Issued by the Palestine Solidarity Committee
19 October 2004

Palestine solidarity activists around the country and around the world, as well as millions of Palestinians, have been again disappointed this morning when the Palestine Solidarity Committee was informed that the visit to South Africa of Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will go ahead. This after a meeting yesterday between solidarity activists and foreign ministry officials (including Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz Pahad) when representatives of a number of solidarity groups sought to convince the government that it was not in the best interests of South Africa to allow the trip to go ahead.

At the meeting, there was a general sense that, at the very least, this was not an appropriate time for Olmert to be in South Africa. The massacres in Gaza, the murders of children there and the conversion of refugee camps into wastelands through the destruction of homes and property make this, indeed, the time for South Africa to issue the strongest condemnation it ever has against the Israeli apartheid government. Instead, our government will be hosting a man who is well-known as a racist who supports the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people.

Of course, the South African Palestine solidarity movement believes that no time can be appropriate for Olmert or any other Likudnik to come to this country. We impressed on government at yesterday's meeting the embarrassment that would be caused to South Africa internationally because of this visit and our view that, in fact, South Africa should be leading a sanctions campaign against Israel.

However, after a meeting that Pahad had with President Thabo Mbeki last night, the decision (which was conveyed to us this morning) was that the trip would go ahead. This will mean a tremendous amount of embarrassment (even shame) for South Africa internationally. Over 100 Palestinian and solidarity organisations around the world had endorsed a statement calling on our government to cancel the trip - especially in the light of the events in Gaza. For them it will be as if the Protection of Investment Treaty that Olmert is due to sign with South Africa will be a treaty written in the blood of the Gaza martyrs.

For our part, we cannot find strong enough words to express our condemnation of and disgust at our government's shameful decision. The Palestine solidarity movement nationally is currently in consultation about possible action to mark Olmert's arrival here.

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Na'eem - 084 574 2674 James - 072 514 9935 Mercia - 082 368 3429 Ismail - 084 582 3710