I was one of 23 South Africans that recently formed part of a human rights delegation to Israel and Palestine. It included judges, politicians, academics, lawyers, religious leaders, journalists, editors and human rights activists. The group was made up largely of people who had been in the struggle against apartheid and included Jews, Muslims, Christians and atheists. We listened to each other and could find common ground, perhaps not on the solutions but certainly on the process and on our commitment to working together.

This is the full correspondence on the Silwan issue starting from Nathan Geffen’s article then Prof Bahat's response and then Jawad Siyam's response. (Only that part of Geffen’s article dealing with Silwan has been included below. For his full article go to http://d8406449.u116.webdatacom.net/myadmin/hrd_pressModifyFormAdmin.asp?id=23.) 

Andrew Feinstein n'était jamais venu en Israël et dans les territoires palestiniens occupés. Sud-Africain et juif, il a perdu sa mère et ses dix frères et soeurs dans l'Holocauste. Il a été très impressionné par le mémorial de Yad Vashem et l'évocation d'Auschwitz, où a péri sa famille. Cet ancien député de l'ANC (African national Congress) a également été très marqué par ce qu'il a vu à Hébron : les colons qui insultent et jettent des pierres sur les Palestiniens, qui s'en prennent à cette délégation venue se rendre compte sur place de la réalité des choses. "Comment, au nom du judaïsme, peut-on se comporter de cette manière ? Comment peut-on transformer en ville fantôme un quartier commerçant arabe pour protéger quelques centaines de colons ?", s'interroge-t-il.

Nathan Geffen, one of the trip three co-organisers writes his reflections for the Cape Times. He considers whether the group achieved its three objectives. He also gives stark and unsettling details of the places under occupation which the group visited.

Sam Beckbessinger’s article on the UCT report-back by members of the recent delegation of South African human rights leaders to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories is familiar: like most apologia for oppression, it steers well clear of political reality and nit-picks over semantics.

It was known as the South African Human Rights Delegation to Israel and the Palestinian Occupied Territories… and there were rather different interpretations – even among ourselves, let alone the media - about what exactly we were doing there. Fact-finding? Listening? Solidarity? Peace-making? Even-handedness? Balance? Identifying with the victims? Which ones?

In "Don't Call it Apartheid" (Haaretz English edition, July 17), Tova Herzl takes issue with the use of the word "apartheid" to describe the situation in Israel.  As a group, we did no such thing. Instead, we sought to move beyond mere labels and focus on the manner and extent to which Israel is separating Palestinians and Israelis within the West Bank, the impact of the tools of separation on Palestinians in particular and the broader impact of the occupation on all. And in so doing, it was often impossible to avoid making comparisons with apartheid South Africa.

Drew Forrest, a member of the delegation, witnessed a protest against the Fence/Wall in a Palestinian village. This is his epic account of those events.

ZACKIE ACHMAT, chairman of the Treatment Action Campaign, describes his first trip to Israel as part of a South African human rights delegation, as “a
life-changing experience”. He added on his return: “It made me understand a great deal better where people who are angry with Israel, are coming from and also reinforced my understanding that non-violent, joint work is the only way out of this crisis,” he said.

GEOFF BUDLENDER found his visit to Israel as part of a group of 23 South African human rights activists, both “depressing and quite inspiring”. A former president of Nusas and anti-apartheid activist since his student days at the University of Cape Town, he now chairs the UCT Council.