Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
17 May 2001
The South African Government has observed with disappointment and growing concern the further incidents of devastating violence between Israel and Palestine during the past week. The South African Government reiterates its conviction that the spiral of violence that we have witnessed in the Middle East over the past seven months will not lead to a solution and urges all concerned to back down from confrontational behaviour and to engage in efforts to restart negotiations with a view to settling the dispute by peaceful means.
Little more than a week ago, on 3 May 2001, in addressing the NAM Committee on Palestine in Pretoria, President Yasser Arafat pronounced himself against violence, saying that "the language of violence and bombardment would not serve the interests of Palestinians or Israelis". He recommitted himself to the signed agreements between the Israeli and Palestinian sides and to the Egyptian - Jordanian proposal, which calls inter alia for an end to the current crisis on the basis of the Sharm al-Sheikh understandings. He reached out to Israeli Prime Minister Sharon, saying that he renewed his commitment to "peace and security for your children and our children and for the stability and peace of the whole Middle East region."
The attacks against civilian targets in Khan Younis and Rafah earlier last week and against PNA targets as well as Fatah headquarters in Gaza, is a matter of serious concern. The message of peace by President Arafat has been answered by an escalation of disproportionate attacks against Palestinian homes and farms and key institutions of the Palestinian National Authority.
Concern must also be expressed about incidents such as the stoning of two Israeli youths, continued mortar attacks on Israeli civilian targets and the attempted smuggling of large stocks of weapons of war to Gaza.
The South African Government reiterates that the occupation by Israel of the Palestinian Territories is illegal in that it is perpetuated in defiance of binding resolutions of the UN Security Council. Moreover, the manner in which this occupation is exercised is in clear violation of Israel's treaty obligations under the Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of which the applicability in the Occupied Palestinian Territories has been established.
Given the fact that President Arafat has called for an end to violence and renewing his commitment to peace, the South African Government now calls on Israel to match that by publicly disavowing the use of violence and committing itself to pursuing a settlement by peaceful means.
For more information contact Ronnie Mamoepa
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