Democratic Alliance leader Tony Leon has commended the government for inviting Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to South Africa, saying it indicates South Africa’s role in the Middle East will be a more even-handed one in future.
Olmert’s visit is the first by an Israeli minister since 1994.
Following discussions with Olmert in Johannesburg on Thursday, Leon said the talks followed up on his earlier discussions with Palestine National Authority chairperson Yasser Arafat in 2002 in Ramallah.
”The DA’s position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is one of strong support for a two-state solution that allowed both Israelis and Palestinians to live in secure, sovereign and viable states,” Leon said.
”We support negotiations, oppose terrorism and insist on the equal human rights of people on both sides.”
The DA believes the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is very different from the situation that South Africa faced during apartheid.
”Yet, if there is a relevant lesson to be drawn from South Africa’s past experience in overcoming conflict, it is that dialogue and negotiations over time yield far better results than violence and confrontation,” he said.
South Africa’s role in resolving the conflict is destined to be limited, ”since we have little direct influence over the parties and we have far more pressing concerns closer to home”.
Yet, that limited role can still be an honourable and credible one, and the South African government’s willingness to hold discussions with Olmert is a step in that direction.
”Our high-level ties with the Palestinian people and their leadership must be accompanied by high-level relations with Israel, not for political or ideological reasons, but because we have important national interests at stake.”
Israel is the number-one destination for South African exports in the Middle East, and South Africa currently maintains a trade surplus with Israel of roughly R2,4-billion.
Further direct Israeli investment in South Africa can encourage economic growth and job creation, and therefore should be welcomed.
”I look forward to participating in further dialogues with Israeli and Palestinian leaders,” Leon said. — Sapa
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