Address by Avi Granot, Head of the Africa Desk at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
during Freedom Day celebrations at the SA Ambassador’s residence in May 2015
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L. to R. Dov Randal (Histadrut). Avi Granot head of MFA Africa desk), Ariel Yacobi (Chairman, Israel Union of Government Employees).Dr’ Les Glasman (Head of Wits Alumni)
Your Excellency Ambassador Sisa Ngombane and Mrs. Ngombane,
Distinguished members of the diplomatic corps in Israel,
Honored guests,
Dear friends
I am honored and pleased to represent the government of Israel in congratulating the government and the people of South Africa on its 21st Freedom Day.
Israel and South Africa both share democratic values and principles. We are both countries that are in the midst of nation building. Israel, as a start-up nation is willing to share its experience in Africa in general and with South Africa in particular.
I would like to highlight the fact that South Africa is Israel’s largest trading partner in Africa. Yet there is much potential for future growth in trade as well as in cooperation in areas such as agriculture, water management, advanced technologies, public health, clean energy, food security and homeland security.
Homeland security is indeed a potential field of cooperation, taking into consideration the growing strength of radical Islamic groups as demonstrated by numerous acts of terror that have plagued Africa in recent months.
Dear friends,
Nation building as well as the realization of the full potential of independence takes time. Indeed, thousands of years ago, it took the people of Israel forty years of wandering in the desert before a new generation, liberated from the shackles of slavery in ancient Egypt, could emerge ready to take on the task of construction of nationhood.
Thus, the time has come for South Africa, after twenty one years of freedom, to disassociate itself from various conceptions of the past which are redundant today and focus more on the future rather than be attached to the past. Specifically, I am referring to the South African approach towards the situation in the Middle East; it is high time for South Africa to zoom out from its one sided pro-Palestinian stance that constrain the development of relations with Israel, which can surely be beneficial to both countries.
It is no secret that we in Israel are disappointed by the lack of progress in our bilateral relations as well as the unbalanced official position and statements of South Africa that ignore the complexities, changes and new challenges in the Middle East and make it more difficult for South Africa to play a significant role in this part of the world. Let us set aside our differences and explore, in the spirit of the late President Nelson Mandela, father of the South African Nation, constructive ways to expand and deepen our bilateral relations and build bridges between our two nations.
Last but not least, we in Israel are very proud of the Jewish community of South Africa which is a part of the beautiful mosaic which is South Africa. It played a role in your struggle for freedom and we believe it can be useful in helping further our bilateral relations.
Your Excellency, please convey the best wishes of the government of Israel to the government and people of South Africa. May South Africa enjoy, peace, stability and prosperity and may the relations between the State of Israel and the Republic of South Africa develop and grow.
See also Counterproductive Boycotts
