ACDP members' trip to Israel confirms party's standing belief about Israel, says Meshoe
ACDP parliamentary whip, Steve Swart, and former MP, Marie Sukers, were among at least 10 MPs, mostly from the Democratic Alliance (DA) and also from the Patriotic Alliance (PA), who were on the trip last week sponsored by the group the South African Friends of Israel.
A multiparty group from South Africa with Israeli President Isaac Herzog. Picture: Supplied/South African Friends of Israel
CAPE TOWN - African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) leader Kenneth Meshoe says his party won’t be dictated to about where its members of Parliament (MPs) can travel and who they can meet with, following condemnation from some of its political opponents about a recent trip to Israel.
The ACDP's parliamentary whip, Steve Swart, and former MP, Marie Sukers, were among at least 10 MPs, mostly from the Democratic Alliance (DA) and also from the Patriotic Alliance (PA), who were on the trip last week sponsored by the group the South African Friends of Israel.
Meshoe said he gave Swart the go-ahead for what’s being labelled a “fact-finding mission”.
The Good Party’s Brett Herron was the first to raise the concern over what he believed was a secret trip by the MPs to visit sites of the 7 October attacks by Hamas.
DA MPs included Glynnis Breytenbach, Emma-Louise Powell, Bridgette Masango, Bonginkosi Madikizela, Katherine Christie, Nicholas Myburg and Liam Jacobs, while the Patriotic Alliance was represented by Ashley Sauls and Millicent Mathopa.
Contacted by Eyewitness News, Masango said it was a private trip and thus she was not obliged to respond to questions about it.
PA leader Gayton Mackenzie also laughed off suggestions on his social media that the trip was kept secret.
The delegation also met Israeli President Isaac Herzog and senior foreign ministry officials.
Meshoe said his members’ visit confirmed what the party has always believed.
"The ACDP has refuted the false narrative that Israel is an apartheid country, particularly those of us who, like myself, were victims of apartheid and have travelled to Israel many times."
Meshoe said by condemning the trip, the ANC is fuelling already strained relations with the United States.
"The ANC has no right to condemn Christian believers from visiting the holy land and holy sites."
Meshoe reiterated that his party does not condone South Africa’s genocide case against Israel in the International Court of Justice, but said it does sympathise with the plight of innocent Palestinians.