Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
21 May 2002
The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Aziz Pahad, has condemned the latest suicide bomb attacks in the market at Netanya and near Afula in northern Israel and strongly regrets the loss of innocent Israeli lives.
Pahad welcomed the immediate condemnation of these attacks by the Palestinian National Authority and reiterated the South African Government's call to the international community to assist the PNA in rebuilding the institutional infrastructure which was devastated by Israel in the course of their aggression against Palestine without which President Arafat is unable to combat terror activities effectively.
Deputy Minister Pahad welcoming President Arafat's commitment to undertake, circumstances permitting, reforms in the institutions of the Palestinian National Authority, pledged South Africa's full support for the arduous task of restoring full functionality to the governing structures in the Palestinian Territories. Pahad stressed that the reforms could only yield the desired results in the context of political, economic and social stabilisation within the areas under the control of the PNA.
To this end, "it is vital that that Israel commits itself to a clear and identifiable programme of action aimed at complete withdrawal from the Palestinian Territories, bringing to an end the violent and destructive incursions into Palestinian-controlled areas and putting an irrevocable stop to settlement activities," Pahad said. He stressed that without Israeli withdrawal and ending the Israeli settlement project, reform and rebuilding of Palestinian institutions cannot be viable or sustainable.