End all trade ties with apartheid Israel, say South African flotilla activists

THE South African pro-Paletsine activists detained by Israeli forces for taking part in the Global Sumud Flotilla mission have piled pressure on the government to completely cut trade ties with Israel for its genocide in Gaza.

- SIYABONGA SITHOLE

The six activists, including Nelson Mandela's grandson, Mandla Mandela, were abducted in international waters while on their way to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza. They arrived home to a hero's welcome yesterday having been kept by Israeli forces for almost a week.

On their abduction, Mandela said more than 8 000 activists were denied access to food and other basic human rights.

“Some flights were cancelled here at OR Tambo by preventing many of our comrades from participating in the mission. They were denied entry at Cairo Airport at the second checkpoint. Therefore, we failed to get to the Rafa border crossing to get the much-needed humanitarian aid,” he said.

Mandela said that all those who are in support of the genocide and ethnic cleansing of innocent Palestinians must be arrested.

“We call on the South African government, which has been able to take apartheid Israel to the ICJ and ICC (International Criminal Court), to arrest all those who are complicit in fueling the genocide and selling coal to apartheid Israel.