PRETORIA, Thursday, January 30, 2020 (WAFA) – South Africa said yesterday that a Palestinian entity devoid of sovereignty, territorial contiguity and economic viability, as came in the latest US so-called peace plan, is doomed to failure as previous peace-making efforts.

“South Africa believes that it is only initiatives developed with the full participation of the people of Palestine that can achieve lasting peace and remains consistent in its view that genuine inclusive, open dialogue can resolve the current impasse,” the Department of International Relations and Cooperation in the Government of South Africa said in a statement in reaction to the plan proposed on Tuesday by US President Donald Trump.

“South Africa continues to support international efforts aimed at the establishment of a viable Palestinian state, existing side by side in peace with Israel within internationally recognized borders, based on those existing on 4 June 1967, prior to the outbreak of the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in line with all relevant UN resolutions, international law and internationally agreed parameters,” it added.

“South Africa maintains its principled position that any peace plan should not allow Palestinian statehood to devolve into an entity devoid of sovereignty, territorial contiguity and economic viability. Doing so would severely compound the failure of previous peace-making efforts, accelerate the demise of the two-state option and fatally damage the cause of durable peace for Palestinians and Israelis alike.”

M.K.