It has come to my attention that there are a large number of people in our country who were not informed of the escalating levels of violence present in the Middle East last week.
Sadly, Israel was attacked by a barrage of rocket fire last week, with over 1 500 rockets being fired at the Holy Land. These were all launched from civilian territories across its border, in the Gaza Strip. Those responsible? None other than the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), a proscribed terrorist organisation that was formed to destroy and annihilate the world’s only Jewish state.
What is even more concerning is that the ANC government has said nothing on this issue. The ANC is always quick to communicate when Israel launches a single rocket in self-defence, but appears happy to support and allow militants in the Gaza Strip to fire hundreds at Israel, without any backlash.
The same ANC government claims to aim to drive a campaign to improve Palestinian lives – when 20% of these PIJ rockets (one in five) were misfired from civilian territories, landing over 200 rockets in Gaza itself (which in and of itself constitutes a double war crime).
The PIJ militants were responsible for the death of an Israeli and a Palestinian on the Israeli side of the border, and for death and destruction within their borders too. And yet the ANC will consider those casualties a result of Israel’s attempt to defend itself.
As South Africans, and as Christians we must collectively support Israel’s right to defend itself, its people, and our holy sites, under such horrific circumstances. As South African church leaders, public representatives and citizens, we must reaffirm our commitment to continue supporting the Holy Land of Israel by condemning such brutal terrorism. As churches, we must join together in prayer for peace in the Middle East, and the Holy Land.
* Bafana Modise South African Friends of Israel Communications Manager.
** The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Media.
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