Issued by Department of Foreign Affairs
21 November 2000
The South African Government strongly condemns the attack on the Israeli civilian bus that killed two adults and injured nine in the vicinity of the Israeli settlement of Kfar Darom in Gaza yesterday. It equally strongly condemns the disproportionate and excessive retaliatory attacks by Israeli security forces on targets in Palestinian territory.
The South African Government is convinced that the spiral of violence engulfing the region can be stopped through concrete steps, such as the immediate stationing, in the occupied Palestinian territories, of an international protection force under the auspices of the United Nations.
The South African Government once again calls upon the Israeli Government to desist from the illegal actions of collective punishment such as enforcing a blockade and economic embargo including the withholding of Palestinian taxes collected by Israel, in violation of the Paris Economic Protocol.
The South African Government calls on both parties to work towards the creation of an atmosphere conducive to the resumption of negotiations by undertaking such confidence building measures as the lifting of the blockade on the Palestinian territories and the implementation of the understandings reached at Sharm al-Sheikh last month.
The South African Government emphasises that the only lasting solution lies in the withdrawal by Israel from all land occupied since 5 June 1967, including East Jerusalem, the dismantling of settlements and the conclusion of agreement on outstanding final status issues such as the right of return of Palestinian refugees and control over water resources.
For more information, please contact Dumisani Rasheleng Office No. (012) 351 0067 / 0128 Cell No. 083 709 8166