Israel’s departing ambassador to South Africa expressed sorrow over this week’s massacre in the black “homeland” of Ciskei, saying he mourned the loss of “24 people who could have been part of the future of this country.”
Zvi Gov-Ari, a Likud political appointee, spoke on the eve of his return to Israel, at a reception at the embassy in Pretoria attended by high-level officials of the South African government.
“It is my fervent request that all the sides in this conflicting situation refrain from using their people as pawns to advance political purposes,” he said. “I implore those concerned to try and break the circle of bloodshed and change it to one of negotiation and peace.”
During the reception, whites and blacks, Afrikaners and Jews sang songs together in English, Hebrew and various black languages, and participated in ethnic dancing.
But the crowd was subdued when Gov-Ari extended his condolences to the families of those who lost their lives.
Present at the reception were South Africa’s foreign minister, Pik Botha; the minister of state affairs, Gerrit Viljoen; the minister of water affairs and forestry, Gen. Magnus Malan; and members of the diplomatic corps.
Also present was the all-black Johannesburg Adult Choir from Soweto, which Gov- Ari was responsible for sending to Israel to perform in a recent choral festival.
During his three-year tour of duty, Gov-Ari forged links with many black and Afrikaner groups, both on cultural and political levels.
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