SA Parliament to Send Delegation to Palestine and Israel

1 March 2001

The South African Communist Party (SACP) welcomes the resolution adopted by the National Parliament of the Republic of South Africa to send a multi-party delegation of Members of Parliament to visit Palestine and Israel as soon as possible. This resolution was debated and unanimously adopted by Parliament yesterday evening.

The SACP regards this resolution as an important step in South Africa's contribution to the peaceful resolution of the struggle for a free and independent Palestinian state.

As the SACP, we are particularly pleased by this step this is in the light of our recent visit to the Palestine and our main conclusion that the international community has an urgent duty and responsibility to do all it can to contribute to the speedy and peaceful resolution of the Palestine/Israeli question.

Given our own country's past and political settlement, this proposed parliamentary visit must be used to send a clear message that the continuing occupation of, and aggression against Palestine is not in the interests of either Palestine or Israel and cannot be tolerated by the international community any longer.

The text of the resolution reads as follows:

Resolution (Chief Whip of the Majority Party):

That the House

(1) notes

• the dramatic escalation of violence in Palestine and Israel
• the need for people in other countries to better understand the conflict between Israel and Palestine and offer whatever support we can to assist in the just and lasting settlement of the conflict
• our own experiences of negotiating a peaceful transition from apartheid to democracy
• the links between communities in our country and the people of Palestine and Israel and
• that the Palestine Legislative Council is unable to convene and fulfil its responsibilities and

(2) therefore resolves to:

• send a multi-party delegation of MPs to visit Palestine and Israel as soon as possible on a fact-finding mission
• request the delegation to report back to Parliament on their findings and
• explore ways in which the South African parliament can be of any assistance in encouraging a peaceful settlement of the conflict between Palestine and Israel.

CONTACT Mazibuko K. Jara (surname Jara)
Department of Media, Information and Publicity South African Communist Party
Tel: 27 11 339-3621/2
Fax: 27 11 339-4244
Cell: 083 651 0271
Email: sacp1@wn.apc.org