The South African Jewish Board of Deputies is “dismayed” at President Thabo Mbeki’s unwillingness to condemn terrorist attacks against Israelis. Responding to a reporter’s question, Mbeki called on Israel to withdraw its forces from Yasser Arafat’s headquarters in Ramallah, but did not condemn Palestinian terrorism. “We are appalled at this one-sided call,” said Russell Gaddin, national chairman of the Board of Deputies. “We believe that, unaccompanied by a similar call by the president to end the unbridled acts of terror against the Israeli civilian population, Mr. Mbeki compromises South Africa’s officially stated policy of even-handedness in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.” Gaddin said the board is renewing its call for an end to violence on all sides.
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