TWO South Africans are being investigated for contravening the country’s Foreign Military Assistance Act for their alleged role in Israel’s military invasion of Gaza. The men – one from Cape Town and the other a Johannesburg resident – are under investigation by the Hawks. They are among an estimated 200 South African civilians serving in the Israeli Defence Force (IDF). About 6000 South Africans at present serve in foreign militaries and private security companies in international conflict zones. Hawks spokesman Captain Paul Ramaloko confirmed the investigation. The South African Jewish Board of Deputies declined to comment. Shaheed Mahomed of the Workers International Vanguard Party, which laid the charges against the two, said the party was opposed to any South African serving in a foreign military, “not just the IDF”. The Foreign Military Assistance Act prohibits any South African citizen from participating in a foreign military or armed forces in international conflicts. “You cannot have it both ways, where on the one hand you want your democratic rights protected here, [and on the other] you go to another country and don’t want to be held accountable for your actions there,” Mahomed said. If this means possible ‘mercenaries’ are prosecuted to deter others, then so be it. “If it’s illegal. It doesn’t matter who is involved or where they must be charged. It’s unfortunate these men are in the IDF. ” Mahomed said Vanguard had been fighting South Africans’ involvement in foreign military conflicts since 2003, especially during the Iraq conflict where nearly 20000 worked as security contractors. Defence analyst Helmoed Heitman said, however, that what was applied to one side in a conflict had to be applied to the other. “If South Africans are prosecuted for their involvement in the IDF they must be prosecuted, and also if they are involved in military actions for Hamas,” he said. Andre Roux, a senior researcher at the Institute for of Security Studies, said the act was a “knee-jerk reaction” to prevent South Africa from exporting experienced and trained soldiers and police to conflict zones, where they could side with factions, specifically in conflict areas where there were weak governments. “Post 1994, lots of police and soldiers were involved in security work bordering on mercenary operations. “The government should have used the act to set a precedent. Now it will be incredibly difficult, especially if you try to stop people who have dual citizenship, he said. “This move smacks of selective political intervention, especially when you look at Iraq. No action was taken against 15000 South Africans working there,” Roiux said. – Graeme H
Posted on: Thu, 14 Aug 2014 16:34:41 +0000
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