President Jacob Zuma has strongly condemned the Israeli naval raid on the humanitarian vessels destined for Gaza. On Monday Israeli troops stormed the aid flotilla in an attack that left nine people dead.
The aid convoy was seeking to overcome the Israeli blockade of the Gaza strip which has been imposed almost continuously since Hamas took control there three years ago. The incident forced the South African government to summon the Israeli Ambassador in South Africa Segev Steinberg to explain the raid incident.
Pretoria has described the Israeli government's action an unjustified military action, with Zuma expressing outrage at the incident. Zuma says from time to time the Middle-East issue exposes itself as one of the most serious issues. He says even the condemnations are subdued from other quarters and it reflects the kind of double standards.
In the absence of International Relations and Co-operation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, who is on an official visit to France, Deputy Minister Sue van der Merwe summoned Steinberg to issue a Démarche, registering Government’s strongest possible protest to the Israeli government for its unjustified military action and resultant loss of life.
Van der Merwe stated that such a military attack was an aberration from acceptable behaviour on the part of a State party in dealing with civilians and that Israel must be held accountable for its actions under international law.
Source: Mail & Guardian
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