September 9, 1974(1)
We have been witnessing with growing alarm the increasing economic, political and military links between Israel and South Africa. The recent agreement to upgrade their diplomatic relations to the level of ambassadors reflects the high level of cooperation between the two countries.
The purpose of this letter is to draw the attention of the Special Committee to new forms of collaboration between Israel and South Africa to promote South African products on the British market. As you know, we are currently engaged in a national campaign against collaboration with apartheid which involves the boycott of all South African products. Recently we discovered that Israel and South Africa were planning a joint campaign to promote Jaffa and Outspan orange juice in the United Kingdom. We took the matter up immediately with the Embassy of Israel in London and their reply of August 16, 1974, is particularly alarming because of their claim that the marketing organisations of the two countries are "financing the purely commercial ventures which, to our mind, has no relevance to the political apartheid issue".
I am enclosing a copy of their letter for your information and would request that the Special Committee take this matter up urgently with the representative of Israel at the United Nations. We shall of course pursue the matter with the Embassy of Israel in London, but since our campaign against the promotion of South African products is in conformity with the policies of the United Nations it is important that the Special Committee should take this matter up in New York; any steps which can be taken by the United Nations will assist us in demanding that Israel does not proceed with the joint venture planned for the United Kingdom.
This instance of joint South African-Israeli collaboration is just one illustration of the growing links between the two countries which are contributing directly to the maintenance of apartheid and white domination in South Africa. I am enclosing a report in the current issue of Anti-Apartheid News which gives information about the strengthening of other ties between Israel and South Africa.
When these developments are taken together with the visit last month of General Moshe Dayan to South Africa it becomes quite clear that the growing links between South Africa and Israel are being considered so important by the two countries that they are determined to assist each other even though it involves direct violation of United Nations decisions.
We hope that it will be possible for the Special Committee to give urgent consideration to these new links.