The South African Jews for a Free Palestine (SAJFP) organisation is calling for accountability following a second drone strike on Global Sumud Flotilla.

The Global Sumud Flotilla, an aid organisation delivering essentials to Gaza, said the Alma boat, which forms part of the Global Sumud Flotilla, was attacked by a drone.

“This is the second drone attack directed at the Flotilla’s unarmed civilian passengers in the last two days. These attacks follow Israeli Minister of National Security Ben Gvir's threat to designate the peaceful protestors onboard the Flotilla as terrorists. It is, however, the drone attacks on these boats full of unarmed humanitarian activists that are themselves terrorist acts,” the SAJFP said.

The organisation also dismissed statements labelling concerned civilians peacefully delivering aid to starving Palestinians as 'terrorists'.

“…on the contrary, such a label is properly fitted to those currently responsible both for genocide and for violent attacks on these unarmed boats,” the SAJFP said.

The organisation said the attacks, in Tunisian airspace, came as Israel escalates its aggression, destroying over 200 residential apartments in Gaza within 72 hours.

One-million Palestinians taking shelter in the city have again been ordered to flee.

“We call for an immediate escalation of pressure against Zionist impunity through all the avenues of Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) and through the urgent enforcement of arms and trade embargoes.

“We call on both formal structures like the world’s States, organisations, unions, religious groups and multilateral agencies and individuals – academics, public figures and cultural workers –  to come together to bring an immediate end to the ongoing crimes against humanity,” the SAJFP said.

It defended the Global Sumud Flotilla as a global civilian mission that was borne out of the lack of will from countries to condemn genocide in Palestine.

“What we as a movement are left wondering is where will the line finally be drawn? Are civilian activists, citizens of countries from around the world, going to be abandoned by their governments just as the people of Gaza have been? Will governments fail even to protect their own citizens? Governments need to act now, decisively,” the SAJFP stated.

The organisation said it also supported dockworkers in Italy who have announced their intention to “shut down all of Europe” and block shipments to Israel if communication with the aid Flotilla is lost.

“This is the kind of action needed to fill the vacuum left by the inaction and complicity of global governments,” the SAJFP said.

It also touted the possibility of legal action, in what are possibly war crimes, against those who attack the flotilla.

“Those responsible for these attacks would like us to believe that the consequences of opposing genocide will be far worse than the consequences of perpetrating one. We firmly reject this message and call on the international community to do everything possible to guarantee the Flotilla safe passage.

“Those committing crimes against humanity must be held to account and those risking their very lives to protect the innocent should be supported – not attacked. We stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people and with those aboard the flotilla. Let us stand together in working towards a better world,” the organisation stated.

Meanwhile, the Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperation, and the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development received a briefing from Minister Ronald Lamola on South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). 

South Africa filed its memorial to the ICJ in October last year, in an attempt to prevent and punish perpetrators of genocide in the Gaza Strip.

Lamola said the South African government had chosen to act to preserve the existence of the Palestinian people as a group and to end all acts of apartheid and genocide against the Palestinian people.

He said the case would continue until the ICJ made a finding.

“The potential outcome could resonate far beyond Israel and Palestine. South Africa will continue to call for two States, the State of Palestine and the State of Israel, to exist side by side in peace and security,” he said.

Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperation chairperson Supra Mahumapelo noted the importance of engaging other member States, especially Germany, to be at the forefront of the two-State process.

He said it was important for South Africa, through the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development and the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, to hold a yearly event on November 30, to commemorate the day the United Nations General Assembly declared apartheid a crime against humanity.