PRESENT THEIR
49TH ANNUAL
AUGUST
ALE
S.A. Zionists
Ponder Israeli Ties
Johannesburg (JTA) — The
future of South African rela-
tions with Israel rests on a
knife edge that could cut for
good or ill, depending on
future developments here,
the country's first Jewish
Cabinet member in half a
century told a recent Zionist
gathering here.
Louis Shill, the recently
appointed minister of na-
tional housing and public
works, discussed the subject
at the recent 42nd con-
ference of the South African
Zionist Federation.
Appearing along with him
at the conference were Jew-
ish leaders from Israel and
South Africa, including the
Israeli minister of economics
and planning, Shimon
Shetreet; Mendel Kaplan,
chairman of the Jewish
Agency Board of Governors;
Israeli Ambassador Alon
Liel; and South African
Chief Rabbi Cyril Harris.
Amid the country's ongo-
ing violence and political
uncertainty, the message
that was repeatedly
delivered to the Jewish
community here could be
summed up with this piece of
advice: "Go home or stay
home."
This meant, in essence,
that South African Jews who
in the face of political uncer-
tainty wished to leave the
country should make going
to Israel, their spiritual
home, a priority. If not, they
should stay home and con-
tribute to the new South
Africa.
Minister Shill does not
believe that the current
government or the next one
— which many believe will
be dominated by the African
National Congress — will
sever relations with Israel.
But he warned that "there is
a call from several quarters
for this to take place."
Safeguarding present good
relations with Israel, he
said, "is very high on the list
of protections which we are
trying to build into the
future relationships of this
country."
He warned, however, that
"unless we play a part in en-
suring that there is a bal-
anced government in the
future of South Africa, it
may well be that our rela-
tionship with Israel will be a
short-term one" and "not the
intimate one we have to-
day. ,,
He voiced confidence that
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F.W. de Klerk:
Working toward change.
any new constitution would
have built into it "the kind
of protections and sharing of
power" that "will make it
possible for the Jews in this
country to have the old com-
fortable relationship with
Israel."
Ambassador Liel said he
has had "dozens of
meetings" with ANC
leaders. "They have a great
appreciation of the Jewish
community," he said. But he
added that while he could
not detect any anti-
Semitism, there was a lot of
strong anti-Israel sentiment.
He urged the Zionist Fed-
eration to enter into dia-
logue with the ANC, as the
South African Jewish Board
of Deputies has been doing.
Chief Rabbi Harris said
the community must con-
duct an active outreach pro-
gram to other groups in the
country to explain that good
relations between Israel and
South Africa are not only in
Israel's interests, but would
also serve South African
goals. This, he suggested,
would broaden the lobby to
continue good relations with
Israel.
Minister Shetreet told the
conference that the govern-
ment of Israel "takes a very
favorable view of changes
taking place in South
Africa" and "aspires toward
good relations with the
government of South Africa
— in the present and in the
future."
Mr. de Klerk, working in
partnership with the ANC,
has brought about what Mr.
Shetreet described as "a
most warranted, a most
welcome dramatic change
toward complete democracy
and complete equality in
South Africa." ❑
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47