Israel’s recent actions in Gaza constitute genocide against innocent people, and a clear violation of international laws, an MP with South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) has said in an exclusive interview with RT.
Zolani Mkiva made the remarks shortly after an Israeli attack on a tent camp in the Gazan city of Rafah, which reportedly caused mass civilian casualties on Sunday.
“This is a grand-scale murder, a clear violation of the international laws,” he told RT, referring to Israel’s recent disregard for a directive from the International Court of Justice (ICJ). “Israel is treating itself as a country that is above the laws,” he added.
The South African official highlighted the need for comprehensive international pressure, including potential sanctions by the European Union and other global powers, to isolate Israel in response to its actions. “We need to push and put pressure from all fronts,” Mkiva said.
“As we recognize the state of Palestine, we must, at the same time, derecognize the state of Israel, because those are the two sides of the same coin.”
On Tuesday, the South African Foreign Ministry issued a statement condemning the bombing of a tent camp housing displaced Palestinians, which had been designated as a safe zone. “The South African government joins the international community in condemning the deplorable and brutal attacks on innocent civilians,” it said.
The ministry also questioned the role of the international community in stopping the violence. “How long will the international community continue to watch as an entire population is annihilated before the world can unite to urgently act against these brutal and incessant attacks?”
Last week, the United Nations’ top judicial body ordered Israel to immediately halt its operation in Rafah.
The conflict between Israel and Hamas started on October 7, when the Gaza-based group launched a surprise raid into the south of the country, killing some 1,200 people and taking approximately 250 hostages. More than 35,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) operation to destroy the militants, according to the enclave’s health authorities.