South African protest: Ministers do not visit Israel

[Israeli]

International relations minister says it was agreed with Palestinians to reduce engagement with Israel, but not completely cut ties. 'Palestinian struggle is our struggle; last time I saw map of Palestine, I couldn't sleep', minister says

Ynet Published: 11.02.13, 08:49 / Israel News

South Africa's International Relations Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane said on Friday that the ministers of her administration do no visit Israel in solidarity with the Palestinians. "We have agreed to slow down and curtail senior leadership contact with that regime until things begin to look better," the minister was quoted as saying by local news agency SAPA.

"Our Palestinian friends have never asked us to disengage with Israel (through cutting diplomatic relations). They had asked us in formal meetings to not engage with the regime," said the South African international relations minister in an economic conference in her country.

(snip)

"The last time I saw a map of Palestine, I couldn't go to sleep," the minister said. "It is just dots, smaller than those of the homelands, and that broke my heart." The meaning of "homelands" refers to "the Bantustans" – ten states set aside by the apartheid regime in South Africa for the black inhabitants.

South Africa is considered a fierce critic of Israel, but so far has not untied diplomatic relations. Last June, recently retired South African Ambassador to Israel Ismail Coovadia issued a letter to pro-Palestinian activists noting that the Israel discriminates the Palestinians in a manner that is reminiscent of the apartheid era.

Activists recently chose to launch an international campaign in South Africa that demands to release of 5,000 political Palestinian prisoners from Israel, including Marwan Barghouti. The campaign was launched October 25 in Robben Island, where former President Nelson Mandela spent 18 of his 27 years in prison.

Source:
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4448419,00.html

[bemildred]

1. Yeah, but what do they know about it?

[oberliner]

2. "smaller than those of the homelands"

From your OP:

"The last time I saw a map of Palestine, I couldn't go to sleep," the minister said. "It is just dots, smaller than those of the homelands, and that broke my heart."

The total area of Israel and the West Bank combined is less than 8,500 square miles.

The area of Bophuthatswana, one of said homelands, was 17,000 square miles.

[shira]

3. Well, S.Africa has had good relations with Assad, Gaddafi, Mugabe, Saddam, Castro...

...so this actually makes a lot of sense, considering.

S.Africa has normal relations with Mauritania (where mass slavery still exists) but hey, what do they know...?

[bemildred]

4. I understand they used to have excellent relations with Israel too back in the "old days". nt

[azurnoir]

5. did you forget

:good: in the old days part

[bemildred]

6. No Maam, I left that out deliberately.

I also did not bring up the nukes.

[azurnoir]

7. well okay then

I won't ask about any apostrophes in that case or recognizing cynicism for that matter, but nukes I forgot about those

[bemildred]

8. Yeah, I'm sloppy today.

Other things going on. I ought not call you Madam anyway, how would I know?

The nukes were the first thing popped into my head. They were thick as thieves over the nukes at one time.

THE THIRD TEMPLE'S HOLY OF HOLIES:
ISRAEL'S NUCLEAR WEAPONS

Warner D. Farr, LTC, U.S. Army

The Counterproliferation Papers

Future Warfare Series No. 2

USAF Counterproliferation Center

Air War College

Air University

Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama

September 1999

http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/israel/nuke/farr.htm

[azurnoir]

9. well Sir for my part

perhaps I should use more discretion when attempting smartas*ary

[bemildred]

10. Thank you Maam, but we are just not taking ourselves that serious today..

[shira]

11. In the old days, few countries had excellent relations with Israel. Beggers can't be choosers.

Those were the days when a more "enlightened" Europe wouldn't lift a finger to help Israel during the 1973 war.

But back to the OP, are we really surprised that a regime friendly to Assad, Saddam, Castro, Mugabe, and Gaddafi has strained relations with Israel?

[bemildred]

12. Hi Shira.

Sorry I don't get down here as much as I used to.