Civil Society Statement on Israeli attacks on aid ships to Gaza

Representatives from unemployed people’s movements and organisations, trade unions and other civil society organisations meeting to discuss the economic crisis, unemployment and strategies for decent work in a national seminar hosted by the Alternative Information and Development Centre (AIDC) on Monday 31 suspended their discussions to condemn Israel’s attack on a flotilla of aid boats heading for besieged GAZA in occupied Palestine.

While we anxiously await on more details, especially the situation of our comrade Gadijah Davids, a journalist with community radio station Radio 786, we condemn this attach as a form of state terrorism. This barbaric act reminds us of the atrocities carried out by the apartheid government in Southern Africa. We call on our government to immediately to expel the Israeli ambassador from SA as a first step towards isolating Israel’s apartheid state.

Adopted unanimously, River Club 31 May 2010

Issued by the AIDC on behalf of seminar participants