COSATU condemns DA opportunism on Foreign policy and its support for apartheid Israel
17 January 2017
COSATU has consistently expressed its full support for all efforts aimed at expressing solidarity with all oppressed people and condemning violations of International law and justice. It is in that spirit that, we once again welcome the UN Security Council resolution 2334, which was passed by a 14-0 vote this past December, where history was made when even the US, the core ally of Israel, abstained in an obvious expression of embarrassment at the unjustifiable behaviour of Israel.
The UNSC resolution states clearly that “ Israel’s settlement activity constitutes a flagrant violation of international law and has no legal validity” It further demands that “Israel stop such activity and fulfil its legal obligations as an occupying power under the Fourth Geneva Convention”.
In this regard, COSATU unequivocally joins the millions of South Africans and civilised humanity all over the globe in expressing shock at the DA’s stunt in openly supporting the racist pariah of the world, the apartheid state of Israel.
This exposes the double standards of the DA in appearing as the champion of the rule of law at home, while unashamedly supporting the violation of International law and human rights and affirming the impunity of the state of Israel.
We further take this opportunity to welcome the clarification by the Palestinian embassy regarding this mysterious visit by a DA delegation led by its leader Mmusi Maimane to Israel and exposing the lie about how and who actually arranged the trip and for what purpose.
The embassy captured it well when it said, “In fact, it would be offensive that one would travel to the occupied territories as a guest of the occupier and on a trip facilitated by the oppressor”. This is what racists forces used to do even in South Africa during apartheid days, in expressing their support for the apartheid regime then.
It is a fact that the DA has never ceased to hope that South Africa will revert back to the days of apartheid Foreign Policy, in which the country was a strategic conduit for the most racist, supremacist and backward forces of global domination and colonialism on the African continent and throughout the developing world in general.
Pretending to embrace the new democratic foreign policy has been unmasked in the most dramatic way. Without shame, Maimane openly shakes hands with Benjamin Netanyahu, the most racist leader of our times.
There could be no worse insult to the majority of South Africans, African and all progressive people in the world, who tirelessly fought and defeated apartheid and colonialism than this shameful act of betrayal and rented black endorsement of apartheid.
Oppressed people and anti-apartheid struggles have been so cheaply betrayed by a fellow countryman with his handling masters. It is to be a traitor to collaborate in the entrenchment of occupation and colonialism wherever it manifests itself, against the values for which former President Nelson Mandela stood when he expressed that apartheid is as much of an evil for South Africans as it is an evil for Palestinians.
This is a direct challenge to all the forces of progress to express decisive unity against Zionism, apartheid and oppression wherever it manifests itself and may history be the judge of what we did when the suffering of the Palestinian people was championed using one of our own to give it legitimacy and cover. Dirty money must not be allowed to reign over principle and the supreme virtues and values of humanity.
Issued Zanele Mathebula, Deputy International Relations Secretary, COSATU, 17January 2017
