Maimane’s ‘oppressor’ Israel visit ‘offensive’, says embassy

The Palestine Embassy in South Africa has come out to say the DA had not informed the embassy of any intention to visit Palestine on Monday.

They also said no meetings had been arranged with members of the Palestinian Authority, as the DA has claimed. This after the party’s leader Mmusi Maimane visited Israel and Palestine last week.

The embassy said it only became aware of Maimane’s visit through the media.

DA MP Phumzile van Damme said “of course the Embassy wasn’t contacted. We communicated directly with the Pres office.”

Maimane's office was in touch with the SA embassy's office in Ramallah & the Palestinian Authority President's office.

— Phumzile Van Damme (@zilevandamme) January 16, 2017

“The embassy of the State of Palestine would like to point out that the DA did not inform the embassy about Mr Maimane’s visit to the State of Palestine, and that the embassy became aware of the DA leader’s visit through the South African media.

“The embassy categorically did not have any role in the recent [visit], beside that the embassy communicated with the Palestinian minister of foreign affairs in Ramallah City and were officially informed by the ministry that no one of PA (Palestinian Authority) officials or leadership were to meet with Mr Maimane.”

The embassy said it found Maimane’s visit to “occupied Palestinian territories” offensive.

“In fact, it is offensive that one would travel to the occupied Palestinian territories as a guest of the occupier and on a trip facilitated by an oppressor.”

Last week, Maimane’s spokesperson, Mabine Seabe, told The Citizen the trip to Israel and Palestine was “mainly private and religious”.

Maimane was there to “listen and learn about the conflict and the potential leadership role that South Africa could play”.

Seabe added that, “while there, he [Maimane] has met with Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, and the Leader of the Opposition, Bougie Herzog”.

“A meeting with the President of the Palestinian Authority, Mr Mahmoud Abbas, was scheduled but was cancelled due to a ‘scheduling conflict’; nonetheless, the Leader met with Palestinian officials.

“The Leader will also be meeting Palestinian human rights activists, and the senior representatives of the Palestinian and Israeli business community.

“He is here to listen and learn about the conflict and the potential leadership role that South Africa could and should be playing in constructively assisting both parties to resume negotiations.

“This is in keeping with the DA’s commitment to a two-state solution and to South Africa playing a constructive role in bringing the two parties together instead of inflaming tensions between them.

“The Party’s two-state solution position is in line with that of the South African Government as well as that of the United Nations.”