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S.Africa condemns Israeli attacks on Lebanon
JOHANNESBURG, July 18 (Reuters) - South Africa on Tuesday condemned Israel's bombing of Lebanon as an unacceptable form of collective punishment that had spread death and destruction across the Middle Eastern nation.
Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz Pahad said Israel's conflict with Hizbollah guerrillas did not justify the Jewish state's week-long pounding of Beirut and other parts of Lebanon.
"We do not believe that an entire nation can be attacked because of tensions with Hizbollah," Pahad said in notes from a briefing provided by the government.
"We cannot accept such actions from one of the strongest military powers in the region."
Pahad added that the African National Congress led-government in Pretoria hoped the international community would begin to act more decisively to end the conflict.
The ANC forged a close relationship with the Palestinian Liberation Organisation, Libya and other Arab nations during its anti-apartheid struggle and is sometimes accused of adopting an anti-Israeli tone in its rhetoric and foreign policy.
In contrast, the former all-white apartheid government was friendly with Israel, cooperating in a number of areas.
More
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L18401512.htm
"We do not believe that an entire nation can be attacked because of tensions with Hizbollah," Pahad said in notes from a briefing provided by the government.
"We cannot accept such actions from one of the strongest military powers in the region."
Pahad added that the African National Congress led-government in Pretoria hoped the international community would begin to act more decisively to end the conflict.
The ANC forged a close relationship with the Palestinian Liberation Organisation, Libya and other Arab nations during its anti-apartheid struggle and is sometimes accused of adopting an anti-Israeli tone in its rhetoric and foreign policy.
In contrast, the former all-white apartheid government was friendly with Israel, cooperating in a number of areas.
More
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L18401512.htm
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He was speaking after Cosatu held a meeting with Palestinian activist Leila Khaled in Johannesburg. "We will also push for the Israeli ambassador to go home until the Palestine problem has been solved."
Madisha said Cosatu will mobilise its national and international partners to stop the genocide in Palestine.
"The apartheid wall in Palestine has got to be demolished for the free movement of the people," Madisha said.
Khaled said Cosatu's intervention will contribute to the liberation of the Palestinian people.
"Cosatu has the experience of punishing the South African apartheid regime and they are going to use that experience to punish the Israeli apartheid regime," she said.
Khaled is a former member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, part of the secular, left-wing Palestinian rejectionist front. She was involved in a plane hijacking in 1969 and another the following year, both carried out by the PFLP.
Earlier this month, Madisha said the "apartheid Israel state" is worse than the apartheid that was conducted in South Africa.
He said Palestinians are being attacked with heavy machinery and tanks used in war, which never happened in South Africa.
Madisha said Israel should be seen as an apartheid state and the same sanctions must be applied that were established against South Africa.
Jewish bodies hit back at Cosatu following Madisha's call for boycotts. His statements were based on a "a highly distorted view" of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, read a joint statement by the South African Zionist Federation (SAZF) and South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD).
They "reveal[ed] an unacceptable level of prejudice against the state of Israel and its people", they said.
"The SAZF and SAJBD unequivocally reject the statement ... denouncing the Israeli military incursion into Gaza and calling on South Africans to boycott the State of Israel."
http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articleid=278029&area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__national/
He said Palestinians were being attacked with heavy machinery and tanks used in war, which had never happened in South Africa.
Cosatu and other organisations supporting Palestine have called on government to end diplomatic relations with Israel and establish boycotts and sanctions such as those against apartheid South Africa.
Israel has launched several attacks on Gaza, bombing its main university and firing missiles that have killed Palestinian bystanders.
This follows the capture of an Israeli soldier by Palestinians.
"We see no justification for this attack," said Palestinian ambassador to South Africa Ali Hamileh.
He said while the whole world was talking about one Israeli soldier, more than 10 000 Palestinians were being kept in Israeli jails.
"My leadership made it clear ... the soldier can be released immediately if Israel responds to mediation. The demand for exchange of prisoners is justified by international law. We are not demanding something unacceptable," he said.
Professor of political science Virginia Tilley said South Africa was one of the only places where a vision had been brought forward to address collective punishment of perceived inferiority.
"I can't imagine a better beacon in that struggle than this country and it has stood back. If there is any moral authority in South Africa, it must come into play now," she said.
Madisha said Israel should be seen as an apartheid state and the same sanctions must be applied that were established against South Africa. -- Sapa
http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articleid=276860&area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__national/