‘Ramaphosa unashamedly supports Jihadists’- SA Jewish Board of Deputies

ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa has been accused of supporting militant Jihadists, after the ruling party showed its support for Palestine.

Hamas launched a large-scale attack against Israel last Saturday, with Israel retaliating. Over the last week of fighting, at least 1 900 Gazans, including more than 600 children, have been killed in bloody violence.

As mass evacuations took place on Saturday, the ANC’s national executive committee made a public showing of support for Palestine by wearing black and waving mini Palestinian flags ahead of a meeting in Boksburg, Gauteng.

It drew widespread sharp reaction, with the South African Jewish Board of Deputies national chair Karen Milner accusing Ramaphosa of betraying SA’s Jewish community. She added the NEC’s stance was “deliberately rubbing salt in gaping wounds” on their sabbath.

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The Sunday Times quoted Milner as saying “Ramaphosa unashamedly supports Jihadists”.

“He is not expressing solidarity with Palestinians, he is expressing solidarity with Hamas. He is supporting the atrocities committed on innocent civilians, including rape, the burning and decapitation of babies, and hostage-taking. This is not resistance.”

Speaking ahead of the NEC meeting, Ramaphosa said the ANC had always stood with Palestine.

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“As a people and organisation that has struggled against an oppressive system of apartheid, we pledge solidarity with the Palestinians, and as the ANC always pledged our solidarity with them.

“We have always insisted the only solution for the problems in the Middle East is a two-state solution based on the 1960 borders.”

He added government was discussing plans to evacuate South Africans caught up in the conflict.

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