A South African civil society activist protested against Germany’s ambassador, Andreas Peschke, at a conference due to Germany’s support for Israel.
Zackie Achmat confronted Peschke during the 6th International Social Justice Conference at Stellenbosch University’s Centre for Social Justice on Thursday. Achmat criticized Peschke’s country for its arms supply to Israel.
“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 shared by the Cape Argus news outlet.
Achmat reportedly approached the stage where Peschke was seated and urged the audience to support Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq, and Iran by leaving the venue.
Peschke responded on X, stating, “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.”
The South African government has expressed its unwavering support for Palestine. President Cyril Ramaphosa reiterated this on Thursday, calling the support “irrevocable.”
However, Pretoria also condemned Hamas for attacking Israeli civilians and demanded the release of hostages from an October attack. South Africa has filed a case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, accusing it of violating the 1948 Genocide Convention.
Several countries, including Turkey, Nicaragua, and Palestine, have joined the case, which began hearings in January. In May, the UN court ordered Israel to halt its offensive in Rafah, Gaza, as casualties exceeded 42,400.
