Africa

South African National Assembly Member Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandela called for Israel’s exclusion from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, inviting all activists to support this call. A panel titled “Unilateral Implementation of International Law: The Importance of the Olympic Games” was organized at the University of Geneva with contributions from the Geneva Research and Development Institute, the Geneva University Muslim Students Association, the Geneva University Turkish Students Association, and the Geneva University Arab World Association. The panel, attended by Mandela, the grandson of Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s first black president elected through democratic elections, began with a tribute to the Palestinians who lost their lives in Gaza due to intensive Israeli attacks since October 7, 2023. Mandela reminded that they visited the International Olympic Committee in Lausanne yesterday and said, “We are uniting our voices with millions of people worldwide who call for Israel’s expulsion from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.” Emphasizing that there is no place for “genocide” at the Olympics, Mandela said that the youth around the world taking action on this issue encouraged them, and they would not remain silent in the face of Israel’s actions. While calling on all activists to support efforts to exclude Israel from the Olympics, Mandela also noted that they expected FIFA to decide to exclude Israel from competitions as long as genocide continued and no ceasefire was established. Mandela stated that Israel continued to attack nearly a million innocent Palestinians stranded in refugee camps in Rafah in southern Gaza, depriving them of humanitarian aid, water, medicine, and electricity. “We continue to call on all nations to support and show solidarity with the Palestinian cause,” said Mandela. Critizing governments for not being effective enough in breaking the blockade on Gaza, Mandela stated that they would ensure the lifting of the blockade as civil society organizations and humanitarian workers. Highlighting the importance of students worldwide organizing support actions for Palestine on university campuses and calling for an immediate ceasefire and the cessation of genocide, Mandela said, “Youth all over the world are challenging the status quo. They demand an end to lies and propaganda in mainstream media. The world is waking up to Israel’s brutal genocide actions. We must continue to raise awareness and participate in solidarity actions with the Palestinian people.” Mandela later answered students’ questions. Other speakers at the panel addressed the latest developments in Gaza and reiterated the call for Israel’s exclusion from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.