ANT KATZ

The Western Cape leader of the ANC and deputy minister for International Relations and Cooperation, Marius Fransman, had a complaint raised against him by the Board at the HRC in last Feb, fell fowl of a senior Jewish ANC Cde in October, and still can’t stop having a go at what he calls “nose-picking” Jews.

At the now-infamous conference that led to the Cape Town Declaration last week, Fransman laid out his position on Israel thus:

Ladies and gentlemen,

Cde President Nelson Mandela put our foreign policy and international solidarity with the Palestinian struggle into perspective when he said that: ‘the Palestinian struggle is the greatest moral issue of our time’.

Our history and support for the Palestinian struggle for freedom is one that is also linked in our historical and shared struggles. Many of our liberation leaders and revolutionaries trained alongside the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) during the dark days of Apartheid. Our history is a shared one of international solidarity of two nations that have been oppressed and discriminated against. Our own history of Apartheid therefore demands that as South Africa, we are required and morally obliged to support the Palestinian fight for freedom, equality and the right to self-determination.

Since the dawn of democracy we have developed our policy towards Palestine, based on international solidarity with the Palestinian cause which is therefore informed by the following:

South Africa has recognized the State of Palestine since 1995.

South Africa supports international efforts aimed at the establishment of a viable Palestinian state, existing side by side in peace with Israel within internationally recognized borders, based on those existing on 4 June 1967, prior to the outbreak of the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

South Africa remains deeply concerned about Israeli settlement expansion, including in East Jerusalem. The South African government has repeatedly called on Israel to abandon all settlement expansion

A two-state solution to the conflict is under increasing threat as Israeli settlement activity in the West Bank continues to make the separation of both peoples into two states increasingly difficult

The halting of settlement construction is seen by the South African government as a commitment already agreed to by Israel during preceding peace negotiations, including at the Annapolis International Middle East Peace Conference, which took place in November 2007 and in which South Africa participated

During the NAM Ministerial meeting in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, on 10 May 2012, Minister Nkoana-Mashabane reiterated South Africa’s unwavering commitment in support of the Palestinian cause, and called for the self-determination and recognition of the Palestinian state.

South Africa stands firmly opposed to the blockade of Gaza, its inaccessibility with respect to humanitarian aid and the general dire humanitarian situation that this causes.

South Africa encourages a just solution with respect to the right of return of the Palestinian refugees.

In May 2010, South Africa recalled its Ambassador to Israel for consultations and handed a demarche to the Israeli Ambassador to protest an Israeli military assault on an international assistance flotilla to Gaza in international waters in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, which resulted in the death of seven Turkish nationals aboard the (Turkish) vessel.

In 2011, South Africa co-sponsored a bid for statehood in the United Nations for the State of Palestine, however that was not successful. On 29 November 2013, the General Assembly voted to grant Palestine non-member observer State status at the United Nations.

On 22 August 2012, the South African Cabinet approved Government Notice 379 pertaining to the labelling of products from the Palestinian Occupied Territories. The Israeli Government was “distressed” by the fact that the entire South African Cabinet had approved the notice requiring the labelling of products emanating from the Occupied Territories.

Our foreign policy implementation and international solidarity can therefore be summarised as using all our resources tools and tactics of diplomacy to further enhance and support the course of the Palestinian at every multilateral and bilateral fora. To provide tangible support to the Palestinians at a bi- , tri- and multilateral level through developmental aid and projects such as  the establishment of sports complex for the community of Ramallah, as well as providing resources to establish and maintain the Palestinian Embassy in South Africa.

As we reiterate our support for a just and negotiated settlement of the Palestinian struggle for self-determination, independence and complete sovereignty in accordance with International resolutions of the UN, we recall the wise words of Cde President Nelson Mandela that: ‘South Africa cannot be truly free until Palestine is free!’ (Close quote).

In conclusion, let me reiterate my support to the portfolio committee for the initiative taken to hold this International Solidarity Workshop. As we celebrate our 20 years of democracy it becomes important to reflect on the successes and challenges of the past two decades, including within the field of international relations and international solidarity with the oppressed nations of the world and in particular Cuba, Palestine and Western Sahara. It is furthermore important as we deliberate today on these three countries that our support rooted in in our liberation history is one that has and continues to be entrenched in the ruling party policy. In this regard, it becomes equally important to reflect upon the ruling party policy resolutions as it relates to these three countries in particular, and deliberate whether in fact our current government policy implementation within the context of these three countries in particular, are sufficiently in line with our ruling party policy.

Long live International Solidarity!

Long live! Hasta La Victoria – Siempre!

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