RAMALLAH, Palestine, 28 November 2017 – Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandela MP told Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas that he hoped to welcome a strong Palestinian delegation to next month’s elective conference of South Africa’s ruling party, the ANC, where he would champion a resolution to sever diplomatic ties with Israel.

At a meeting in President Abbas’ office in Ramallah yesterday, the President and Nkosi Mandela affirmed the strong historic ties between the Palestinians and South Africans in our struggle for freedom, justice and self determination.

“We were heartened by the assurance of President Abbas of his strong relationship with President Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela and how much it meant to him to be able to visit my President Mandela in the last days of his life,” Nkosi Mandela said.

“President Abbas applauded South Africa for its brotherly support, and especially the strong role it played in ensuring Palestine’s admission to Interpol last week in China. This is a symbol of how we should revive and strengthen our ties at both party and state level.

“We emphasised to President Abbas the role South Africa played in the cancellation of the First Africa Israeli Conference in Togo and the importance to deepen our lobbying efforts in SADC and Africa as a whole. This is the only way we can counter Apartheid Israel’s chequebook diplomacy in Africa and ensure that we are not co-opted into supporting Apartheid Israel’s brutality and perpetuation of the war on Palestinian sovereignty.

“We assured President Abbas that we would do all in our ability to welcome a strong Palestinian delegation to attend the ANC National General Conference in December 2017 where we will be championing an ANC Resolution to cut all diplomatic ties with Israel,” Nkosi Mandela said.

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Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandela
Royal House of Mandela
Mvezo Komkhulu
P.O. Box 126
Viedgesville, 5102
Eastern Cape Province
South Africa