NEHAWU LAUDS THE ANC FOR PUBLICLY AFFIRMING ITS SUPPORT FOR THE PALESTINIAN STRUGGLE
NEHAWU commends the African National Congress {ANC} for publicly supporting the upcoming Palestine Solidarity Israeli Apartheid Week{IAW} campaign set to take place between the 10-16th of March 2014.This bold and unequivocal statement in support of the Palestinians is in line with the 53rd National Conference resolutions of our glorious movement. In its last conference, the ANC reiterated its commitment to its founding values of a struggle for a humane, just, equitable, democratic, and free world. It resolved to support the Palestinians in their quest for freedom and self-determination.
Historically, the ANC and its government has used its progressive internationalism as a prism through which it views the world and its independent views and courage on the international stage has made it a reliable ally and a leader in its own right.
This courage was demonstrated by the ANC led government last year ,when the Minister of International Relations, Cde Maite Nkoana-Mashabne unequivocally expressed government's long-standing position of supporting the struggle for the people of Palestine and denounced the apartheid policies of the state of Israeli.
Addressing the International Relations Committee (IRC) meeting of COSATU, she said that: "Ministers of South Africa do not visit Israel currently...our Palestinian friends have asked us in formal meetings to not engage with the [Israeli] regime. We have agreed to slow down and curtail senior leadership contact with that regime until things begin to look better".
NEHAWU is fully behind this bold and decisive leadership by our movement and urges the leadership to stand courageously by its principles and convictions and refuse to be intimidated by the Zionist lobby and its apologists. The ANC and its government should claim moral leadership in international affairs and should ally itself with all nations that show tolerance for all races and treat all people in a humane manner.