Israel in South Africa.
May 10 Palestinian terrorist organisations in Gaza have been firing rockets at the capital city of Israel, Jerusalem, other cities across the country, and Israeli communities along the border with Gaza.
Since May 10, more than 200 rockets have been fired from Gaza at Israeli civilians. These events are part of a wave of terror being led by the terrorist organisation Hamas, the Palestinian Authority, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and are the result of reckless and irresponsible incitement to violence.
The Palestinian terrorist organisations committed another war crime, launched an indiscriminate attack on a civilian population, and assaulted the holiness of the city of Jerusalem.
Israel sought to achieve calm in Jerusalem. We took every measure to prevent conflict or violence and to allow freedom of worship. These measures include postponing the Supreme Court hearing regarding Sheikh Jarrah, blocking Jews from visiting the Temple Mount, changing the route of the Flag March, and then cancelling the event.
Moreover, Israel acted in a measured manner in response to the rockets and incendiary balloons that had been launched from the Gaza Strip, to prevent any escalation during this sensitive period.
Complete responsibility for the situation rests with the Palestinian terrorist organisations, and on the unrestrained incitement by the Palestinian Authority.
We call on the international community to condemn the rocket fire and Palestinian terrorism targeting Israeli citizens in the strongest manner, as well as to support Israel’s right to self-defence.
No country will allow rockets to be fired on its children, women, and men. Israel will take any action necessary to protect its citizens.
It is the right and the duty of every state.
* Embassy of Israel in South Africa.
** The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Newspapers.
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