Pro-Palestinian activists in S. Africa protest against coal exports to Israel
More than 100 pro-Palestinian activists launched protests on Thursday in three major cities of South Africa, calling for the government to prohibit coal exports to Israel, which have been blamed for conducting genocide in the Gaza Strip.
Energy embargo protest, organized by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign activist group, took place in Pretoria, Cape Town, and Durban. The protesters handed the memorandum to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Competition, according to local media.
South Africa has exported around 1.6 million metric tons of coal to Israel, said the Memorandum, criticizing the government for allowing the port of South Africa to be used as “channels to transport fuel, minerals, and other double use items to Israel’s Apartheid.”
The protesters claim to be in memorandum that the South African government must “lead in implementing coal embargoes and stopping our involvement in providing Israeli electricity networks that triggered genocide, illegal occupation, and Israeli military industry complex Apartheid.”
The South African government accused Israel of conducting genocide against Palestine in Gaza after an attack led by Hamas which was deadly on October 7, 2023, of which around 1,200 Israeli citizens and foreigners were killed and around 200 were held hostage.
The ongoing Israeli military campaign in Gaza has killed more than 62,000 people and injured more than 157,000, according to Gaza -based health authorities.
Source: Xinhua
