COSATU welcomes South African Parliament’s rejection of Israeli delegation

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) joins solidarity organizations, human rights bodies and other groups in welcoming the decision by the Parliament of South Africa to turn down a request to meet with a visiting delegation from Israel. This came following an ANC parliamentary caucus meeting that resolved to reject the Israeli invite.

We are aware that certain reactionary opposition parties and individuals will try to circumvent this Parliamentary decision and still fraternize with the Israeli delegation. Those who entertained officials from Apartheid SA were on the wrong side of history during the 1980s, and those who are entertaining Israel today will be judged harshly by history.

However, we are confident that no peace loving person or entity will lend legitimacy to the Israeli government, while it continues its human rights abuses against the Palestinian people.

We reaffirm our support for the BDS campaign and our solidarity with the oppressed masses of Palestine, as well as their progressive Jewish Israeli allies ,who are fighting for an end to Israeli Apartheid. As Cde Nelson Mandela said: our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians”.

Statement issued by Sizwe Pamla, COSATU National Spokesperson, 4 August 2017