SA condemns Gaza violence
2004-10-02 12:24
Pretoria - South Africa has joined the international community in expressing its outrage and condemnation at the recent escalation of violence in Northern Gaza, which has led to the deaths of more than 40 Palestinians, mostly civilians and children at the hands of the Israeli government.
In a press release, the department of foreign affairs said the excessive use of force by the Israeli Defence Force (IDF), as well as forms of collective punishment exacerbate the already volatile situation.
Equally, the actions of the Palestinian militants who caused the death of two Israeli children in the border town of Sderot late on 29 September 2004 cannot be condoned, it said.
The release claimed that the recent actions taken by both sides only served to spark a renewed cycle of violence and counter-violence that did not bode well for any prospects of peace in this region, leaving ordinary Israelis and Palestinians yearning for peace more troubled than before.
Since the attacks on the 29th September 2004, more than 100 tanks have entered Northern Gaza causing loss of precious lives and a wide-range destruction of property.
The South African government called on both Palestinians and Israelis to exercise restraint and do all in their power to ensure that peace finally reigns through a negotiated settlement based on a two-State solution that provides for a sovereign Palestinian state and guarantees the right of Israel to live within secure borders, the statement concluded.
- SAPA