The South African government has urged Israel to act with the utmost self-restraint in ensuring the legitimate defence and security of its own people.
”The South African government wishes to express its concern at the continuing Israeli military actions in the occupied territories,” the Department of Foreign affairs said in a statement on Thursday.
The latest reported air strike by Israel in the Gaza strip, which killed 11 people, and the recent deaths of seven members of a Palestinian family on a beach in Gaza, reflect a very serious and dangerous situation.
”These tragedies underline the urgency of Israel to stop its excessive military actions in the occupied Palestinian territories.
”Such actions can only result in the growing anger, not only in the occupied territories, but the region as a whole, making a political solution more difficult,” the department said.
They had also led to the unilateral ceasefire agreed to by the governing Hamas being called off.
This will lead to increasing violence and further undermine the Palestinian people’s desire for peace, prosperity and a viable Palestinian state.
”We urge Hamas not to take action that will only create the conditions for the systematic elimination of the Palestinian leadership and a mobilisation of forces against the legitimate demand for a Palestinian state.
”Given the new political dynamics in the region resulting from the legislative elections held in both Palestine and Israel earlier this year, the government joins the rest of the international community in hoping that these developments would lead to true dialogue and an eventual resumption of substantive negotiations, rather than unilateral actions and increased violence,” the department said. — Sapa