These accusations reveal the nauseous depths to which the Palestinian lobby will sink in order to delegitimize Jewish South Africans. To their good fortune, they were obviously armed with a partisan journalist willing to blindly report on any accusations.
Under the sub-heading “Harassment and racial profiling” the report quotes some hysterical claims from students without bothering to contact Limmud to determine the accuracy or allow a response. The lies are backed up with action, as 50 students are reported to have marched at Wits against this fabricated racial profiling.
| “Students allege that on the day of the talk, a private security firm took control of the gates at the university and barred many students, mostly black, from entering.
"They were disallowing black students onto campus for the most part... the control of campus gates were taken over by a private security company who were mostly 17- to 25-year-old young white men," said student, Natasha Vally. Protest organiser, Mbuyiseni Ndlozi, said around 50 students would gather on campus on Wednesday and march to the concourse at Senate House. ‘Harassment and racial profiling’ The students are requesting that the university management distance itself from Benjamin's visit and the "harassment and racial profiling" that took place on Sunday. "They had private security people monitoring who comes in and who goes out. Some of the students were barred and most of these were black or Indian," he said. Vally said students had expressed concern over Benjamin's visit, due to his role in the Gaza war, by sending letters to management. "We are not asking that the university distance itself from him because of his opinions but because of his deeds. It's because he himself indicated his involvement in the Gaza war." Students want university management to acknowledge there was racial discrimination on campus on Sunday and to disassociate itself from Benjamin. |
Read the rest of this smutty piece of reporting here: Wits protest over soldier's visit
This is nothing but a deliberate attempt to incite tensions between Jews and black South Africans by claiming that Jews are racist. Yet no racial profiling took place. This is a bald faced lie – which follows hot-on-the-heals of the lobbie's previous lie (as per theMedia Review Network) about Jews kidnapping Palestinians and stealing their kidneys to make money.
A small protest was allowed at Limmud, with about 15-20 (as per the legal standards for protests at private events) anti-Israel activists gaining permission to demonstrate inside the university. No-one was allowed to enter unless they had either paid and registered for Limmud, or had in their possession a Wits student card (and I saw at least one woman enter with a card that was obviously not hers but which looked to belong to a prominent Wits professor).
When I entered the grounds I heard the high pitched complaints of a young gentleman demanding why I was allowed access yet he was not. The answer was quite simple. I was registered for Limmud. He wasn’t. Nor did he have a student card. Why should this young man, draped in the Palestinian supporter’s club official gear, be allowed inside the grounds of a university where he is not registered? And it wasn’t a young white Jewish man that prevented his entry. It was Wits security.
Here are some shots of the protest within the grounds of the Wits Medical School, just outside the building where the Limmud lectures took place. On many occassions protestors, particularly those outside the univeristy, shouted that we were Nazis.
Here’s the official response from Limmud.
| Baseless Misinformation Needs to be Countered
As an innovative organization that arranges a festival of Jewish learning and culture, Limmud SA embraces the full spectrum of Jewish religious and political opinion and thought. Given the large number of delegates involved at Limmud SA and the potential threat of violence, the University and Limmud SA worked together to increase security. Members of the University and conference delegates were all allowed to enter onto the university premises. The notion that racial profiling took place is a lie put out to try and harm the image of Limmud SA and the University with no justification. It is also offensive in that it assumes all Jews are whites (which is false) and that we did not have delegates who were of differing racial groups. It also represents an ugly form of anti-semitism, seeking to label Jews as racist. Indeed, the protesting groups organised by the Palestine Solidarity Committee repeatedly hurled abuse at conference delegates calling those - simply because they were Jewish - Nazis and racists. This goes beyond the boundaries of legitimate speech into hate speech and represents an insidious and disgraceful form of discrimination. The Wits University Community who are concerned with equality, dignity and freedom for all would have been proud of the way in which the Limmud SA conference was conducted on Wits campus. If anyone wishes to come forward with comments as to the way in which any aspect of the Limmud conference was handled, we are open to hear any issues that need to be raised. It is in the spirit of learning and constructive engagement that David Benjamin, a senior lawyer and former legal advisor to the Israel Defence Force, and Shlomy Zachary, a human rights lawyer working in Israel and an expert in international humanitarian law presented their differing views on the Middle East conflict and, in particular, Israel’s compliance with or violation of international law. Contrary to the claims made by the MRN and PSC, Benjamin has not been indicted on any charges nor has he been convicted of any crime. Those committed to human rights will not convict someone without hearing their point of view, nor will they prevent them from speaking on the basis of an allegation. Wits University as with any other institution should not take any view or express any opinion on a matter that does not lie within its jurisdiction and is to be commended for allowing the Limmud organisation to continue to promote academic freedom and debate on Wits campus where some voices wish to drown those out. Based on democratic principles, Limmud SA is committed to allowing the right of individuals to protest even against decisions of our organisation or those who present at Limmud SA. That right must be exercised responsibly and be consonant with the right of delegates to associate freely and enter into the conference area. A senior member of the Limmud executive defended the right of Wits students to protest whilst requesting that they enable conference delegates to enter the building. The protest went ahead peacefully on these grounds. Free speech really matters where we are prepared to defend the rights of those with whom we may even vehemently disagree. Limmud SA represents the spirit of the post-apartheid South Africa by holding out the possibility of a community in which diversity and inclusivity are celebrated. We hope through dialogue and constructive discussion to advance the cause of knowledge but also hopefully peace and human rights in our world. |
A number of things
1st there were not 50 people demonstrating but there may have been about 20-30 people.
Secondly the demonstration took place during a lecture by Prof Solomon. So the demonstators not only lied but also missed a great opportunity to learn something
Thirdly there certainly were students of colour allowed onto Med School. I saw them with my own eyes.
I think the incident sums up everything there is to be anti- israel.
Lie, don't be interested in learning and blame Israel or there supporters for everything.
What a simple formula, even us stupid zionists can follow it.
Posted by: The pil | August 13, 2009 at 17:43
Have a look at the local varsity papers take on the above.
It is interesting that in the printed paper they put the picture from Hamas week with the Limmud article.
http://www.vuvuzela.org.za/index.php/wits-news/1-latest-news/233-hamas-week-causes-tension
http://www.vuvuzela.org.za/index.php/wits-news/1-latest-news/231-slegs-blankes-back-on-campus
Posted by: Bigben | August 16, 2009 at 23:10