The African Centre for the Study of the United States, University of Pretoria (ACSUS-UP) invites
you to a roundtable discussion on:

NTERROGATING THE US’ STANCE AND GLOBAL LEADERSHIP ON THE ISRAEL/HAMAS WAR.
 

On October 7, 2023, the military wing of Hamas launched a military operation on the Israeli city of Ashkelon, killing about 1,400 Israelis, with another 2,700 more wounded and at least 199 others including women and children taken captivity in Gaza. Israel responded by declaring war on Hamas and mounted a total siege of the Palestinian enclave of Gaza, which has been under the control of Hamas since 2007. According to UN estimates, 4,200 people including women, children, 11 journalists, 28 medical staff and 14 UN staff have been killed by Israel’s retaliatory strikes on Gaza leaving over 3,000 injured with over 1 million Palestinians displaced. The death and injury toll, destruction, and humanitarian crisis continue to mount by the minute while Gaza remains under a total
blockade, with no access to electricity, food, and water.

This war resulted from protracted historical tension, discontent, and obscurities surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Though the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, has condemned Israel’s siege of Gaza, the US, a strong ally of Israel, has publicly declared its support for Israel. This initial stance by the US, a world leader, raises significant questions about its view of this conflict and its leadership or lack thereof on the war so far. 

Examining this Israel/Palestine crisis from a macro perspective and from one relevant to Africa, it is pertinent to place equal value on Israeli and Palestinians lives, properties, and rights. This is a critical component of UN Conventions and must be considered the prerequisite for global peace and security. Hence, irrespective of the underlying currents of the ongoing war, interventions of global superpowers such as the US have the potential to assuage or aggravate the human factor and humanitarian outcomes of this war. Therefore, in line with our mandate of promoting US literacy in Africa for the mutual benefit of both Africa and the US, this roundtable discussion brings together experts and scholars on a transdisciplinary platform to interrogate the US’ stance on this October 2023 war.

Panelists:
Prof Anthoni van Nieukerk, Thabo Mbeki African School of Public and International Affairs, University of South Africa
Prof John Stremlau, Emeritus Professor, Department of International Relations, Wits University
Prof Jo Ansie van Wyk, Research Professor, Department of Political Sciences, University of South Africa
Prof David Monyae, Director, Centre for Africa-China Studies, University of Johannesburg

Moderator:
Prof Christopher Isike, Director, African Centre for the Study of the United States, University of Pretoria (ACSUS-UP)

Date: Tuesday, 24 October 2023
Time: 14:00 - 15:30
Venue: Auditorium, Javett-UP Art Centre, University of Pretoria
To register: click here
Enquiries: Mr Paseka Gaola, ACSUS-UP, +27 12 420 2034, Email: [email protected]