The South African research council is greatly concerned at the increasing cross-border violence involving Israel, the Gaza Strip and now also Lebanon. The escalating Israeli military strikes into Gaza after the capture of an Israeli soldier has now reportedly been followed by rocket attacks into Israel from Lebanon as well as Israeli military incursions and air attacks into Lebanon, resulting in the capture of two other Israeli soldiers and the death of seven Israeli soldiers. — From the South African government’s statement on the Lebanese-Israeli conflict.
Perhaps it’s too much to expect real objectivity from the South African government in its dealings with Israel, but you’d think honesty wouldn’t be too much to ask for. Why deny that Hezbollah crossed the border to kidnap those Israeli soldiers, when the fact is not in serious dispute? The way it reads now, the South African statements effectively blames Israel for the kidnapping of its soldiers by dishonestly implying that they were captured during the course of an Israeli military incursion into Lebanon. This is an outright lie.
Dishonest Diplomacy
Perhaps it’s too much to expect real objectivity from the South African government in its dealings with Israel, but you’d think honesty wouldn’t be too much to ask for. Why deny that Hezbollah crossed the border to kidnap those Israeli soldiers, when the fact is not in serious dispute? The way it reads now, the South African statements effectively blames Israel for the kidnapping of its soldiers by dishonestly implying that they were captured during the course of an Israeli military incursion into Lebanon. This is an outright lie.