South African activist protests German ambassador at conference because of Berlin’s support for Israel

By Anadolu Staff

A South African civil society activist protested the presence and inclusion of Germany’s ambassador to Pretoria because of Berlin’s support for Israel.

Zackie Achmat criticized Andreas Peschke who was included as a panelist Thursday at the 6th International Social Justice Conference at Stellenbosch University’s Centre for Social Justice.

“Sir, have you no shame. You’re one of the largest arms suppliers to the state of Israel. You are not welcomed in our midst,” Achmat told Peschke, according to a TikTok video that was posted by the Cape Argus news outlet.

South African news website, IOL, said Achmat is reported to have approached the stage where Peschke was seated and accused Germany of contributing arms to Israel.

Achmat asked the audience, who supports the people of Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq and Iran to join him in leaving the venue.

“Mr Achmat shouted at my country. I listened. When I answered, he did not listen. This is unfortunate. If we don‘t listen to each other, we will not solve a single problem,” Peschke later wrote on X.

The South African government openly supports the Palestinian cause and condemns Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon.

President Cyril Ramaphosa, said Thursday his country’s support for the Palestinian cause was “irrevocable.”

Pretoria also condemns the Palestine resistance group, Hamas, for attacking and kidnapping Israeli civilians.

It has demanded the release of hostages taken in an attack on Israel last October and appealed for humanitarian assistance to get through to the people of Gaza.

South Africa filed a case at the International Court of Justice based in The Hague in late 2023, accusing Israel, which has bombed Gaza since last October, of failing to uphold its commitments under the 1948 Genocide Convention.

Several countries including Türkiye, Nicaragua, Palestine, Spain, Mexico, Libya and Colombia, have joined the case which began public hearings in January.

The top UN court in May ordered Israel to halt its offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah. It was the third time the 15-judge panel issued preliminary orders seeking to rein in the death toll and alleviate suffering in the blockaded enclave, where the casualty count has surpassed 42,400.