Cope leader MOSIUOA LEKOTA has come in for criticism after his visit to Israel, sponsored by the Israeli government. Here he gives his impressions.
One of the first instructive things we realised was that before the international community called the state of Israel into being in 1948, the whole territory was one continuum – Palestine. It was settled by Druze, Jews, Muslims, Palestinians and the like. These people lived with each other peacefully, and respected each other and each other’s attributes.
Indeed, today in Israel, each of these nationalities and religions continues to co-exist. Clearly, the tensions that resulted from the intervention of the international community caused large numbers of Palestinians to abandon some of their lands due to security problems.
Yet, others were forcefully driven off their lands during the wars or after such wars as took place from time to time. Consequently, Palestinians have become one of the minority groups.
All these people may vote or be voted for to be public representatives. Minority parties constitute a significant opposition in the Knesset, as the Israeli parliament is called. We had occasion to meet with leaders of some of these parties, led by Dr Ghattas. They informed us of the grievances of their communities:
l That the national flag is only for the Jewish community.
l That the national anthem does not embrace their communities.
l That their languages do not enjoy equal status in state institutions, for example, they may not use them in the Knesset.
l That they are often not properly compensated where land is re-zoned for communal use, and so on.
Opposition parties are hard at work driving for the fuller inclusion of their communities in these areas of rights and amenities. Leaders of Israel must bite the bullet and extend these rights to their fellow citizens, not grudgingly, but as an investment in the future in which all can reap the fruit of peace and prosperity. It can be done.
In the social sphere, there are simply none of the apartheid signs that those of us who lived under apartheid South Africa know. No separate amenities such as toilets, buses or public benches exist. It is for this reason that I commented on my return that it is a misnomer to call that an apartheid society.
From Israel, we proceeded to territories under Palestinian Authority. These consist of both the West Bank and Gaza. Following the adoption of the two-state solution, an internationally sponsored election was held in these areas. Both the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) and Hamas took part. The PLO won in the West Bank and Hamas prevailed in Gaza.
Our visit to the West Bank also revealed to us another side of the region of the Middle East. We saw the much talked-about wall that is supposed to separate the people from each other, but there was no visible contingent of soldiers/police blockading people going in or out. We were, however, met by some security people who guided our vehicle to the embassy of South Africa.
In Ramallah, we had the privilege of meeting one of the stalwarts of the PLO, Dr Nabeel Shaath, who shared with us some insights of the long journey they travelled with the late Yasser Arafat and Y Rabbin up to Camp David.
Ramallah, almost informal, is predominantly Palestinian but, as Dr Shaath told us, Y Arafat and the PLO have always been for a secular state, embracing all faiths. As he spoke, we realised that they would be happier in a Middle East that is a common home to the people of the region.
We were unable to visit Gaza, which is rather volatile. Our ambassador in Ramallah gave us a short briefing. The RSA embassy maintains a satellite office there. I felt that the two-state solution was less attractive than initially believed; largely because of the absence of leadership as firmly committed to it as Arafat and Rabin were.
We also visited Jerusalem and spent a very informative time with the mayor of the city, Mr Nir Barkat. Part of the two-state solution is that Jerusalem would be divided into East and West Jerusalem. The east being Palestinian capital and west being the Israeli capital. However, we found the mayor working very hard to keep that city as one. This mayor, by all accounts, is very popular with the city’s residents.
What, then, of the future of the region? Leaders of Israel and Palestine must return to the negotiating table, review the present set-up and perhaps determine a new course.