COSATU Opposes Olmert Visit

(Hate Tip: Vaz Lube)
COSATU (Congress of South African Trade Unions ) and the SA NGO coalition (SANGOCO) have issued two press releases detailing their emphatic opposition to the visit of Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to South Africa.

COSATU press release
SANGOCO press release

COSATU display their open bias, stating their call for a political settlement that protects the rights of the Palestinians without mentioning the protection of Israeli rights.

The Congress of South African Trade Unions supports the call for a protest tomorrow, 20 October, against the visit of Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to South Africa and the signing of the Protection of Investments Agreement between South Africa and Israel. Ehud Olmert, who is also the minister of trade and industry, is the deputy leader of a government which has murdered thousands of Palestinian civilians, assassinated their leaders and destroyed farms, orchards and infrastructure. The federation reaffirms its full support for the right of the Palestine people to sovereignty and independence, demands the immediate withdrawal of all Israeli state forces from the Palestinian territories and calls for a political settlement of the conflict that fully protects the national rights of the people of Palestine.

The SANGOCO go further, calling Ehud Olmert a hate monger.

The visit of a hate monger like Olmert is not in the best interests of the people of Israel and Palestine. We urge all our members to show their displeasure at the visit and meeting by joining in the protests organised by local Palestian Solidarity Organisations. The lessons from our struggles against Apartheid is there for all to learn from: racists and hate-mongers must be made pariahs internationally. Then, they will experience and learn the vital lesson that negotiating with the people's leaders about a "just peace for all" in the region is preferable to the senseless killings and mayhem.

Vaz notes that COSATU have been in the news recently, calling for censorship in the media. COSATU member Phutas Tseki said "Parliament should review the absolute freedom the media has and some restrictions should be imposed," he told gathered delegates and MPs."

Read more about the Olmert protests here and here.

Comments

[Rob]

"hate monger." Good lord, that's just ridiculous. It's a shame the COSATU sides with a genocidal group of people (palestinians) against a peaceful, democratic group of people (Israelis).

It wouldn't suprise me if COSATU sided with the Hutus during the Rwanda genocide.

[Harry FM]

These responses are a tribute to the effectiveness of the anti-Semitic campaign which is orchestrated through the ever receptive media in SA. The promoters of this misinformation and hate are seen as legitimate sources, and include very many goverment officials. Can you actually expect them to be saying anything else? Take comfort in the fact that they too will be judged by history, and will be found wanting.

[Steve]

They are Commies.

They don't mind when Mugabe visits us.

[Bronwyn]

I don't agree with many of Sharon's policies, and it's terrible and sad how the Middle East situation has snowballed into what it is today, anyway don't have time to go into my thoughts on this in detail. The point that I wanted to make is that it's quite supernatural how much media coverage the pro-Palestinian lobby have managed to get over this Olmert visit when it looked on the news like there were only about 10 measly protesters standing around.

[Anti-UN]

I remember when Barak visited here and there were massive protests at JCE. Bottles were thrown into the crowd who came to hear him speak. It was terrible. Young Muslims were pushing the visitors cars and covering the windsheilds with big Palestinian flags. It was out of hand and that doesnt help.

Two years ago I think it was. It was when Salim Vally got arrested...anyone remember?

(Was it Barak or Peres? Either way, both have done their best to offer the Palestinian the maximum possible)