‘SA govt is lackey of imperialism’

The Cape Town Anti-War Coalition (ATC) called on the South African government on Thursday to expel the Israeli ambassador as well as cut all trade and diplomatic ties with Israel, which it accuses of “ethic cleansing”.

The ATC will be supporting a protest before the gates of Parliament on Friday, the day President Thabo Mbeki is to deliver his State of the Nation address.

“The main focus has been to do something … and we must target the South African government,” said ATC Western Cape chairperson Shaheed Mahomed.

Mahomed said the South African government is propping up the state of Israel, with, for example, continual weapons sales to the United States and Britain.

“The South African government is the lackey of imperialism,” charged Mahomed.

Asked about his organisation’s call to the South African government to arrange an unarmed protection force of local civil society to act as human shields and witnesses to the Israeli “atrocities” in Rafah, Mahomed said at least 20 members of the ATC have indicated a willingness to act as human shields.

“Why we demand a delegation … [is] for the Israelis to fire on South Africans or kill them, would be an international incident … It would amount to a declaration of war on South Africa,” claimed Mahomed.

Friday’s protest comes in the wake of international condemnation of Israeli forces firing on marchers on Wednesday in the besieged Rafah refugee camp, killing at least 10 Palestinians.

The raid forms part of the Israeli government and military’s intention to flatten hundreds of homes in the camp in a bid to widen an army-controlled security corridor along the border with Egypt.

Meanwhile, the director of the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights in Gaza said it is “very strange” that post-apartheid South Africa continues to support Israel.

“It is shocking for us to see South African Airways operating to El Al [the official Israeli airline],” said Raji Sourani, adding that South Africa has a “fantastic economic” relationship with Israel.

Sourani said the centre is not necessarily asking for South Africa to impose embargoes, such as free states did during the apartheid era, but at least to consider boycotting the Israeli regime.

He said Europe and South Africa are guilty of a “conspiracy of silence” and that condemnation “occasionally and selectively is nonsense”.

Sourani said states should not only say words and release press statements, but should act.

“The international community is doing nothing,” he said.

Sourani said Palestinians want an end to the Israeli occupation, international protection for Palestinian civilians and the ability to practise self-determination. — Sapa