Al-Qalam 
By Middle East Monitor and Al Qalam Reporter
Nelson Mandela’s grandson has rejected US President Donald Trump’s so-called “Deal of the Century” to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
“We reject the partisan peace plan for the Middle East proffered by Trump and (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu,” said Zwelivelile Mandla Mandela, a member of the parliament in South Africa.
The anti-apartheid revolutionary leader said the deal announced by Trump reflects the utmost level of “arrogance” and that “the U.S. and Apartheid Israel has reached to arrogate for themselves the right to determine the future of the Palestinian people without their full participation.”
“This is in direct violation of international law of self-determination and many UN resolutions,” he added.
“This deal of the century is nothing but the greatest hoax of the century purely designed to legitimize the seven decades of illegal occupation of Palestinian lands. It is further designed to justify the continued illegal occupation and expansion of Apartheid Israel settlements,” Mandela said.
Mandela called on the South African government and the ANC to add its voice in rejecting Trump’s plan.
“We support President Mahmoud Abbas’s call for all countries of the world to reject and boycott this hoax of the century. There is no solution for the Palestinian struggle except through the full participation and determination of the Palestinian people,” he added.
The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) Movement also rejected Trump’s plan.
“As a South African NGO, BDS South Africa will be working closely with our allies in South Africa including the Embassy of Palestine and our governing party, the ANC, as well as other political parties and civil society groups including trade union partners to ensure that Israel is held accountable for its violations of international law. We join the South African government in demanding Israel to end its occupation of Palestine!,” the group said.
BDS is a global movement that is working to increase economic and political pressure on Israel with the aim of ending the occupation of Palestinian land.
In another communiqué,Tisetso Magama, spokesperson for BDS-SA said to understand the current context we should Imagine being in the1980’s and the US briefs SA on its ‘plan for Apartheid’ – that is what they want to do Palestine now, he said.
“Imagine that during the 1980s, the then US President Ronald Reagan, appearing on TV with the then Prime Minister of Apartheid South Africa, PW Botha. During their press conference, Reagan announces that he has a plan for Apartheid. The plan, which was primarily drafted by his daughter and her husband, is that the white supremacist government of Apartheid SA will continue as is and the indigenous black population must accept the status quo.”
“This is how we South Africans view the current US President Donald Trump appearing on TV with the current Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu. In their recent press briefing, on 28 January 2020, Trump announced that he has a plan for Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine. His plan, which was primarily drafted by his daughter and her husband, is that the Israeli occupation will continue as is and the indigenous Palestinian population must accept the status quo.”
*Meanhile, BDS South Africa has met and welcomed the newly appointed Palestinian Ambassador to South Africa, Ms Hanan Jarrar last week. The team from BDS-SA discussed joint strategies to oppose the move. BDS will hold a press conference soon to announce the plans.
