Government's Position on the Doha Agreement on the Palestinian Unity Government, and the Role in International Forums it intends to play to sustain the Palestinian Unity and the Palestinian Cause

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NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

FOR ORAL REPLY

QUESTION NO: 12 (NO292E)

PUBLISHED IN INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO 3-2012 OF 21 FEBRUARY 2012

Ms CC September (ANC) to ask the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation:

What is (a) the Government's position on the Doha Agreement on the Palestinian Unity Government (details furnished) and (b) what role does it intend to play in international forums to sustain this Palestinian unity and the Palestinian cause.

REPLY

a) South Africa welcomes the Doha agreement (details furnished) as a constructive step towards Palestinian unity. 

b) s a current non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, South Africa has consistently urged that the international community engage in dialogue with all Palestinian factions in order to encourage national reconciliation and a united position in the quest for Palestinian statehood, which is the inalienable right of the Palestinian people.

Since our democratic transformation in 1994, South Africa has actively supported, in international forums and elsewhere, the establishment of a viable Palestinian state, based on the borders prevailing on 4 June 1967, prior to the outbreak of the so-called Six Day War and with East Jerusalem as its capital, existing side by side in peace with Israel,

South Africa will continue to vigorously pursue these objectives in all appropriate international forums, as well as within the framework of its structured bilateral engagements with other countries.

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