Palestine–South Africa relations Palestine–South Africa relations South Africa-Palestine relations refer to the interstate relations between the Republic of South Africa and the State of Palestine. The African National Congress had close relations with Palestine Liberation Organization. Nelson Mandela had close relations with Yasser Arafat. After the first multiracial elections in 1994, South Africa established diplomatic relations with the State of Palestine on February 15, 1995. Former South African President Nelson Mandela had visited both Israel and Palestine and called for peace between both sides. Nevertheless, Some prominent South African figures, such as Desmond Tutu and Ronnie Kasrils have criticized Israel's treatment of the
Religion in South Africa owned by European settlers. Many came from Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar, and some from other states of India. Early Hindu settlements in South Africa suffered discrimination, abuse and persecution. Hindu Indians were among the people who were referred to as coolies, racially segregated, and their discrimination continued through the Apartheid era until 1994. The first Hindu temples were in operation in the 1870s. Some South African local governments banned temple building and property ownership by Hindus in 1910s. Modern South Africa has many Hindu temples, and its Hindu community observes major festivals of Hinduism such as