DoH Wants Stronger Ties with Israel

Israeli officials meeting with SA officials in Pretoria on Tuesday said that they sense a "dramatic change" in SA's attitude to Israel.

South Africa has a tremendous influence of the people of Palestine and taking a more neutral stance on this conflict could help pave the road towards peace.

Mbeki invited Likud leaders to meet with current and former members of the South African government who participated in negotiations that ended close to half a century of white minority rule in 1994. Ratzon is heading a nine-member delegation that includes Likud's director-general, Arik Barami. They arrived in South Africa last week and have held a number of private meetings, including talks with the country's main opposition Democratic Alliance. Ratzon said his delegation would be disussing improving relations between Jerusalem and Pretoria. "South Africa wants to upgrade relations," he said. Ratzon said the Likud delegation intends raising a few subjects, namely the state of Israel as the state of the Jewish nation, the Likud Party and the Israeli political map, conflict between Israelis and Arabs, the historical and political view from Israel, Likud's place in the political process and Israel's relationship with Africa and South Africa past and present. The South African delegation includes former foreign affairs minister Pik Botha, former constitutional development minister Roelf Meyer, former South African Defense Force general Chris Theron, Minister of Safety and Security Charles Nqakula, Minister of Foreign Affairs Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Minister of Defense Mosiuoa Lekota, and Intelligence Minister Ronny Kasrils. Kasrils, of Jewish descent, is known for his strong stance against Israel, and is the author of a petition called "not in my name" – a petition signed by some (Just 300-Ed) South African Jews condemning Israel's actions against Palestinian violence. Kasrils said inviting the delegation "is part of our strategic approach in terms of outreach. We may have been viewed suspiciously by Likud. But we hope to create enough momentum to find a resolution as South Africa did."

Israel is in a position where they have no choice but to accept invitations to South Africa for hypocritical talks. After all, lets not forget that SA presented an argument supporting the Palestinians' challenge to the security barrier earlier this year in the International Court of Justice. Just last week SA hosted the Non-Aligned Movement conference which, in its 'Declaration on Palestine', called not only for a boycott of Israeli goods made in the Palestinian territories, but also a ban on allowing settlers to visit NAM countries as tourists.

UPDATE at 08:28 on 08/09
Knesset speaker Yuli Edelstein speaking with John Robbie (who praised God for sending Hurricane Frances to Florida) this morning said that he has noticed a very slight change of tone in SA's attitude with Israel. So as I suspected, the earlier reports of a dramatic change were incorrect.