ANC Wants Parly to Investigate MPs' 'Fact-finding' Israel Trip

The party has denounced the trip, saying it was not sanctioned by the Department of International Relations or Parliament.  

ANC MP Fatiha Hassan calls for a parliamentary investigation into a trip of MPs to Israel. Picture: Parliament/Phando Jikelo

CAPE TOWN - The African National Congress (ANC) wants Parliament to investigate a trip by the Democratic Alliance (DA), Patriotic Alliance (PA), and African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) Members of Parliament (MPs) on a so-called fact-finding mission to Israel last month. 

The party has denounced the trip, saying it was not sanctioned by the Department of International Relations or Parliament.  

A group of at least 10 MPs travelled to the country last month on the invitation of the South African Friends of Israel, which included a meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog.

The majority of the group that travelled to Israel came from the DA, including its spokesperson on international relations - Emma Powell, on justice - Glynnis Breytenbach - and the chair of the Social Development Committee - Bridget Masango.  

The PA also sent two of its MPs, Ashley Sauls and Milicent Mathopa, while the ACDP was represented by its chief whip, Steve Swart and former MP, Marie Sukers.  

In a statement to the National Assembly on Tuesday, ANC MP Fasiha Hassan said the behaviour of these MPs was shameful.  

"This visit is not just irresponsible. It is a betrayal of South Africa's constitutional values and our historic solidarity with the people of Palestine."

She said it's unclear what “facts” the MPs were hoping to find, when it is well-known that more than 60,000 Palestinians have been killed and millions displaced and injured since the start of the war on Gaza.  

"This trip echoes the shameful tactics of the country’s apartheid past, where the National Party invited foreign delegations to whitewash a system of racial oppression and white minority rule."

Hassan said the group appeared to want to justify crimes against humanity when the International Court of Justice had already determined that a plausible case of genocide had been made against Israel.