Arafat: the US should sanction Israel as it did racist South Africa
Palestine-South Africa, Politics, 8/13/1998

Palestinian President Yasser Arafat ended Thursday a three-day state visit to South Africa after intensive talks with president Nelson Mandela on bilateral cooperation and the latest developments of the Middle East peace process.

During his South African trip, the Palestinian leader called for the consolidation of bilateral cooperation in the fields of economy, technology, health, education and agriculture. He also urged South Africa to assume a greater role in the Middle East peace process and affirmed that Palestinians look forward to benefiting from the South African experience in water desalination, medical training and modern agricultural technologies

President Arafat stressed the need to bolster his country's relations with South Africa and pledged to encourage Palestinian entrepreneurs to do business with South Africans in the sectors of industry, agriculture, services, air transport and tourism.

On the peace talks with Israel, the Palestinian leader said peace would not be achieved in the region without the return of occupied Jerusalem to Palestinians.

Jerusalem, he reiterated, is the capital of Palestine and is not the subject of bargaining or concessions. He also denounced the present Israeli government for stalling the peace process and urged the international community to press the Israeli government to honor its peace commitments and abide by international legality, Map reported.

Arafat said at the conclusion of his visit to south Africa that he hoped the U.S. would impose sanctions on Israel, exactly as it did due to the racial discrimination in South Africa during apartheid.

Mandela stated that his country supports the Arab legal rights, adding that his party is not forgetting the spiritual and material aid presented by the Palestinian Liberation Organization to the military wing of his party during the struggle against apartheid.

In a similar speech he gave during the second day of his visit to South Africa at the Southern African Parliament, Arafat said that Israel replied to the calls for peace with "hatred, occupation and settlements." Israel, he continued, defied international legitimacy resolutions and opened the door for violence, war and destruction.

Previous Stories:
  Weddings fill in vacuum of lack of Palestinian - Israeli action   (8/12/1998)
  Arafat in South Africa on Monday   (8/10/1998)
  Albright informs Palestinians of Israel's intent to present new proposals   (8/8/1998)

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