Big and welcome news (via Electronic Intifada):
For the first time ever, the… African National Congress… (ANC), the ruling party in… South Africa, today made the Palestinian call for… boycott, divestment and sanctions… on Israel part of its official policy.
Mbuyiseni Ndlozi of… BDS South Africa… said the decision “by the ANC’s National Conference, its highest decision making body, is by far the most authoritative endorsement of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel campaign.”
In a press release sent out by email, BDS South Africa explained:
In October 2012, the ANC’s International Solidarity Conference (ISC)… declared its full support for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel campaign.
Today, Lindiwe Zulu (member of the ANC’s International Relations Sub-Committee and special advisor to President Jacob Zuma) announced at the ANC’s 53rd National Conference plenary session, the ANC’s official endorsement, as captured in Resolution 39 (b), of the ANC’s October International Solidarity Conference (ISC) and all its resolutions, which includes a resolution on BDS. Giving muscle to resolution 39 (b), the ANC has committed to set up a steering committee to implement these ISC resolutions. … In addition,the ANC adopted resolution 35 (g) that specifically called for “all South Africans to support the programmes and campaigns of the Palestinian civil society which seek to put pressure on Israel to engage with the Palestinian people to reach a just solution.”
BDS South Africa also applauded the ANC National Conference for passing a resolution that “abhors the recent Israeli state-sponsored xenophobic attacks and deportation of Africans” and to “request that this matter should be escalated to the African Union.”