Conflict in the Middle East
2006-08-17. ‘What is happening in the Middle East is an indictment on the whole world. What the Middle East needs is peace and not more war. The Independent Democrats has always stood on a platform from where human rights abuses must be condemned wherever they occur in the world. In light of our own history of human rights violations, as South Africans we should be the first to condemn these abuses.
The stance of the Independent
Democrats on the Middle East is defined by the following ten
points:
- The ID supports the call by Human Rights Watch to Kofi Annan, the Secretary General of the United Nations, to set up an International Commission of Inquiry to investigate Israel’s war crimes and to ‘formulate recommendations with a view to holding accountable those who violated the law.’
- Any Lebanese, Palestinian and Israeli life lost is one life too many. The ID calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities. The ID supports the UN’s call for the immediate cessation of hostilities. The war is destructive and it will take many years to rebuild the entire infrastructure destroyed.
- The ID condemns the murder of innocent women and children. Women and children should not be sacrificed selfish to satisfy the egos of useless leaders.
- The ID believes as South Africans we must extend the very same rights that are afforded to us in our own Constitution to all the people of the world.
- The ID believes that the US, which openly takes sides, must be removed from its so-called role as mediator in the conflict.
- The ID believes that the US is a threat to the independence of the judiciary and has a selective foreign policy that is destabilising the whole Middle East. The US has no respect for the rule of law.
- The ID believes in a Two State Solution, where Palestine will be afforded the independence, freedom and rights that are afforded to any independent nation.
- The ID supports ‘Not In My Name’ campaign and its condemnation of the Israeli attacks as being disproportionate.
- The ID calls on the South African Government to support the people of Lebanon and Palestine in their struggle against Israeli occupation.
- South Africa is a multicultural society and we cannot afford to let this issue divide us. Some people in South Africa want to import the conflict in the Middle East to justify their own racial prejudice. The ID supports the call by Archbishop Ndungane for President Mbeki to play a mediatory role in the Middle East. The ID commends the South African organisation, ‘Gift of the Givers’ for their humanitarian aid to the people of Lebanon.’
