South Africa censures Israel
In a statement issued by the South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation, Pretoria strongly condemned all military aggression by Israel against innocent civilians, including the people of the occupied West Bank and Gaza, a Press TV correspondent reported.
In the incident, the Israeli navy attacked the Freedom Flotilla in international waters in the Mediterranean Sea early on Monday, killing at least 20 people on board the six ships, mostly Turkish nationals, and injuring about 50 others.
The flotilla was carrying 10,000 tons of relief supplies, including food and construction material, for the besieged people of Gaza.
South Africa has urged Israel to lift its siege of the Gaza Strip, which has caused untold hardship for the ordinary people of Gaza and prompted the international community to organize relief efforts for the territory.
Israel stands solely responsible for the loss of life in the attack on the flotilla, the statement noted.
The statement referred to the UN report written by a team led by former international war crimes prosecutor Richard Goldstone which was critical of Israel for carrying out military actions in Gaza with the resultant loss of life of innocent civilians.
South Africa called for a concerted international effort to bring about a broader solution to the question of Palestine, which will ultimately contribute to the establishment of peace in the Middle East.
The statement expressed hope that the international community would seriously address Israel's act of aggression, which took place in international waters and involved citizens from across the globe.
ASH/HGL
PressTV
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