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Support for Israel policy
- Thread starter LazyLion
- Start date
LazyLion
King of de Jungle
No ban on official Israel visits: Cabinet
There is no ban on government officials travelling to Israel, Minister in the Presidency Collins Chabane said on Thursday.
"Government has not imposed a ban on travel to the State of Israel by government officials," he told journalists in Cape Town following Cabinet's fortnightly meeting on Wednesday.
Cabinet's pronouncement on the matter follows International Relations Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane saying a week ago that South African ministers would not visit Israel.
"We have agreed to slow down and curtail senior leadership contact with that regime until things begin to look better," she said at the time, referring to the situation in Palestine.
Her comments provoked former Israeli foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman to warn the local Jewish community that South Africa was "creating an anti-Israel and anti-Semitic atmosphere".
In a widely reported statement, he warned that "a pogrom against Jews is only a matter of time".
Chabane on Thursday moved to reassure South Africa's Jewish community, insisting they "have nothing to fear".
He said Cabinet was concerned about public statements regarding the country's Jewish community.
"Cabinet recognises the right of the Palestinian people for self determination, and the right of Israel to exist alongside the state of Palestine. Their endeavours to find a solution to the conflict which will be just should continue.
"The South African Jewish community should have nothing to fear," he said.
Source : Sapa /rod/tk/jk/jje
Date : 07 Nov 2013 10:48
There is no ban on government officials travelling to Israel, Minister in the Presidency Collins Chabane said on Thursday.
"Government has not imposed a ban on travel to the State of Israel by government officials," he told journalists in Cape Town following Cabinet's fortnightly meeting on Wednesday.
Cabinet's pronouncement on the matter follows International Relations Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane saying a week ago that South African ministers would not visit Israel.
"We have agreed to slow down and curtail senior leadership contact with that regime until things begin to look better," she said at the time, referring to the situation in Palestine.
Her comments provoked former Israeli foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman to warn the local Jewish community that South Africa was "creating an anti-Israel and anti-Semitic atmosphere".
In a widely reported statement, he warned that "a pogrom against Jews is only a matter of time".
Chabane on Thursday moved to reassure South Africa's Jewish community, insisting they "have nothing to fear".
He said Cabinet was concerned about public statements regarding the country's Jewish community.
"Cabinet recognises the right of the Palestinian people for self determination, and the right of Israel to exist alongside the state of Palestine. Their endeavours to find a solution to the conflict which will be just should continue.
"The South African Jewish community should have nothing to fear," he said.
Source : Sapa /rod/tk/jk/jje
Date : 07 Nov 2013 10:48
LazyLion
King of de Jungle
so as usual, the left hand does not know what the right hand is doing....
marine1, while I don't agree with everything said here against Israeli foreign policy, you can't still be blind to the settlement issue?
Everything else aside, that is, I believe, the number one hinderance to peace at this moment (not last month, last year, last decade)... but right now.
And that, I believe, is for Israel as the "aggressor" (in the settlements case) to take the initiative to stop. Once that happens and the Palestinians still don't want to make peace on reasonable grounds, then you can start quoting Golda Meir's very emotionally-charged words.
By the way, I'm pretty sure I've spent more time in the country than anyone else in this thread, so that qualifies me to debate with you no?
Everything else aside, that is, I believe, the number one hinderance to peace at this moment (not last month, last year, last decade)... but right now.
And that, I believe, is for Israel as the "aggressor" (in the settlements case) to take the initiative to stop. Once that happens and the Palestinians still don't want to make peace on reasonable grounds, then you can start quoting Golda Meir's very emotionally-charged words.
By the way, I'm pretty sure I've spent more time in the country than anyone else in this thread, so that qualifies me to debate with you no?
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OrbitalDawn
Ulysses Everett McGill
This is my view, as well. The settlements are belligerent and cynical in the extreme and nullifies much of what Israel hopes to achieve.
LazyLion
King of de Jungle
I also agree with that.
It's also a bit more complex than that
(Isn't everything huh?)The right-wing, ultra-religious Israelis feel that they are entitled, by word of god, to that land. Therefore, in order for the ruling party to keep them happy, they must let them settle/build on it.
In Israeli politics, there are strong right and left wings, and generally whichever party wants to rule their knesset/parliament isn't powerful enough on their own to swing votes their way. The next largest party that is always willing to make a coalition is the ultra-religious party, who will obviously only continue to support the coalition if their major interests (as mentioned above) are also fulfilled or at least kept on the table...
It's a k@k situation and this is why I believe that at the end of the day, it comes down to religion. Not only on the Israeli side but the Palestinian side too.
OrbitalDawn
Ulysses Everett McGill
It's also a bit more complex than that
The right-wing, ultra-religious Israelis feel that they are entitled, by word of god, to that land. Therefore, in order for the ruling party to keep them happy, they must let them settle/build on it.
In Israeli politics, there are strong right and left wings, and generally whichever party wants to rule their knesset/parliament isn't powerful enough on their own to swing votes their way. The next largest party that is always willing to make a coalition is the ultra-religious party, who will obviously only continue to support the coalition if their major interests (as mentioned above) are also fulfilled or at least kept on the table...
It's a k@k situation and this is why I believe that at the end of the day, it comes down to religion. Not only on the Israeli side but the Palestinian side too.
Of course. And then add some even history and complexity on top when you're talking about the Middle East.
And yeah, religion definitely plays a role. Both sides believe God promised them a patch of desert. It's ridiculous, to be honest. And Jerusalem... bah!