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Viewing cable 09CAPETOWN15, ISRAELI AMBASSADOR TO SA ADDRESSES MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
09CAPETOWN15 2009-01-22 16:49 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Consulate Cape Town
VZCZCXRO2712
PP RUEHDU RUEHJO
DE RUEHTN #0015/01 0221649
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 221649Z JAN 09
FM AMCONSUL CAPE TOWN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2935
INFO RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 6283
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 0206
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 0013
RUEHJO/AMCONSUL JOHANNESBURG 2086
RUEHDU/AMCONSUL DURBAN 3225
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CAPE TOWN 000015 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KDEM IS GZ SF
SUBJECT: ISRAELI AMBASSADOR TO SA ADDRESSES MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT 
 
REFTEL: CAPE TOWN 0013 
 
1. (SBU) On January 16, Poloff attended the parliamentary Committee 
on Foreign Affairs meeting where the recently-arrived Israeli 
Ambassador to South Africa, Dov Segev Steinberg, appeared to discuss 
the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian faction Hamas in 
Gaza. In general, the proceedings were a quite hostile towards the 
Ambassador with several MPs venting their disappointment with the 
Israeli government for refusing to meet with a group of MPs from the 
committee during their trip to the region in July 2008. Poloff spoke 
to Ambassador Steinberg before the meeting, who said he was "happy 
to see a friendly face" since he knew he would be receiving tough 
criticism from the committee. 
 
------------------------ 
DANIEL IN THE LION'S DEN 
------------------------ 
2. (U) The Committee Chair, Job Sitole (ANC), began the proceedings 
by stating his disappointment with the Israeli leadership when a 
group from the Foreign Affairs Committee visited Israel in 2008. 
After the chair's opening remarks, Ambassador Steinberg replied by 
saying he refused to be "bashed" by the committee like he had been 
"bashed" by the SA Deputy Foreign Minister three weeks ago. 
(Steinberg did not say which of the two Deputy Foreign Ministers he 
met with, but it is likely it was Fatima Hajaig rather than Su Van 
de Merve.)  He continued by saying, "he wants to see a more balanced 
attitude from South Africa."  MP Mawalal Ramgobin (ANC) asked 
Ambassador Steinberg to withdraw his remark that he was "bashed" by 
the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs.  Ramgobin continued by 
saying that Steinberg should not tell the committee what to do and 
that the Ambassador should show respect towards the committee. Chair 
Sitole and MP Steve Swart (ACDP) said that the Ambassador was 
entitled to his opinion, but also noted that the committee would not 
hold back in its questioning. 
 
3. (U) Ambassador Steinberg spent most of his presentation showing 
video clips and power point presentations depicting the current 
situation in Gaza. He began the presentation by noting that on 
December 19, Hamas broke the six month long truce by shelling 
Southern Israel. Throughout the presentation, Steinberg stressed 
that the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) targets only Hamas and other 
terrorist infrastructure in Gaza, but noted that Hamas targets 
Israeli civilians. He also explained that Israelis try and limit 
harm to Palestinian civilians during their attacks on Gaza by 
dropping warning pamphlets from the air and calling Palestinian 
civilians to warn them prior to strikes so that they can leave the 
targeted area. However, instead of leaving the area often civilians 
stand on the rooftop of the targeted building hoping to discourage 
the IDF from attacking, said Steinberg. 
 
4. (U) Ambassador Steinberg also noted that Hamas stockpiles weapons 
and ammunition in civilian homes, hospitals, schools and mosques. 
He also said that Hamas uses women and children as human shields, 
contrary to international law, "so that Israel will be blamed for 
bombing these civilian targets."  Since the beginning of the current 
conflict, Israel has sent 2300 trucks carrying humanitarian aid into 
the Gaza strip, Steinberg said. 
 
5. (U) Steinberg also discussed the role of other countries in the 
Israeli-Palestinian conflict, in particular Iran.  He noted that 
"Israel does not have anything against Iran, but Iran wants to 
eliminate the state of Israel."  He also said that Iran is very 
Qeliminate the state of Israel."  He also said that Iran is very 
radical and tries to eliminate Israel through the military arm of 
Hamas." In terms of other Arab countries, Steinberg said they were 
divided among the radical elements such as Iran and Syria and 
moderate countries like the Gulf countries and Egypt. Steinberg said 
as soon as Hamas quits shelling southern Israel then the cease fire 
will prevail and both parties can continue with negotiations for 
establishing a peace agreement and establishing an independent 
Palestinian state next to an independent Israeli state. 
 
 
-------------------------------------- 
APARTHEID LEGACIES, FRIENDS FROM EXILE 
-------------------------------------- 
6. (U) After the Ambassador's presentation, MP Madasa said there 
needs to be a political solution and further stated, "since the 
advent of the Bush administration, Bush categorized the world as us 
or them -- those who are against the U.S. and those who are not -- 
and as a result there is more terrorism today."  MP Ramgobin added, 
there is no place for terrorism in either Israel or Palestine and 
said, "apartheid was like a Sunday picnic compared to what is 
currently happening in Gaza."  Ramgobin asked Ambassador Steinberg 
why Israel disregarded the January 9 UNSCR and continued by asking 
"if it is possible for the international community to demand the 
equivalent of a Nuremberg trial for the current Israeli leadership?" 
 Ambassador Steinberg said "Israel obeys UN resolutions when they 
are fair and are trying to solve the problem, but do not obey when 
 
CAPE TOWN 00000015  002 OF 002 
 
 
the UN is not fair," to which MP Ramgobin responded, "just like 
America and Iraq do." Steinberg also said he saw no relation between 
the current Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the Holocaust. 
 
7. (U) Several MPs asked the Ambassador about the "proportionality" 
of the attacks and about human rights violations with one MP opining 
"the disproportionate response by Israel may signify a hidden agenda 
-- the elimination of Gaza." Steinberg responded by saying that if 
Israel shelled with the same amount of rockets as Hamas does, Gaza 
would be "wiped out."  He also noted that the only violations of 
human rights was by the Palestinian side who used civilians as human 
shields and vehemently opposed the assertion that Israel was using 
white phosphorous in its attacks against Gaza. 
 
8. (SBU) Comment.  South Africa's interest in the 
Israeli-Palestinian conflict must be viewed against its own recent 
anti-apartheid history where opponents to the South African regime 
were consigned to exile during the height of Cold War polarization. 
Zionism, in the thinking of the ruling African National Congress 
party as well as other formerly anti-apartheid progressive groups, 
is increasingly equated with apartheid and the Palestinian struggle 
is likened to disadvantaged majority in South Africa's struggle 
against apartheid. In addition, the ANC, during its exile years, had 
strong ties with inter alia the PLO, Iran, Libya, and Syria.  For 
the ANC, these were their friends in need, and remain their friends 
indeed.  These ties have remained intact and strengthened over the 
years. Although both the Jewish and Muslim populations have deep 
roots in South Africa, more Muslims have occupied leadership 
positions within the ANC since its inception and continue to do so 
and support for Palestine is particularly strong among the Muslim 
population. All these factors have resulted in South Africa 
declaring its solidarity with and support for Palestine, and calling 
upon Israel to relinquish Palestinian territory. Influential opinion 
leaders in South Africa have joined other voices advocating in 
international forums to equating Zionism with Racism.  Should a 
negotiated comprehensive settlement based on the two state solution 
not be reached in the near future, it is predictable that the South 
African government will take a harsher stance on Israel. End 
comment.