Mohamed Ameen Dabhelia – 2018/02/21

Journalist and Author Janet Smith has written a piece on newly elected President Cyril Ramaphosa, where she asks the question on whether he will succeed in following through on his party’s support for Palestine.

ANC Policy and the ANC Government’s policy on the Israeli-Palestinian issue, is one of a two-state solution living side-by-side through a negotiated settlement between both parties.

In December, the ANC took a non-reversible policy decision at its National Elective Conference to subdue its mission in Israel to a liaison office.

This decision came a short while after the United States’ declared that it recognizes Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

In his reply to the National Assembly’s debate of his maiden State of the Nation Address, Ramaphosa highlighted the atrocities Palestinian children endure in Israeli prisons.

“We were reminded in the house on the responsibility we have as South Africa, to the people of our continent, and around the world who continue to suffer occupation, discrimination and oppression. At this moment, we wish to express our deepest concern at the continued imprisonment of Palestinian children in Israeli jails.”

However, there is concern among many in South Africa that Ramaphosa is closely linked with certain individuals who are pro-Israel because of his business background.

In an interview with Radio Islam, Smith shared that sentiment, but says she is confident that he could be a potential global ally to the Palestinian struggle moving forward.

“There has definitely been that concern and certainly when we look back at his history, there’s been quite significant links there. But we can’t ignore yesterday’s response to his SONA, and there was absolutely no doubt, he reiterated what the ANC’s conference has said in December and he was following on what our ‘new expected Deputy President Naledi Pandor’ had said as well.”

Another concern raised by Palestinian activists involves the ANC party as a whole, in terms of putting the policies they decide on, into motion.

Smith however, says the mere fact that Ramaphosa touched on the Palestinian issue, shows that they have prioritized it to an extent already.

“There was a 10 hour debate, numerous issues emanated, but he showed importance by speaking about the Palestinian issue.

What was then reassuring was that the ANC in parliament and parliament itself tweeted what he had said.”

Smith says if we can perceive a Tweet as a social contract, a lot of hope could be drawn from there as the words were put out to the nation.

“We are going to do this.”

Today in @ParliamentofRSA South African President @CyrilRamaphosa expressed “deepest concern at the continued imprisonment of Palestinian children in Israeli jails!” We join our president in demanding that Apartheid Israel releases #AhedTamimi & all #PalestinianPoliticalPrisoners pic.twitter.com/LN3u1AOHiX

— BDS South Africa (@BDSsouthafrica) February 20, 2018

Last year, Ramaphosa joined a number of government ministers and others who pledged to take part in a 24-hour fast in solidarity with more than 1500 Palestinian political prisoners.

(Edited By Hesley Harmse)