Letter: Support Palestinian September

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Published on Tuesday, 27 September 2011 07:48

Written by Daniel Mackintosh

In September 2011, the UN Security Council will vote to decide on recognition of a Palestinian State in all of the land occupied in the 1967 war. The immediate result would be that Israel is occupying land belonging to a fellow UN member, opening up legal and moral-political avenues to Palestinians to advance their fight for freedom.

The Israeli state is feeling the pressure. Ehud Barak, the Israeli Defense Minister, stated earlier this year that as a result of the upcoming UN resolution, Israel is facing a “diplomatic-political tsunami.”  Consequently they have launched multiple political and ‘charm’ offensives, including a recent visit of Israeli students to campuses throughout South Africa.

A two-state solution is supported by over 60% of Palestinians and Israelis, US President Obama, the Arab League and numerous UN Security Council resolutions. Over 120 countries from the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Latin America have already endorsed the bid for Palestinian statehood, but Israel’s right-wing government and the US vehemently oppose it. Europe is undecided. If Israel can ensure that a number of key European democracies fail to endorse the resolution, they may end up with a “moral majority.”

Just as people who care about human rights should denounce the carnage being meted out by the Syrian government, so too should all South Africans support the legitimate right of the Palestinians to self-determination.