Israel-Hamas Conflict: South Africans Protest Outside US Consulate In Support Of Palestine

Hundreds of South Africans staged a protest outside the United States Consulate in Johannesburg on Wednesday in support of Palestine, saying Palestinians have faced oppression for decades and condemning Washington's move to provide weapons to Israel to fight against Hamas.

The protesters also demanded that Eli Belotsercovsky, Israeli ambassador to South Africa, be expelled.

"I did more and more research and I came to the conclusion that not only have I been lied to, and spreading myself, but my religion was being used to undermine the rights of the Palestinian people," a protester named Pamela Ngubane said, as per Africa News.

Many South Africans waved Palestinian flags and carried banners in solidarity with the people of Palestine.

Iqbal Jassat, an executive member of Media Review Network who was present at the protest, said it's "insane for the U.S. to be an integral part of Israel's relentless savagery and brutality while millions of innocent civilians in Gaza are being slaughtered."

"The airstrikes and bombings of residential apartments, schools, hospitals, UN installations, and civilian infrastructures while at the same time mass starvation has been enforced, are in violation of all civilized values," he added.

Mametlwe Sebei, president of the General Industries Workers Union of South Africa, also joined the protest and expressed support for Palestinians who he said have lived in cruel conditions for several decades.

Another protest occurred in Cape Town, where South Africans asked to stop the violence. This protest also suggested disinvestments, a boycott of Israeli products and sanctions against the Middle Eastern country.

The protest outside the United States Consulate in Johannesburg broke out two days after the South African government called for the immediate cessation of violence between Israel and Hamas, which escalated on Oct. 7 after the Palestinian organization launched more than 5,000 rockets into Israel, killing more than 700 Israelis.

In response, Israel declared war against Hamas and launched an attack that killed thousands of people in the Gaza Strip, including 91 Palestinian children, the very next day. Israel also cut water and electricity supplies to Gaza.

South Africa's Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) issued a statement on Sunday, pointing out that Israel has been desecrating the Al-Aqsa Mosque and many Christian holy sites while oppressing Palestinian people.

DIRCO also called for peace between the two sides, noting that Israel has illegally occupied Palestine's land and continued its expansion. The department said Israelis, Palestinians and the region won't gain anything from such escalated tensions, increased violence, growing instability and a continued and protracted violent conflict.