Never underestimate the SA involvement in ME policy

Darren Bergman MP

Many party leaders sit on this committee and some of the most professional officials I have ever worked with make up the department. We have been privy to the department’s strategy documents, foreign briefings and South Africa’s involvement in organisations such as the SADC, AU and IPU.

While I agree with everything that Gruzd says, I think it is important to note some naked truths.

• The Middle East features very prominently in most strategic documents of the committee. The department believes in a two-state solution. However, although they would prefer a balanced approach, it was admitted in one of the meetings that their main involvement is to ensure the Palestinians get to the peace table and that they get a fair deal.
• The ANC, as a party, is far more aggressive in pushing the Palestinian position. The party shares platforms with lobby groups and skew the line between Israel and Jewry. In a public discourse between the chairman and myself a few weeks back, I had to point out the error and misconceptions of all Jews being Israeli and all Israelis being Jews.

  The most astounding point of the conversation was when I challenged the chairman to tell me how many Jewish people live in this country. He never ventured an answer but judging by the dialogue, his mind was in the millions.

• South-Africa is lobbying hard for a permanent UN Security Council seat for itself or one of its allies. This is where my fear lies. It is their persistence and perseverance in achieving this feat that makes me question their ultimate motive. It is also for this reason that I believe we must never relax or underestimate the South-African involvement in Middle-East policy.

 Cape Town