CAPE TOWN, PARLIAMENT, 12 AUGUST 1998
Your Excellency Mrs Speaker Dr F N Ginwala
Head of the Parliament
Excellencies and distinguished Members
Ladies and Gentlemen
Allow me, ladies and gentlemen, to convey in the name of the Palestinian people and in my own name, our deepest gratitude and appreciation for your kind invitation to address you and through you the friendly people of South Africa, who have elected you at the first free and democratic elections. The election of your esteemed council have formed and important junction and a very decisive turning point at the struggle history of the peoples of South Africa on the way of liberty, national independence, equalit y and fraternity between the citizens of your homeland, under the leadership of the unique combatant and the world leader, dear French, Nelson Mandela. He has granted his life, youth, creative thought, experience, wisdom and political proficiency, for your people and the peoples of the African Continent. His humanitarian message in his prolong jail and in his arduous exile as well as in restoring his freedom and the liberty of his homeland, in addition to his singular leadership, the peoples of South Africa set a lesson and example to all struggling peoples and all forces and men who vow their lives for the triumph of the noble humanitarian principles.
Today, President Mandela as he was yesterday and as he will be in the future, symbolizes all ethical, political and cultural values. The values that all peoples fight for its sake. You, the representatives of the people, who suffered for the sake of libert y to you people, as well as for the liberty of your leader, my friend, president Mandela, have the right to glorify today, that your sacrifices an steadfastness over long decades have not be in vain. The country that you spent your strength fighting for it s independence and liberation, stands today in front of the nations and states of the world. It presents the right example and the leading experiment in unity, coexistence and equality.
I am standing in front of you, remembering the arduous years of the brave struggle that your people, party and your leader Mandela have been waged. I also reminded our struggling relations. Yes, it is the common struggle for independence and freedom that g athered us over the tough years and decades. The feeling of despair has not a place in our hearts or yours. We are still patient and continue the march and offer sacrifices and martyrs until your people have achieved his liberation and independence and gai ned the return of his lovable leader. Mandela, to lead the ship among the rough storms and waves. The people of Palestine has put his first step on the way for liberation of his occupied territory. He established his Palestinian National Authority on the l iberated parts of Palestine. Such Authority will be the basis of work and the launching point towards establishing the independent Palestinian State with its capital, the Holy Quds.
The Palestinian people strongly believe that your full independence and leading political experiment based on democracy, coexistence and the cohesion among the people of the some homeland without any discrimination, because of color, race or religion, embo died the historical dream of the Palestinian people in establishing the Palestinian State. This Palestinian state will prevent bloodshed, eradicate animosity and realizing the strong and comprehensive peace, the peace of braves, in Palestine, on the basis of democracy, equality and creative coexistence among the followers of the celestial religions, Jewish, Christianity and Islam in Palestine, the land of peace and love.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have to praise highly the fraternal struggling relations that exist between our two peoples and countries.
I would like to express to you our pride of the friendship relations that connect us to your country and people. We look forward to strengthen the solidarity and cooperation between the Palestinian Legislative Council and Palestinian National Council with your esteemed council, which had participated at the supervision on the Palestinian presidential and legislative elections as a kind initiative from you which left a very good effect in our spirits. This participation of your delegation besides other deleg ations of friendly states, provided international legitimacy to the first Palestinian presidential and legislative elections held on the Liberated Palestinian territories, under the Palestinian National Authority.
Your firm and support positions to the Palestinian national rights won the appreciation and pride of the Palestinian people and his leadership. Also, your faithful efforts to help the Palestinian people in his just struggle, strengthen our hope and trust t o continue our struggle, to end the Israeli occupation to our land and shrines and to enable our Palestinian people to regain and exercise his inalienable rights, including the right of return, self determination and the establishment of the Palestinian in dependent state on his national soil, with its capital, the holy Quds, like other peoples of the world.
We highly appreciate your honorary and distinguished positions besides the just cause of the Palestinian people, particularly your tremendous efforts at the regional and world forums and at the United Nations and its specialized agencies. This in addition to your effective and active within the Organization of African Unity, "OAU" and the Non Aligned Movement "NAM", to support the just causes of all peoples that are struggling for its freedom and national independence, including the Palestinian people. The Palestinian people look forward with full trust towards your continuation of this role, to support his National Authority to enable him to achieve his legitimate aspirations to freedom, sovereignty and national independence, and to protect the peace proces s, specially at these difficult circumstances that
Your Excellency Mrs Speaker
Distinguished Members,
The Palestinian people have suffered for a long time from the scourges of colonialism and foreign hegemony, represented in the British Mandate and its unjust laws, in addition of the arrogance of the hatred Israeli occupation. The Israel occupants has caus ed the displacing and deporting of millions of Palestinians. It dominated their lands and properties and usurped their wealths in unparalleled way in the history. You know more than others, Ladies and Gentlemen, the size of the humanitarian suffering and c atastrophe, resulting from the foreign occupation to the territories of others. You also know the criminal ways that the evil and aggression forces use against the disarmed civilians and their exposure to humiliation, repression and suppression by the inva des, the occupiers.
Despite of the avidity of the Israel occupation forces and their use of all oppressive means to suppress and displace the Palestinian people and their relentless attempts to usurp his right and to cancel his national identity, and to eradicate totally the Palestinian people from his home land, Palestine. The Palestinian people have resisted the occupation with full determination. His revolution and popular uprising over the past four decades came to prove to the entire world, his adherence to his legitimate national rights and the readiness to present the most extensive sacrifices in defending his identity, national dignity, land and shrines.
The just struggle of the Palestinian people has won the support of all states and peoples of the worlds. It has also enjoyed the solidarity of all forces that love justice, freedom, including your friendly country and people which have waged with honor and capacity the battle of liberation and independence, under the leadership of the African National Congress, with whom we have a very close struggling relations. These relations are based on solidarity, friendship, mutual respect and goals of freedom indepe ndence and national sovereignty.
The Palestinian people and his leadership which have raised the flag of struggle and resistance against the Israeli occupation, chose with full belief and faith the way of peace, the peace of brave, to settle the existed conflict in our country. They have also chosen that way of peace to put an end to suffering, violence and destruction. Israel has denied the existence of our people, and worked hard to erase and extinguish his identity and his entity, but our people have stood firm against that colonial con spiracy on his entity and existence. He has imposed his question and rights on the international agenda, until this question has become today the question of the international community. It is the question of war and peace in our region and without settlin g it, there will be no peace or stability or security in the Middle East.
From our responsibility that based on the will and aspirations of the international community to achieve the world peace and to guarantee security and stability, we have waged the arduous negotiations with the governments of Israel. This was with a hope to put an end to the war and destruction and achieve a new future in Palestine on the foundations of international justice and legitimacy. It was also to enable our people to regain his land, return to his homeland, exercise his self-determination and establ ish his Palestinian independent state with its capital, the holy Quds. The peace conference in Madrid was the base of this peaceful process, according to the international legitimacy and resolutions, particularly, the resolutions 242, 338, and 425.
The Palestine people have proved his ability to face challenges and changes on the international and regional arena. He responds positively to the demands of this age. He supported overwhelmingly the choice of peace, the peace of braves that based on justi ce and equality. But the present Israeli government throwing over board all the agreements that have been signed with the previous Israeli governments, and with my partner Mr. Rabin, who was assassinated by the Israeli extremists forces. Instead of respond ing to appeal of peace, Israeli government continued and went too far with animosity, hatred occupation and settlements, confiscating and demolishing Palestinian houses. It has frozen the negotiations and refused to implement the signed agreements. Moreove r it has challenged the international legitimacy and its resolutions and opened the door widely for the return of violence anarchy, war and destruction.
Your Excellency Mrs Speaker Dr, FN Ginwala
Distinguished Members,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Undoubtedly, you are aware of the importance of achieving the just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East for the peoples of the rein and to the whole world. Also, you are aware for the importance of all the initiatives and faithful efforts that we hav e exerted over the last four years. This was to embody on reality this promised dream and to pave the way for the historical reconciliation between the Palestinian and the Israeli peoples. It was also to realize coexistence and cooperation between the peop les and states of the region, which have suffered of scourges of war and destruction.
The entire world has witnessed on the good intentions of the Palestinian side and its true will to achieve the peace of braves. That was symbolized by the signing of the Declaration of Principles and the Palestinian-Israeli Interim Agreement in Cairo and W ashington, under the sponsorship of the United States of America and the Federal Republic of Russia, European Union and other brethren and friendly states. From our side, we have fulfilled our obligations under the peace agreement. We have realized a tangi ble progress on the way of peace with the Israeli side, led by our friend and partner, the late prime minister Isaac Rabin, and his successor Shimon Peres, particularly at the fields of building confidence, understanding, keeping security and stability. Bu t the present Israel government has not committed to the signed agreements and the timetable of withdrawing the Israeli forces from the Palestinian occupied territories. In addition to that, it had adopted a series of arbitrary measures, represented in the closure, siege and collective punishment over the territories of the Palestinian national Authority, causing by those huge losses to the Palestinian economy. According to the international reports and studies, our daily losses reached too more than USS te n Million. This has convulsed the trust and understanding atmosphere. It has also created a status of tension and instability and is alarming of a comprehensive explosion on all levels in the region.
Over the two previous years, we have exerted from our side every possible effort, to make the peace process success and push it forward. But since the present Israeli government assumed power, it has hindered this process through procrastination and the ev asion from its commitments due to the concluded agreements. It refused to fulfill its obligations according to the interim Agreement. In continued its policy of arrogance and "fait accompli" which is represented in expropriation the Palestinian land to bui ld and enlarge settlements over it. Moreover, it has intensified settlements in the occupied East Jerusalem in order to judaize it and eliminate its religious, humanitarian, spiritual and cultural character. You all know the higher status of holy Jerusalem to our people and to all peoples of the world. Peace will not be achieved without Jerusalem. Peace will not be prevailed and security and stability will not be achieved without the return of Jerusalem to its homeland and owners. Jerusalem is the capital o f Palestine. There is no concession or bargaining on it. It is the First Kibla and the Third Sacred Mosque, and the way of Prophet Mohammed "Peace Be Upon Him" to the heavens and the nativity of Jesus "Peace Be Upon Him:.
Since the Israel present Prime minister accessed to power in Israel before two years, Israel has ignored the peace agreements. It has refused the implementation of what has agreed upon, specially the three phases of withdrawal of the Israel forces from the occupied territories. It also refused the implementation of the infringements of the Interim Agreement, particularly, the issues of the Safe Passages, Airport, Harbor, the international cross points and opening the industrial zones. It refused the release of five thousands Palestinian hostages, while the agreements have provided that they should be released immediately.
Indeed, the Israel government has frozen the implementation of all agreements. It also ignored all basis and principles as well as the references of peace. It refused and still refuses to implement the withdrawal from the Palestinian territories. It caused a failure to all international initiatives and efforts, either the European of American initiatives, This Israeli government is acting and intensive campaign of settlement activities in Jerusalem, It confines and harasses the Palestinian national, Islamic and Christian institutions in it. These Israeli arbitrary acts form a flagrant violation to the resolutions of the international legitimacy, including, the resolutions 242 and 338 on which the peace conference of Madrid had based. It is also considered a violation to Oslo Agreements, which provided clearly on the necessity of refraining from taking any unilateral actions that will affect the issues of the final status which considered the occupied holy Quds on the head of its list. We put the whole respons ibility for the comprehensive stalemate of the peace process and the serious impasse that have entered on the present Israel government. We call upon the international Community and all the forces of peace, freedom and democracy to intervene immediately an d make pressures to force the Israeli government to respect the resolutions of international legitimacy and the signed agreements. We also appeal to the international community to make the Israeli government comply to the international will. This requires the necessity of implementation of the Palestinian - Israeli Interim Agreement in letter and spirit, and to respect the basis and reference of Madrid Conference, on which the peace process have been launched, according to the Security Council resolutions 2 42, 338, and particularly to principle of land for peace.
Your Excellency Mrs Speaker Dr. FN Ginwala
Distinguished Members,
Ladies and Gentleman,
The present Israeli government is continuing adopting its aggressive and uncompromising policies. It also continues its refusal to the presidential statement issued by the Security Council, which demanded Israel to stop all the settlement measurements in J erusalem and the occupied Palestinian territories. This causes a severe concern and raises real inquiries about the sincere intentions of this Israeli government, which pays no attention to the international agreements. It flagrantly challenges the interna tional will and violates all its obligations and the resolutions of the international legitimacy. Moreover, it ignores the covenant of human rights and violates continuously the Fourth Geneva Convention and the signed agreements with the Palestine Liberati on Organization on which the world have witnessed.
We urge the United States to announce its initiative, which we have been responding positively since its initiation. Our acceptance to this American initiative came derives from our keenness to save what is possible of the hindered peace process, despite t he irresponding of this initiative to our minimum demands provided by the signed agreement. Also, we urge the United States of America as a major partner of sponsoring the peace to play its full role and to tackle the current impasse of the negotiations on the basis of the commitment of the Israeli side to the agreements and its provisions that was concluded at the White House under the patronage of president Clinton.
We also urge all states and forces that are very careful to make the peace march success, including the friendly Republic of South Africa, to move quickly and declare their support for the Egyptian -French initiative, to held the international Conference t o save the peace of the Middle East.
The Palestinian people chose the way of peace as a strategic option. He has determined to continue his national march and to fulfill his national projects through the declaration of the establishment of the Palestinian independent state on his national soi l with its capital the holy Quds. He has emanating in that from his holy right in self-determination and according to the signed peace agreements with the Israeli government. The recent resolution that was overwhelmingly adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations to upgrade Palestine representation at the United Nations, undoubtedly, confirm the solidarity and the support of the international community to our legitimate aspiratious in freedom, independence, national sovereignty as well as, the es tablishment of the Palestinian independent state, with its capital, the holy Quds.
Mrs. Speaker
Distinguished Members,
Allow me to renew to you, our deep gratitude for your kind invitation. I extend to you high appreciation for your eminent and firm positions to support our Palestinian people. Our people look to you and to all his friends around the world with hope and tru st, to take the initiative and move to save the peace process from the real dangers and serious effects caused by the falling of the peace process, because of the policies of the Israeli government. Saving the peace process from the danger of collapse is a n international necessity and interest, Let us work together to save this peace, the peace of brave, side by side, with all State that concern and decide to save the peace process and make it success in the Middle East.
May peace and God's Blessing Be with you