A PRESS STATEMENT

 

While answering questions in the National Council of Provinces, on Tuesday, President Cyril Ramaphosa reiterated the South African government’s position of standing by the people of Palestine, regardless of the proclaimed peace deal in Gaza.

 

Mr Ramaphosa said: “The Government of South Africa remains resolutely committed to using every available legal and diplomatic avenue to protect the Palestinian people and to uphold the rule of international law.”

 

The Jamiatul Ulama South Africa (JUSA) welcomes this position taken by the government, in staying the course, and awaiting proceedings of the merits of the case lodged at the International Court of Justice, under the 1948 Genocide Convention. JUSA commends the efforts of the countries of the Hague Group— co-led by South Africa— in coming together to demand accountability, upholding international law, and seeking to end Zionist impunity.

 

The past 72 hours have yet again exposed the true nature of the machinations of the Zionists, and their backers, whose “agreement to a peace deal” has all the hallmarks of a ceasefire negotiated in bad faith, with the intention of ending the resistance to the Occupation of Palestine, in ways that have dismally failed even after waging a two-year genocidal campaign.

 

In spite of a “ceasefire” being in place, Zionist forces continue to extrajudicially murder Palestinians. The assassination of Saleh al-Jafarawi, a Palestinian citizen journalist documenting atrocities in Gaza, is a chilling reminder of how hellbent the Zionists are, in the silencing of voices exposing the rogue nature of the state of Israel, amidst mounting global resentment towards ethnic cleansing and genocide. Israel has already gone back on its word by unilaterally cutting the agreed upon number of humanitarian aid trucks into Gaza, from 600 down to 300 per day, in order to continue mass starvation of Palestinians.

 

Notwithstanding, Palestinian resistance groups have lived up to their commitment in returning all the living captives, in exchange for the release of Palestinian detainees from notorious Israeli jails. Unlike the shifting positions of the Zionists, the resistance groups have been consistent in their demands, since October 2023. These demands are not merely aspirational, but internationally-recognised inalienable rights of Palestinians, which include self-determination.

 

The experiences since the coming into effect of the Oslo Accords teach us that the world should not relent and take eyes off Palestine, again. The Palestinian Question is too important to be left in the hands of a broker who proclaims peace, while providing the wherewithal for ethnic cleansing, maximal settler-colonial control and acquiescing to illegal expansionism.

 

Palestine is crying out to us to stop the maiming, starvation and utter destruction of a people who have been subjected to some of the most heinous atrocities, massacres and dehumanisation, in what has been regarded as the first ever live-broadcasted genocide. We appeal to the public to heed calls from relevant agencies to mobilise emergency relief for the Occupied Palestinian territories in general, and Gaza, in particular.

 

It is imperative in this critical moment to increase the momentum of the global solidarity for a Free Palestine by keeping abreast of developments in the region, increasing awareness within our communities, demanding accountability and campaigning to isolate Israel, as long as the occupation endures.

 

Released by:

 

The Executive Committee
Jamiatul Ulama South Africa

22 Rabi ‘al Thani 1447 / 15 October 2025