[1 September 2023
Press statement] 

 The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) marched to the Israeli embassy earlier today to demand that the Apartheid system, which has been imposed by the Israeli government on the people of Palestine, must end. We also demand that every square inch of land which has been unlawfully occupied by the racist, tyrannical Apartheid state of Israel, be returned to the people of Palestine.

 

Our members at the Hlanganani region held the march to highlight the ongoing crisis of the daily violation of human rights, by Apartheid Israel on the Palestinian people. NUMSA is not confused and we will not allow ourselves to be misled by the propaganda of the Israeli government. We have noted how the Israeli government is attempting to white-wash the daily brutality that it unleashes on the people of Palestine, and we think it is our responsibility to remind the public, that no amount of PR will wash their hands clean of the stench of Palestinian blood. The Israeli government is shameless in its brutality and violence against the innocent people of Palestine and we will continue to loudly condemn them for their disgusting, unforgivable actions!

 

Every single day the people of Palestine are made to suffer under intolerable conditions imposed on them by Apartheid Israel. It is NUMSA’s view that Israel should be treated like the pariah that it is because it is unapologetic for its illegal occupation of Palestine. The Apartheid state of Israel has institutionalized torture, terror and brutality against the Palestinian population for generations. Every single day children are detained, elderly and young people are killed, and the daily movements of all people are controlled 24-hours a day. The people of Palestine are living in what are called ‘open-air prisons’.   

 

A report to the United Nations Human Rights office of the High Commissioner published in July 2023, raised the following critical facts:

1.     Since 1967, over 800,000 Palestinians, including children as young as 12, have been arrested and detained under authoritarian rules enacted, enforced and adjudicated by the Israeli military”.  

 

2.     Palestinians are subject to long detention for expressing opinions gathering, pronouncing unauthorised political speeches, or even merely attempting to do so, and ultimately deprived of their status of protected civilians.

 

3.     They are often presumed guilty without evidence, arrested without warrants, detained without charge or trial and brutalised in Israeli custody.

 

 

It went on to say,

 “Mass incarceration serves the purpose of quelling peaceful opposition against the occupation, protecting the Israeli military and settlers, and ultimately facilitating settler-colonial encroachment,”.

 

In our memorandum we demanded the following:

 

We demand an immediate end to the unlawful occupation by Israel on Palestinian territory.

We demand an end to the daily persistent tyranny and violence that Apartheid Israel unleashes on the people of Palestine on a daily basis. We demand an immediate end to the violence and the killings, and the daily detention of innocent Palestinians. 

We demand the removal of the Israel Embassy and its Ambassador from our soil and our country.

NUMSA has consistently raised these demands for years in order to advance the agenda of the working class in Palestine. They need our consistent support and we have a revolutionary duty to defend them.

 

No one from the cowardly, repugnant embassy of Apartheid Israel came to receive the memorandum. This is another indication of the brazen arrogance displayed by this country. NUMSA will not stop raising its voice to condemn apartheid Israel and we will continue to stand in solidarity with Palestinian people, because no one is free until all Palestinians are free!

 

Aluta continua!

 

The struggle continues!

 

 

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