25 October 2024
The Human Rights NGO #Africa4Palestine welcomes the criminal investigation into 22-year-old South African Aaron Bayhack by The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (HAWKS) for his involvement in the ongoing genocide of Palestinians by the Israeli Regime.
Sandton born Bayhack, is a member of a notorious Israeli elite sniper team, the Ghost Unit, recently exposed by Al Jazeera and Palestinian journalists for openly admitting and celebrating the targeting and killing of innocent Palestinian civilians in Gaza. In the expose, several footage shows members of the murderous team killing Palestinian children, recording it and sharing it in jubilation. It is estimated that at least over 100 Palestinians have been killed at the hands of this unit.
Today we learned that South African law enforcement agencies are probing the involvement of Aaron in the Israeli Occupation Forces. This comes after numerous criminal complaints were laid against the young executioner by organizations and citizens of South Africa. Although long overdue, we welcome this initiative by South Africa’s high ranking investigative authorities and encourage South Africans to provide any and every evidential material that might assist the investigation.
Aaron is not the only one we have set our eyes on, he is part of a long list of South Africans who believe they can go to Palestine, kill Palestinians at will and come back to South Africa without prosecution or accountability. The likes of Benjamin Rattle, Tim Flack, Lee Taljaard and Dan Goldfus to name but a few, are South Africans who have participated and/are participating in the gross human rights violations of Palestinians and must be prosecuted to the full might of the law in our courts upon their return.
Our government has a documented and established set of laws that prohibit South Africans from participating in foreign military operations. The Foreign Ministry (international relations and cooperation) has on several occasions, promised South Africans and the world that they are going to initiate prosecutorial processes against those South Africans who have participated in Israel’s genocide and war crimes.
We encourage South Africans, of all creeds, race, religion and background to submit names and any evidence of South Africans who are participating or have participated in the Israeli Occupation Forces’ crimes against Palestinians to their nearest law enforcement agency. #Africa4Palestine together with other domestic and international Palestine solidarity groups will be working closely with the South African government to provide any and every shred of evidence to prosecute Aaron Bayhack and many other South Africans who have joined the Israeli forces.
ISSUED BY ALIE KOMAPE ON BEHALF OF AFRICA4PALESTINE
Africa4Palestine Communications and Campaigns Manager, Alie Komape: +27 (0) 76 979 8801
