CAPE TOWN, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- South Africa on Friday joined the international community in reiterating "our unwavering solidarity with the people of Palestine."
"South Africa urges the global community to act purposively towards a just and peaceful end of the occupation as guided by international law," the South African Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation said in a statement marking the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, which falls on Nov. 29.
This year marks the 42nd anniversary since the United Nations (UN) General Assembly established the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
A just ending of the occupation must address disputes regarding the borders for a viable two-state solution, the return of all Palestinian refugees, the status of East Jerusalem as the capital of a Palestinian state and a halting of all illegal settlements, the statement said.
South Africa is concerned over the actions by the Israeli government to foreclose the final status issues, disregarding UN Security Council resolutions on the Middle East Peace Process, said the statement.
"South Africa calls on all key stakeholders to ensure that all obligations under international law are met in order for a peaceful and just ending of the occupation of Palestine," the statement said in apparent reference to a recent U.S. decision stating that the Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories do not violate the international law.
On Nov. 18, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that the U.S. government will no longer consider Israel's West Bank settlements "inconsistent" with the international law, a move that further dims the future of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.
