They understand

If only the Australian government were as concerned that its citizens may engage in terrorist activity:

The South African government has asked anyone who knows of South Africans serving in the Israeli Defence Force to report this to the South African authorities so they can investigate them.

Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz Pahad said this at a press briefing in Pretoria on Tuesday when asked if the South African government was aware of South Africans fighting for Israel. He said the South African government was often accused of countenancing its citizens fighting with the Israeli military but that he was not aware of any.

But he appealed to anyone who knew of any to inform the South African authorities.

“We are, however, very anxious to ensure that South Africans, in any guise, are not involved in military activities abroad. We are opposed in principle.” Pahad stressed that the South African government also opposed South Africans going abroad to fight in foreign liberation struggles.

“Any such involvement of South African citizens poses a serious problem and a danger because it might make us the target of terrorist actions.”

When a dual Australian national was recently killed in Lebanon fighting for the IDF, he was virtually hailed a hero by Foreign Minister Alexander Downer. While his death was tragic, he was fighting illegally in a sovereign nation. He had no right to be there.

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