Statement on the Visit of Secretary of State Colin Powell to the Middle East and the Growing Humanitarian Crisis in Palestine

The Department of Foreign Affairs expressed regret that the US Secretary of State, Colin Powell, has returned from a visit to the Middle East with no tangible progress having been made. The most welcome visit by Secretary Powell to the region indicated that the US was prepared to engage fully in finding a solution to the present crisis. The South African Government believes the United States Administration should continue its high-level involvement and provide strong, focused and impartial leadership on ending the Middle East conflict.

The Department expressed its deep concern about images beginning to emerge from the Palestinian town of Jenin. It fully supports the call made by the UN Special Representative, Mr Terje Roed-Larsen, for an international investigation to ascertain exactly what took place in Jenin over the last few weeks. The South African Government also emphatically supports the sentiment on this issue expressed by the UK Foreign Secretary, Mr Jack Straw, when he said: "There is a strong case for Israel to answer. It might be best if it were done by an international organisation, like the Red Cross".

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Aziz Pahad, said that, "the grave humanitarian crisis unfolding in the Occupied Palestinian Territories cannot be allowed to continue. To this end the Government of South Africa re-states its longstanding support for calls to dispatch an international monitoring force to the Occupied Palestinian Territories. It is hoped that the entire international community will finally heed the clear statement of UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan yesterday, when he said: "The Security Council should, I believe, authorise such a force under Chapter VII of the Charter. The force must be impartial and capable of taking decisive action. It must have a robust mandate, credible strength and be large enough to carry it out."

Despite the promised withdrawal of the Israeli Defence Forces from some of the re-occupied areas, the adamant refusal to a total withdrawal from Bethlehem and Ramallah, including ending the siege on President Arafat’s Presidential compound, manifests a continued lack of respect by the Israeli Government for international consensus on this matter, including that of the United States, as evinced in UNSC Resolutions 1402 and 1403.

Whilst the elected leadership of the Palestinian people remain without liberty, the Palestinian people will not cease to resist re-occupation and repression. The regrettable outcome of discrediting and humiliating President Arafat, arresting Marwan Bargouthi and continuing the blockades and incursions of Palestinian areas will be to provoke more acts of terror against Israeli civilians and more deaths of Israeli soldiers.

The siege in Manger Square, Bethlehem, in which one of Christianity’s most revered and meaningful churches has been damaged and its personnel attacked and killed, further disgraces the Israeli Government. The Government of Israel must immediately withdraw its troops from all Palestinian territory, lift the siege on President Arafat and the Palestinian people in totality and move forthwith to the negotiating table."

A steadily emerging picture of gross human rights violations committed by the Israeli armed forces against Palestinian civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, as well as brazen disregard for unanimous calls on the Israeli Government to withdraw its forces is adding growing weight to calls for international sanctions. The decision of the German Government to suspend all military co-operation with Israel and the decision of the European Parliament late last week to support punitive action against Israel are important indicators that the international community will not allow the Israeli Government to act with impunity.

The Department cautions that the growing international revulsion at the brutal and excessive military campaign against occupied Palestine by Israel cannot be allowed to lead to dangerous manifestations of anti-Semitism and wanton attacks against Jewish institutions and individuals or those who feel that they wish to support the policies of the Israeli authorities. This tendency must be condemned and fought against.

For further information contact Ronnie Mamoepa on 082 990 4853

Issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs

Private Bag X152

Pretoria

0001

22 April 2002