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Statement by Deputy Minister Aziz Pahad
on the Current Situation in the Middle East Crisis
The South African Government expresses grave concern
at the ever-deteriorating security situation in Israel
and Palestine. The South African Government believes
that the escalation of the conflict between the Israelis
and the Palestinians only serves the interests of extremists
and fundamentalists in both societies, and not those
of peace and security for both the Israeli and Palestinian
people.
The South African Government therefore calls on the
Israelis and Palestinians, in their masses, to reach
out to each other in the interest of peace and security
for all. Israelis and Palestinians need to continue
to assure each other of the vision for a future of mutually
beneficial co-existence as sovereign, independent and
prosperous peoples.
The South African Government calls on the international
community to remobilise and to launch an unprecedented
international campaign to bring about a speedy resumption
of negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians
and the creation of a sovereign, viable and prosperous
Palestinian State, living in peace with the State of
Israel, in order to avoid a looming catastrophe in the
Middle East. As part of this process, the international
community should redouble its efforts to empower both
the Israelis and Palestinians to defeat the dangerous
forces of extremism, violence, terrorism, fundamentalism
and bombastic militarism.
The South African Government believes that the encouraging
resurgence in the peace movement in both Israel and
Palestine, as embodied in the growing support for the
‘Peace Coalition’, is the clearest indication
that despite the terrible and destructive violence being
perpetrated on innocent Israelis and Palestinians, there
is still hope that a speedy resumption of negotiations
between the two peoples, and a negotiated settlement
of the Middle East conflict, are within reach.
We re-iterate our belief that there is clearly no military
solution to the conflict between Israel and Palestine.
For confirmation of this, the Israelis need to look
no further than the lessons offered by their bitter
experience in Southern Lebanon.
The South African Government believes that, although
the Israelis and Palestinians are going through the
darkest hour of their co-existence, their conflict is
neither inevitable, intractable nor permanent. It does
not need to be prolonged for a day longer.
South Africans know from their own experience that,
when there is sufficient political will on both sides
of a conflict to reach a common negotiated, shared and
mutually beneficial understanding, no problem is beyond
resolution and no force can defeat the momentum for
peace.
The South African Government believes that Israelis
and Palestinians are capable of reaching a negotiated
settlement much sooner than is generally thought. It
is up to both sides to work towards a shared vision
for a peaceful future, without procrastination, in order
to ensure that future generations in both societies
grow up in an environment of peace, security and good
neighbourliness.
It is the ongoing wanton, senseless and vengeful destruction
of the institutions of the Palestinian National Authority
and the misplaced belief that Palestinian national self-determination
in their own land can either be delayed or enhanced
by violence and terrorism that daily postpone the realisation
of the dream of every Israeli and Palestinian for security
and peaceful mutual co-existence.
The time to act for peace is now.
For further information contact Ronnie Mamoepa on 082
990 4853Bheki Khumalo on 083 256 9133
ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Private Bag X152
Pretoria
0001
27 FEBRUARY 2002
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