by Mel Frykberg | The New Age Newspaper
02 February 2012
The South African government might consider supporting sanctions against
Israel as it explores a variety of peaceful methods to step up support
for the Palestinians' fight for freedom and independence.
"We want to step up our support of the Palestinians and are
investigating a number of peaceful ways to upgrade this support. We have
no problem with supporting the Boycott, Disinvestment and Sanctions
(BDS) campaign against Israel," Minister of Arts and Culture Paul
Mashatile told The New Age.
Mashatile was addressing a press conference in Pretoria yesterday at the
Department of Arts and Culture, during the signing of a cultural
agreement between South Africa and Palestine.
During the signing Palestinian Arts and Culture Minister Siham Barghouti
and Palestinian Deputy Minister of Arts and Culture Musa Abu Ghreibeh,
exchanged gifts with their South African counterparts, Minister
Mashatile and deputy minister Joe Pehle.
Later on in the year the Palestinians will host South Africa's Arts and
Culture Week, where South African artists and cultural entrepreneurs
will present cultural exhibitions from their country.
Mashatile's statement presents a considerable upping of the ante in
South Africa's long-standing support for the Palestinians and the
cementing of a relationship that goes back decades, to when the ANC was
struggling against the former apartheid government.
"Your Excellency, we count the people of Palestine among those patriots
who stood by us in our struggle for national liberation," Mashatile told
the Palestinian delegation as he recalled former President Nelson
Mandela's 1997 speech to honor the International Day of Solidarity with
the Palestinian People.
"Having achieved our freedom we can fall into the trap of washing our
hands of difficulties that others face. Yet we would be less human if we
do so," said Mandela in 1997.
BDS supporters argue that Israel's continued illegal occupation of the
Palestinians territories and expropriation of Palestinians land, water
and other resources can only be stopped when sanctions against Israel
begin to bite economically
"We are grateful for South Africa's support for our efforts to become
members of the international community and look towards you for guidance
in our continued struggle," said Barghouti.
The two delegations agreed that future cooperation would include
language development, heritage preservation, literature exchanges and
exhibitions.
www.thenewage.co.za
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