Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
22 October 2001
The South African Government is following events in the Middle East with growing concern. The meeting between President Arafat and Israeli Foreign Minister Peres at the end of last month and their recommitment, on behalf of their Governments, to the cease-fire based on the Tenet Understandings, were welcome signs, all the more so since it was followed by a dramatic reduction in the level of violence.
However, the Government of Israel has not recognised the opportunities offered by the reduction in violence but has continued with incursions into Palestinian-controlled areas and has resumed its policy of extra-judicial killing of Palestinian leaders. The South African Government reiterates its condemnation of these policies.
In this context, the South African Government also unreservedly condemnes the assassination of an Israeli Government Minister by a Palestinian opposition group in retribution for the extra-judicial killing of its leader. The Government views this event as a further step in a process of escalating tension. We welcome President Arafat’s condemnation of the assassination. The arrests of many members of militant Palestinian groups and the outlawing of the Abu Ali Mustafa brigade by the Palestinian authority is a further commitment of the PLO to seek solutions.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Aziz Pahad said that, ‘the South African Government finds the most recent large scale Israeli invasion and occupation of Palestinian-controlled areas, during which at least 22 Palestinians have reportedly been killed, excessive and unwarranted. These actions are bound to provoke further angry responses from the Palestinian side, in spite of the efforts recognised by the international community deployed by the Palestinian National Authority to bring an end to violence.
"There is a real danger that the confrontation may further escalate, impacting negatively on the whole region. International peace and security is increasingly being threatened by developments in the Middle East. The dangerous situation demands that the international community acts decisively to end the violence, to pressure Israel to withdraw from Palestinian towns and villages and to ensure that unconditional negotiations begin as soon as possible."says Deputy Minister Pahad.
The South African Government calls on the Government of Israel to demonstrate its genuine commitment to the Tenet Understandings and the Mitchell recommendations. All violations of the cease-fire should be dealt with through the Joint Security Committee which resumed its operations in the wake of the meeting between President Arafat and Minister Peres last month.
The South African Government welcomes the calls by the President of the US George W. Bush and the British Prime Minister Tony Blair for the establishment of a viable Palestinian state, while accepting the right of the existence of an Israeli State within secure borders.
For more information contact Ronnie Mamoepa at 082-990-4853