South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has delivered a fiery address at the United Nations General Assembly, where he accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza and demanded urgent recognition of a Palestinian state.
Ramaphosa called for an immediate ceasefire, the release of hostages, and the removal of barriers to Palestinian sovereignty — including Israel’s separation wall. He stressed that the only path to peace is a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders, drawing parallels between Palestinian suffering and South Africa’s apartheid history.
“We cannot be silent while entire generations are wiped out. Just as the world rallied to end apartheid in South Africa, so too must it stand firm against apartheid and oppression in Palestine,” Ramaphosa declared, earning applause from sections of the Assembly.
The address was briefly interrupted when his microphone was cut off mid-speech. UN officials later blamed a technical glitch, but viral clips of the moment have fueled speculation of a deliberate shutdown.
Reactions remain divided: Pro-Palestinian groups hailed Ramaphosa for “speaking truth to power,” while critics and some Western diplomats warned that his use of the word genocide could complicate ongoing peace efforts.
Report by: Kendrick Ovie | Edited by: Chris Odjomah