South Africa's president renews calls for Palestinian statehood

As Israel’s war in Gaza war rages on, South Africa’s president has reiterated his country’s commitment to a two-state solution to end the long-standing conflict.

Cyril Ramaphosa was speaking at a United Nations General Assembly summit on the creation of a separate Palestinian state.

Chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, it hoped to generate new support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which long precedes the ongoing war in Gaza.

"South Africa reiterates its firm commitment to the creation of a contiguous Palestinian state existing peacefully side by side with the state of Israel along the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital,” Ramaphosa said.

He added that Israel had “unleashed disproportionate punishment against the people of Palestine” and that the creation of a Palestinian state was the only solution.

Ramaphosa also congratulated all the countries that have officially recognised a Palestinian state in recent days.

During the summit on Monday, France, Belgium, Monaco, Luxembourg, and Malta became the latest nations to do so.

Their announcements came a day after the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Portugal recognised Palestinian statehood

Ramaphosa called the moment one of "great significance” for the people of Palestine and Israel, and “all who cherish the ideals of freedom and self-determination".

He highlighted that this was a conflict that had raged on for almost as long as the UN has existed.

The South African president said all obstacles to the two-state solution should be removed, including halting illegal Israeli settlements and the removal of the separation wall.

Israel and the United States boycotted the gathering with the Israeli ambassador to the UN describing it as a “circus”. Both countries remain firmly opposed to the recognition of Palestinian statehood.

The meeting and the expanded recognition of Palestinian statehood are expected to have little if any actual impact on the ground.