Iran Press/ Middle East: Every year on May 15, Palestinians around the world mark the Nakba, or catastrophe, referring to the ethnic cleansing of Palestine in 1948.
Having secured the support of the British government for the creation of a Jewish state in Palestine, on May 14, 1948, as soon as the British Mandate expired, Zionist forces declared the establishment of the State of Israel, triggering the first Arab-Israeli war.
Zionist military forces expelled at least 750,000 Palestinians from their homes and lands and captured 78 percent of historic Palestine.
The remaining 22 percent was divided into what is now the occupied West Bank and the besieged Gaza Strip.
S. Africa scene of calls for isolation Israel on Nakba anniversary
A coalition of political parties, civil movements, and religious groups participated in the event hosted by the Palestinian embassy.
Alvin Botes, Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation in an interview with Iran Press reiterated that South Africa stands behind the just struggle of the people of Palestine.
He says they have worked to galvanize the support of non-state actors and fellow political parties to achieve the downgrading of diplomatic relations.
Parliament has passed a Bill to only engage Israel at a liaison office level and the South African ambassador to Tel Aviv has been recalled.
Botes says the rights of the Palestinian people to their land must be upheld.
He highlighted the hypocritical position on the territorial rights of Ukraine, while the annexation, occupation, and murder of Palestinians do not get enough attention.
Meanwhile, a member of parliament for the National Freedom Party (NFP), Munzoor Shaikh Emam said his party wants the government to intensify the boycott Israel made goods, impose stringent Visa restrictions on Israelis entering the country, and reject the citizenship of South African Zionists who serve in the Israeli occupation regime’s military force.
The NFP had brought the motion in parliament for South Africa to downgrade ties with the Zionist entity.
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