It's Almost Supernatural

Petition Against South African Universities boycotting

We interrupt this blogging hiatus with an important announcement... 

Recently, hundreds of academics signed a petition calling on University of Johannesburg (UJ) to cut its academic ties with Ben Gurion University. Ben Gurion university had agreed to provide UJ with the expertise to clean algae infested water and save thousands of South Africans. Officially UJ voted to continue its ties with Ben Gurion however it imposed such stringent conditions that they are impossible to fulfill. This has prompted universities around the country to assess their ties with Israeli academia. As such we have launched the Coalition for Clean Water to combat this growing phenomenon and emphasize the benefits ties with Israel provide. We have launched a petition at: http://www.petitiononline.com/cleanuni/petition.html We hope to gain international support. Your assistance in this matter would be greatly appreciated, please if you could send the petition to your mailing list or publicize it in any other way, we may be able to prevent a South African boycott of Israel. Looking forward to your response. Rafael Eliasov Vice National Chairperson South African Union of Jewish Students www.saujs.co.za

Following the egrigious decision taken by the UJ (University of Johannesburg) Senate, several other universities have added their names calling for the cutting of all ties with Israeli universities, including Rhodes (Saleem Badat), the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan university (Derrick Swartz) and the Durban University of Technology (Dan Ncayiyana).

The UJ boycott is probably the work of an Israel hating trifecta at the UJ, led by Stephen Friedman, Adam Habib (vice-chancellor) and Farid Esack.

• Here's a great piece by Jeremy Gordin that literally rips Friedman to shreds: What's Stephen Friedman got against the Jews?
• Also see this piece by former anti-apartheid activist Rhoda Khadalie: Universities blinded by political correctness

In case you thought that this radical action was driven by a real human rights viewpoint, then check out this article at Politics Web about the University of Johannesburg's strong ties with a university from Belarus: UJ in bed with Belarusian university. 

The University of Johannesburg recently made the headlines when its Senate decided to terminate its relationship with Ben Gurion University, in Israel, if various stringent demands were not met. Curiously, UJ has not acted with such alacrity in re-examining its relationship with the Belarusian National Technical University (BNTU), located in Minsk, Belarus - the country with the worst human rights record in Europe

Democracy of Hypocrisy Recalls Ambassador to Israel

Generally in foreign affairs, if South Africa is against you, you’re on the right side of history. And if South Africa is for you, you’re on the wrong side of history.

Even more so when the ANC Youth League gets in on the action.

JPOST: South Africa recalls its Ambassador.

SA embassy spokesman Judika Tladi told The Jerusalem Post that ambassador Ismael Coovadia was being recalled to Pretoria for consultations so that the government can get a "better understanding" of what happened off the Gaza coast and its implications. He could not say when Coovadia, who was leaving the country this weekend, would return to Israel. Tladi added that Pretoria was not planning on expelling Israel's ambassador to South Africa or severing ties. "This will not affect ties between the two countries. We have no intention of expelling the Israeli ambassador or cutting ties with Israel," Tladi told the 'Post.

This is evidence, if you ever needed any, that South Africa, despite its history, can have no role in bringing a solution to this conflict. We speak of a policy of engagement, and we not only speak of it, we action it. We "engage" with Zimbabwe, Sudan, and other pariahs of the world. The only single exception to this policy is Israel. It may be partly due to the influence of the powerful Muslim lobby in South Africa, but I think the policy is a mendacious cover-up. We don't actually have a policy of engagement. It's been said before that South Africa never met a dictator it didn't like and measured against this worldview, our treatment of Israel is better understood.

Update: Official Community Response

The South African Jewish leadership is saddened over the deaths and injuries incurred during the Gaza flotilla incident.

Nevertheless, the South African Government's decision to temporarily recall our Ambassador to Israel in response to the incident is premature and inappropriate. The relevant facts of the incident are not yet fully known; they will become so only after the investigation into its causes has completed its work and reported its findings to the international community.

In this regard, the leadership expresses its profound disappointment at the decision, as it goes against the South African way of engaging in dialogue and not jumping to conclusions before all the facts are known.

The Jewish leadership regrets that South Africa is thus far the only country, aside from Turkey, to have taken so radical and disproportionate a step, despite not being directly involved in the matter.

As South African citizens we call upon our Government to adhere to an even-handed policy on the situation in the Middle East and to give due weight to Israel's legitimate security concerns.

We have requested a meeting with the South African government to obtain clarification concerning the rationale behind this decision.
Spokespeople:

Zev Krengel, Chairman, SA Jewish Board of Deputies 082 5579681
Avrom Krengel, Chairman SA Zionist Federation 082 6006465
Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein 0102142603

Issued by: SA Jewish Board of Deputies, SA Zionist Federation, Office of the Chief Rabbi

Footage of Mavi Marmara Flotilla

Activists prepare for violence

Activists engage in violence before the IDF boards the Mavi Marmara

Activists attempt to lynch IDF soldiers forcing them to repel the attacks resorting to lethal force after a prolonged struggle

Letter to my father

To my brave and darling father,

Your long battle against cancer did not end in defeat. You triumphed over the disease by choosing to live, even if in the end you succumbed physically, the battle refined who you are, it refined your soul. You triumphed over the medical staff and nurses who often treated you so appallingly by looking them in the eye and treating them with a respect that they were ultimately forced to return. You triumphed over that shitty little hospital by embracing it and mentally creating a sense of good, even when it might not have been there. You triumphed over an accumulated perspective of being negative and became overwhelmingly positive.

I cherish the fact that we were able to enjoy a good, warm and decent relationship, even if we didn’t share with each other as much as we should have. We understood each other. If only all children were able to say that about their parents.

The list of things I wish I still had the time to learn from you is too long to enumerate. But the length of the list of things I am surprised to have learned from you is longer still! The simple things in life are sometimes too easy, too mundane to actually learn and then action. It is these things that you yearned for, these things that you battled away for. These things that you shall miss. But stories of you, of your heart of gold and your enduring kindness ensures that it is these things -- such as the lives of your grandchildren – that you will continue to positively influence.

You fought a long and courageous battle during which you never once gave up your will to live. And live on you shall as your children and grandchildren will always strive to match your depth of compassion and generosity of spirit.

There were things we hoped to celebrate together which didn’t manifest. But when they do I know you will be smiling down on me.

There is too much to thank you for and getting through that deserves more thought and more introspection than this letter allows.

I love you and will forever miss you,

Your loving son, his wife and his baby girl

Former anti-Apartheid Activist Explores the Israeli Narrative

Rhoda Kadalie is a former anti-apartheid activist and South African Human Rights Commissioner. Today she is the Executive Director of Impumelelo Innovations and Awards Trust, a South African organisation that identifies and rewards projects that alleviate poverty in partnership with public sector enterprises.

She has penned an article in today’s Business Day about a recent trip to Israel: Complex crisis most analysts fail to explain

Judge Goldstone meets with SA communal Jewish leaders

Last week a delegation of senior Jewish communal leaders, headed by the South African Zionist Federation, met with Judge Richard Goldstone. This after an explosion of criticism induced by the SAZF’s threats to hold peaceful protests against Judge Goldstone outside the Sandton synagogue.

Some of the criticism was precipitated by community members genuinely concerned about protest tactics that contradicted principles that they stood by. Most of the shrieking criticism, however, was just plain and easy opportunistic Zionist bashing.

Despite the pulsing emotions Goldstone and communal Jewish leaders agreed to meet to discuss Goldstone’s participation in the 2009 UN Fact Finding Mission into the recently concluded conflict in Gaza.

Below you will find links to the opening statements of SAZF Chairman Avrom Krengel and Judge Goldstone, which formed the basis of the discussion that followed.

It was agreed by both parties that the opening statements reflected the nature of the discussion and that no interviews relating to the content of the meeting would be given by any of the participants.

Goldstone’s response is a caricature of a deeply mistaken and stubborn man who clings to clever but empty sound bites. Over and over again he whitewashes the record of barbarism that stains the UN Human Rights Council by claiming that he initially refused the mission, but then agreed to accept it when he eventually (he casts himself as the star of this show) managed to convince them to allow him to investigate Hamas crimes instead of just Israeli ones.

Over and over again he accepts us to believe that any harsh findings made against Israel are the result of Israel’s refusal to participate in the process.

Over and over again he completely ignores the substance of the criticism against his report and blindly repeats his sound bites, uttering them as systematically as the sound of a Muezzin calling Hamas devotees to prayer.

Amazingly Goldstone states that he expected his heroic work to “herald the start of a new approach by the Human Rights Council to adopt an appropriate policy in which all similar human rights valuations around the world receive equal attention”. Really? An investigation into the conduct of Israel in a conflict with Gaza from a council where 90% of all its resolutions target ONLY Israel is going to lead to a utopia in which all similar human rights valuations around the world receive equal attention. Amazing.

Krengel’s opening statement includes most of the criticisms that have been addressed numerous times before. Goldstone could easily have predicted exactly what Krengel was going to say. He should have loaded his statement with answers to these criticisms. But he didn’t. And so like Goldstone blames Israel’s refusal to participate in the hearings for any harsh findings made against it Goldstone should not be surprised when we blame his failure to deal with common criticisms for any harsh findings we make against him.

I thought Krengel’s statement was very strong too emotional but made some good points. I recommend you read it all. I’m interested in hearing what you think?

• Statement by Judge Goldstone
• Statement by Avrom Krengel

Taste of Limmud Returns

Limmud is back but before the main weekend event there is an evening of fun and learning that has been put together with some fantastic content.

The only shame is that with such great speakers you will only be able to attend two sessions. Each session provides a choice of up to 6 topics, so choose wisely.

Session 1 features features six sessions on topics such as: Israel, football, kaballah, design, foreign policy and general interest.

Session 2 features five sessions on topics such as: Israel, art, antisemitism and Yemenite Jewry.

When: Thursday, 13 May 2010,
Registration at 18:30
Where: Beyachad, 2 Elray Rd, Raedene
Price: R70
To register: [email protected]

There are some interesting political sessions including

• Charles Asher Small on the difference between the Freedom Charter of the ANC and the Hamas charter
• Debbie Mankowitz on the American connection and the Middle East crisis
• Charles Asher Small on Radical Islam and Genocidal Antisemitism
• Romi Kaplan on Israel’s treatment of refugees and asylum seekers
• Anat Apter on the unknown story of Yemenite Jews

You can download the full brochure here.

Dramatic Quotes

"Julius Malema like Avrom Krengel and the AWB are thugs."

Zackie Achmat in his letter to Jacob Zuma posted at his blog.

Outrageous. I don't recall Achmat criticising Salim Vally, nevermind comparing him to the AWB, when Vally used threats and intimidation to ensure that a Palestinian peace activist called off a joint peace tour with Benjamin Pogrund.

Has the Jewish Community Scored an Own Goal?

Following a report in the SA Jewish Report that Judge Richard Goldstone has been barred from attending his grandson’s barmitzvah, the SA Jewish Board of Deputies and the SA Zionist Federation have issued press releases claiming that the entire issue has been misinterpreted and misunderstood.

Whilst there may have been merits in protesting the Judge's appearance at the synagogue, the entire affairs seems to have been handled badly, with an absence of a consistent story to press, which only seems to have been considered as an after-thought.

This episode was always going to turn ugly, and without being in a position to comment about what actually transpired, I can only say that somewhere along the way it seems that a trio of our community leaders have managed to screw this thing up.

The community is being blamed for “barring” Goldstone from attending a bar mitzvah when in fact all that was planned was a protest outside the synagogue. Goldstone looks more and more like a victim of an intolerant Jewish community which has excommunicated him because of his political views. The media get a great story and our enemies get an abundance of ammunition to deflect attention away from their intolerance and onto ours.

I’m not saying that managing this episode was going to be easy. Still, I expect more. I expect better management of the finer details such as the handling of the press. The stories from the various representatives don’t seem entirely consistent and the response from the SAJBD – who weren’t even involved in all of this – was late, trying to limit the damage after it had been done.

Perhaps I have discounted the impact the protest would have had. It’s a decision that would not have been taken lightly and could have led to all sorts of precedents such as making protests outside of synagogues fair game. On the other hand, I can’t say that Goldstone doesn’t deserve this form of humiliation. After all, he delivered a report to a dictator-friendly organisation, that is bug-eyed nuts with Israel, which effectively rewarded Hamas for terrorism.

How will the handling of this situation impact the community? I think it results in a broadening of the groups that sit on both the extreme right and extreme left, and the squeezing out of the liberal Zionist centre which seems to be disappearing.

Internally the response has been supportive. In fact, around the synagogue-attending folk, there is a sentiment that the leadership should have done even more. But the view that you are not welcome at synagogue if you don’t support Israel, held by many who oppose our official leadership, has now been strengthened, albeit deceitfully since the reality of the situation is different from that which has been peddled in the media. Of course, these folk know exactly what makes Goldstone a unique case, but they won’t acknowledge it. And why should they when our official leadership fails to acknowledge the rising intolerance that is bubbling up in certain sections of our community?

On the other hand, must we constantly worry about how we are portrayed to broader South Africa? Only we can understand the real harm that Goldstone has done to Jews around the world, so only we can understand why it might makes sense to protest his appearance at the synagogue.

But is the sense of retribution worth the cost? These are the types of decisions I am glad I don’t have to make.

Herewith the letter distributed on Friday last week by the SA Jewish Board of Deputies.

Dear Community Member It has been widely reported in the media that Judge Richard Goldstone has been barred from attending his grandson's barmitzvah as a result of pressure from certain sectors of the Jewish leadership. While it has not been involved in this matter, the SA Jewish Board of Deputies was concerned that it would turn into a divisive issue within the Jewish community, and has therefore carefully investigated it to establish the correct facts. What has emerged is that, contrary to what many media reports alleged, at no time was Judge Goldstone prohibited from, or even requested, not to attend the barmitzvah ceremony by any organisation or individual. Rather, this was a decision voluntarily taken by the Goldstone family and the other respective parties. Certain senior Jewish communal and religious leaders were certainly involved in the discussions around the topic, but in no way did they attempt to dictate to or otherwise pressurize the family into arriving at their decision. Unfortunately, the matter is being widely misrepresented and misunderstood. To assist us in forestalling any further unpleasantness, we would appreciate it if you could circulate this communiqué to others who you think will be interested. The SAJBD strongly believes that diversity of opinion in our community needs to be tolerated and respected, whether it emanates from the left, right or centre. At the same time, the right to freedom of expression needs at all times to be exercised with sensitivity, with due regard to the appropriateness of the forum and occasion. Taking into account, with due sensitivity and understanding, the feelings of others goes a long way towards preventing unnecessary conflict. Wishing you all a Shabbat Shalom. ZEV KRENGEL NATIONAL CHAIRMAN

SAJBD and ISS - Terror Threat Briefing

Here's an interesting and important briefing that the SA Jewish Board have put together for next week.

The SAJBD is hosting Anneli Botha, a terrorism expert from the Institute for Security Studies, at Beyachad on Wednesday 21st April at 17.30 to brief the community on threats to South Africa from both international and local terrorism.

Anti-Semitic (Former) Minister to Address Palestinian Supporters in SA

According to a FaceBook group that monitors the relationship between anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism, a Palestinian Solidarity meeting featuring Ali Abunimah will also star the not-so-lovely former minister of foreign affairs Fatima Hajaig. (Not to be confused with the event taking place at the University of Johannesburg).

PALESTINE SOLIDARITY OPEN MEETING WITH ALI ABUNIMAH Type: Causes - Rally Date: Friday, April 16, 2010 Time: 7:30pm - 9:00pm Location: NANA MEMORIAL (65 fOYLE sTREET CROSBY) Description.The Palestine Solidarity Alliance will host ALi Abunimah a Palestinian American Activist and co-founder of Electronic Intifada at the Nana Memorial Hall in Crosby this Friday. Also MPL and former deputy minister of foreign affairs Fatima Hajaig will also speak.

I think she will be a perfect combination to the sentiment that Abunimah will create.

I wonder if Fatimah will speak about Jewish money? This is what she said back in 2009:

They in fact control [America]. No matter which government comes in to power, whether Republican or Democratic, whether Barack Obama or George Bush. The control of America, just like the control of most Western countries, is in the hands of Jewish money and if Jewish money controls their country then you cannot expect anything else”.

I'm going to continue to judge the Palestine Solidarity folks by the company they keep. You should too.

A grouse in arms, UJ – the new battlefield for the Middle East conflict

The University of Johannesburg (UJ), previously known as RAU, was formerly an apolitical (at least with respect to certain issues such as the Middle East) with a low tolerance for political activity as recent images of water cannons dispersing SASCO riots shows. However the pro-Palestinian agenda is ever increasingly creeping into the periphery of the academic institution. This is due mostly to a number of academics who have ruthlessly abused their position in order to espouse a completely one-sided view of the conflict.

Recently, the UJ religious studies department hosted Yakov Rapkin, a rabid anti-Zionist. Currently the Afro-Middle East Centre and the Centre for the Study of Democracy are planning to host, on Friday the 16th of April:

• Ali Abunimah on One country - the path to peace in the Middle East, and
• Oren Yiftachel on Ethnocracy, land and identity in Israel/Palestine

Their agenda of a one state solution is evident and they are bound to promote the Israeli/apartheid comparison. We have yet to see whether these institutions would be willing to host other opposing viewpoints.

It is an extreme shame that Middle East politics have come to UJ. At Wits University, the Palestinian cause is promoted above all others; at times the conflict can create a climate of fear and anti-Semitism. While it is essential that institutions provide insights into contemporary issues, debate at Wits has not been furthered by organizations such as the Palestine Solidarity Committee. Instead debate has been reduced to propaganda slogans and hate.

You can find an excellent review of Ali Abunimah's book, One Country, at Guide to the Perplexed.

The Grouse on Double Standards

It’s been a long while since IAS has been updated. We’re all very busy these days and after 6 years have perhaps lost some of the spirit and enthusiasm that originally characterised IAS. The solution to the problem is new blood, and thanks to a new contributor who we’ll call Giblet Grouse IAS will live to last another day.

Thank you to everyone who sent in e-mails asking about our recent absence. Running a blog can be a time consuming and often unrewarding experience but we’re glad to know that some people missed us. Anyway, I introduce to you, Giblet Grouse…

The Grouse on double standards

A trait unique to those who seek to provide a balance to the orgy of hatred disseminating from organizations that purport to champion the rights of the Palestinians, is the constant reference to the fallible nature of the Israeli government. In no other context is it incumbent on a party to remind the opposition of the government in questions imperfect nature. When an American talks of Guantánamo Bay he does not begin with the premise that the American government is capable of erring, the premise is implicitly assumed. So too when a Brittan refers to the British Gulag in Kenya during the 1950’s, or a Frenchman discusses the Algerian War of Independence, in which France killed hundreds of thousands of civilians, there is no need to insert this line.

On Wednesday the 24th of March, 2010 the UN Human Rights Council passed four resolutions. Three of them condemned Israel, condemning Israel unequivocally for its war on Hamas, while making no similar statement on Hamas with respect to its rocket fire on Sderot and other human rights abuses in the Gaza Strip. Indeed the resolution demands that Israel gives up its right to self defense, calling for an, ‘immediate cessation of all Israeli military attacks and operations throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territory’, with no equivalent ultimatum on Palestinian terror groups. South Africa as a current member of the Council adopted all four of the resolutions. Since its founding in 2006, thirty two of its thirty nine resolutions have censured Israel. One could point to the makeup of the Council, with members such as Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia to explain its overt bias.

One may question whether the shabby human rights record of many of the countries sitting on the Council, invalidate its resolutions. Some may espouse that the resolutions should be assessed on their own merit, and that criticism of the Council and its make up is a measure used to prevent Israeli introspection. Firstly the fixation on Israel and its lack of condemnation of other violators of Human Rights is prime facie indication of bias against Israel, making it an inadequate arbitrator. Thereby, a close inspection should be made of all its Israel resolutions. That being said each and every condemnation of Israel does not necessitate and equal and opposite condemnation of the Palestinians. However, what the resolution does is remove the context of Israel’s actions allowing the body to judge Israel without taking into account cause and effect. The Council demands that Israel desist with military operations in the West Bank and Gaza, however many of these operations are carried out in order to prevent rocket attacks and suicide bombings. While rockets are fired daily into Southern Israel from the Gaza Strip, Israel is expected to do nothing.

This is not a problem localized to the Human Rights council or the new millennium. If one looks through the annals of history one finds numerous imbalances, Palestinian and Arab transgressions are quickly forgotten, while Israeli violations are repeated like a mantra. The War of Independence is remembered for creating the Palestinian refugees, while the Jewish refugees from Muslim countries are side-lined and neglected. The Jews who were expelled from the territories conquered by Jordan, consistent with its policy of creating a Jew free territory, are likewise forgotten. The Palestinian culture of rejecting the numerous attempts to establish two states for two people, are in a classic case of ‘just world phenomenon’, blamed on Israel. The Phalangist massacre Sabra and Shatilla have become synonymous with the first Lebanon war, while Arafat’s ‘RPG kids’ are forgotten. The fact that Shias later entered the camp and massacred an equivalent if not greater number of civilians is unknown or forgotten. The Muhammed Al Durrah incident, with its numerous inconsistencies, has become a symbol of the intifada and Israeli brutality. Judge Goldstone discounted Hamas’ use of human shields, despite eye-witness testimonies, statements by figures in the Hamas hierarchy and Israeli video footage in a report with little credibility.

Pointing out transgressions of other parties does not justify any of Israels violations of human rights. However Israel has shown itself to be capable of introspection time and time again the Sabra and Shatilla massacres led to the Kahan Commission, the Goldstone report has led to numerous investigations. In a completely irrational move, from a military perspective, Israel has recently tightened its rules of engagement - according to the new guidelines, soldiers are not allowed to open fire, even in the air, toward Palestinians who are stoning them. In addition, soldiers driving in an armored jeep are not allowed to shoot at a Palestinian who is about to throw a Molotov cocktail at them.

Therefore when one refers to the fallibility of Israel, it merely points out the inadequacies of many of those who hold Israel to impossible and unique standards and begs the question as to why the person or body is fixated on Israel. Condemnation is not fixation, but when thirty two of thirty nine resolutions are aimed at Israel, there can be no other term.

El-Al Threatens to End South African Route

El-Al has notified the Department of Foreign Affairs that it will halt its route to South Africa by the end of January if its security staff is not provided with diplomatic passports by then. Israel provides its own security in all airports where it operates and in all circumstances has been granted such passports or come to other arrangements suitable to Israel.

South Africa has refused to reissue the diplomatic passports following a Carte Blanche story featuring a bellyaching former employee who accused El-Al security of racial profiling at OR Tambo international. Following the airing of the episode South Africa in November last year expelled an Israeli security officer.

Haaretz: Peres may meet Zuma in Davos to save El-Al route

Haaretz reports that Shimon Peres will be meeting with Jacob Zuma to try and resolve this issue. The pressure from the Palestinian and Muslim lobby groups must be overwhelming and I am certain that if South Africa and Israel come to an amicable agreement then some other concession will have to be made to these powerful pressure groups.

With El-Al operating in hostile atmospheres such as Turkey but unable to operate here you can only imagine the effect this move will have on an already downbeat local Jewish community that probably won't be able to withstand another massive wave of emigration.

(Thanks RZ)

Advert: Jewish SA 2010

The SA Jewish Board of Deputies is hosting a one-stop Jewish e-shop aimed at Jewish visitors from around the world who will be attending the World Cup in June. If you have accommodation to offer, or a service or product to sell, and would like to have it listed free of charge, then hop on over to the website at www.jewish2010.com

The Egyptian wall of steel

The Cape Times has a SAPA-AP article on the wall Egypt is building on the border with Gaza, employing a headline that might make you forget that there is a reason why Egypt is building a wall along their border with Gaza: “The wall of steel that will keep the people of Gaza penned in”.

The article is pretty neutral, but I can’t help wonder why the writer doesn’t explicitly mention that the 400 tunnels between Gaza and Egypt are used to smuggle in weapons.

To be honest, I don’t know why Egypt doesn’t want hundreds of Palestinians to flood into Egypt. Why don't they open their borders and consider a single state solution with Egypt and Gaza?

Arab protestors have responded with the ultimate insult:

On Sunday, demonstrators marched outside Egyptian embassies in Jordan and Lebanon, holding posters showing Egypt's president with Israel's Star of David on his forehead.

Guest Blog: Ilan Solomons

Ilan Solomon’s has over the past year or two become one of the new important leaders in the fight against anti-Israel attitudes and behaviours on and off university campuses in South Africa. He is the current SAUJS National Political Officer and is also the former Wits Political Officer.

He sent in the following guest blog on a recent experience at a Palestine Solidarity Committee event which took place late last year.

---

My experience at a PSC event in Brixton
Ilan Solomons

I write this short description of how I was treated at a PSC event which I recently attended at Nsako House in Brixton.

A friend of mine on facebook invited me to the screening of a few movies by the Palestinian Solidarity Committee (PSC), a few weeks back. Now I fundamentally believe that if one has a strong background in the Israeli-Arab conflict and is not swayed easily by propaganda - on either side – then I see no problem with hearing different views on the matter. So I decided along with a friend of mine to take up the challenge and venture into Brixton and go and see this event that the PSC and a few other organizations were putting on.

Some familiar PSC members did their best to hide their shock and clear discomfort with having two Jews that are well known for their pro-Israel activities in their own ‘den’. Well we quickly sat down to take our seats for the films and discussions. Before I continue let me just clarify that we both did not have any provocative clothing on, i.e. Israel or IDF shirts. The only thing that was clearly visible were our yarmulke’s which were just plain unbranded black and blue yarmies. Which as you will see later in this account became an issue.

The one documentary did not run properly, so they went straight onto the next film which is called Occupation 101, which features several supposed experts on the conflict giving over some of the ‘facts’ – as they see it on the ground.

After the film some members of the PSC, were given time to field questions from the audience. The questions touched on a variety of points relating to the conflict, many of which the PSC members did not answer or simply ignored or played down especially relating to the issue of Palestinian terror groups like Islamic Jihad and Hamas.

At first I was hesitant to ask a question as being in the PSC ‘den’ with the only one other Jew besides me was quite intimidating – especially bearing in mind their history of volatile behaviour – I decided nonetheless to ask a question which I felt no one had touched on. The question was as follows “ I understand the situation in the territories are not as they possibly should be, and this needs to improve, however my question is what does the PSC suggest should be done to counter the religious extremism that is emanating from Mosques, Churches, Shuls and so on. It is clear that this conflict has major religious connotations and this issue needs to be addressed, how do you propose this issue be addressed?” Now I would say that is a fair question which is not hurtful nor is it inappropriate.

Well the members of the PSC were not happy with answering the question, and basically swept it aside saying it was a diversion from the greater human rights issue. A few minutes later the stage was given to Salim Vally – the Chair of the PSC Gauteng, he went on a tirade about Apartheid South Africa and how the new ‘Apartheid’ had to be fought by WHATEVER MEANS NECESSARY!!! He then turned to me personally and here is some of what he said “Ilan Pappe – confusing me with a renegade Israeli historian!!! He then corrected himself and ranted Ilan Solomons you racist, fascist, your question was a typical Zionist ploy to divert attention from the real issue, the colonial imperialist Zionist who are ethnically cleansing Palestine. It is racist like this man Ilan Solomons that characterised the white supremacist racist Apartheid regime in South Africa and in Israel today. Ilan Solomons criticizes me for supporting the likes of Islamic Jihad and Hamas but he supports the state terrorist entity of Israel, who is the extremist Ilan Solomons, or myself, I am the moderate that supports human rights, it is the likes of Ilan Solomons that are the extremist’s racists. The PSC is open to all Christians, Muslims, Jews, and whoever else that wants to support the fight against the pariah Apartheid state of Israel and those that prop up this regime. Even you Ilan Solomons are welcome to join the PSC!” He then went on to conclude proceedings by thanking people for coming and by ranting about the racist supporters of Zionism and how it must be eliminated.

This just shows that the PSC is not interested in engaging with the issue but rather seeks to targeting the only Jewish person that asked a question, and by hurling personal insults and calling for the elimination of all Zionists and its supporters. As much as I hate invoking the Holocaust analogy, at that moment I truly related to the Nazi propaganda that was used when they called for the elimination of the Jewish nation, and its proprietors, which we all know what the results were.

I must state that afterwards when the crowds had dispersed somewhat Mohammed Desai – president of PSC Wits did come up to me and say that he felt Salim Vally was out of line, and offered me an apology. Which I had no choice but to accept what else was I meant to do? I mean when you have a full room of people seeing and hearing you being clearly targeted on a religious, and political grounds and having no right of response, it was one of the most humiliating and shocking experience of my life but I came expecting something along those lines, the only surprise I suppose looking back is that it took so long to actually happen.

I wonder whether this is the manner in which the PSC encourages other members to join? Or is this treatment only reserved for its prospective Jewish members. Well this is not the type of reception or marketing that I appreciate, and I am sure many people would agree with me. Can you imagine if the situation were the other way around and it was some one like David Sacks or Zeev Krengel from the Jewish Board of Deputies there would have been a riot or maybe even a Goldstone type report on the matter? It just shows one that while members of the Jewish/Zionist community seek to engage with the Muslim community, in this case the PSC, the PSC not only boycotts our events but when they do come like with the Limmud saga they seek to disrupt and protest against the very event.

This incident will not discourage me, and I encourage the progressive liberal members of the Jewish community to engage with the PSC, I believe in the goodness of man and I believe in a peace between the Jewish State of Israel along side an independent, contiguous and viable Palestinian State! Which is I believe that the moderate Zionist must seek to tame the beast of Islamist extremism, and neo-Islamist fanaticism.

Peace is not an easy task but it can only come about through constructively engaging the other side, and you never know where and when you will find a true partner of tolerance and peace!

By Ilan Solomons

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Of course, these are Ilan's views. Should there be any PSC members who were at the event and have a different story about what took place, I will be happy to post it as a reply to Ilan.

The Despicable Far Right

The Jerusalem Post reports on the handful of uncontrollable far-right wing settlers who completely reject the modern state of Israel who are responding to the freeze of new settlement construction in the West Bank in the way that comes most naturally to them: Barak getting numerous death threats

Defense Minister Ehud Barak has received dozens of death threats since the government imposed a freeze on new settlement construction in the West Bank, defense officials said on Tuesday. According to the officials, the death threats arrived in numerous letters sent to the Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv since the cabinet decision in late November, and included direct threats against Barak's life. Officials said that the letters were reviewed by the Defense Ministry's security team and then given to the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency), which has launched an investigation and has since beefed up Barak's security detail. According to defense officials, the number of security guards surrounding Barak has "doubled," and he is currently being protected at the same level as Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. No one is taking any chances with this," explained one official. "Security has been doubled and precautions are being taken." The content of one of the letters was revealed Tuesday night on Channel 10. The writer threatened to kill Barak if he takes action against Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria. "If you are thinking of destroying the settlements you are wrong - I will murder you," the letter read. "I will hurt you or your children, beware. If not now, then when you are no longer a minister and have no security."

I witnessed this vulgar disobedience first-hand when in Hebron in December 2008. At the time the IDF was removing settlers from a Palestinian market that was closed in 1994 after Jewish extremist (and something of a hero* in these parts) Baruch Goldstein killed 29 Palestinians in the Cave of Machpelah.

All over the place I saw signs that said "Laharog Aravavim" (Kill the Arabs) or "Al Pinui Yeshuvim Naharog Aravim", which, loosely translated means "if you remove settlers then we will kill Arabs"

Whilst I continue to support our right to live in the West Bank and Hebron it needs to be in obedience of the laws of the State of Israel.

*Baruch Goldstein as a hero: I first learned that Goldstein was viewed as a hero when I visited Hebron for the first time on an Ohr Someyach tour. I asked our bus driver about him and was shocked to hear how he revered the extremist. Our tour guide refused to speak about him, but told me that "all was not as it seemed". I turned away as he hinted at some conspiracy theory which recast Goldstein from murderous villain to sacred hero.

Torture of Palestinian Prisoners Continues

Left wing Israeli groups are obsessed with exposing any alleged violations of Israeli laws preventing torture of prisoners, but who - besides for Hamas - will make sure that the torture of Palestinian prisoners in Palestinian prisons will come to a halt?

Hamas: Torture continues in PA prisons

"Torture in Palestinian prisons in the West Bank has not stopped completely," Hamas legislators in the West Bank said, adding that the commanders of the PA security forces have been misleading human rights organizations and the media. The legislators claimed that new methods of torture have been introduced by the PA security forces, including forcing detainees to stand for hours and to stand naked in low temperatures, as well as verbal abuse and threats. They added that according to testimonies of released detainees, many were deprived of sleep for days and held in harsh conditions in solitary confinement. Earlier this week, the PA organized a tour for reporters to one of its prisons in Nablus, where Hamas inmates said that the torture had ended. PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad was quoted as saying that the decision to halt any abuse was an independent one and not the result of pressure from human rights organizations. Fayyad said that 43 officers have been jailed, fired or demoted for abusing prisoners. But Muhammed Mutlak Abu Juhaisheh, a Hamas legislator from the West Bank, said that he was continuing to receive complaints on a daily basis about torture in PA prisons. One of the most common methods of torture being used by the PA security forces was forcing detainees to take off their clothes and stay for several hours in large refrigerators, he said.

Paula Slier at Newshound.biz

Paula Slier is the South African journalist famously sidelined by former SABC news-editor Snuki Zikalala because he didn't want reports on the Middle East written by a Jew. She is currently based in Afghanistan reporting for Russia Today television.

Paula has started revealing the stories behind her reports at her blog called Newshound. I’ve started reading every post and it brilliantly reveals the thrilling but dangerous lifestyle that reporters in her position lead (in December a suicide bomber exploded right outside her hotel – Paula had left the hotel just forty minutes before the explosion).

Do yourself a favour and check into Newshound.biz.

Blaming others for Masuku

The Open Shuhada Stree blog recently weighed in on the South African Human Rights Commission’s (SAHRC) hate speech finding against COSATU spokesperson Bongani Masuku: Shuhada blog - SAHRC finds COSATU spokesperson Bongani Masuku guilty of hate-speech

Although Shuhada agrees with the SAHRC findings, their article focuses on drafting a script in which Masuku is a helpless victim who made hateful remarks in response to deliberately antagonistic and racist remarks from various South African Jews. In particular they finger out the SA Jewish Board of Deputies, this blog, Anthony Posner, and Mike Berger for blame.

I write this response because this blog was fingered as part of the problematic gang, without any sufficient explanation. In my response, I’ll also consider the role played by Posner and Berger, although they are more than capable of defending themselves.

Although Shuhada include us as part of the problematic behaviour that precipitated the saga, they stop short of asking us to apologise to Masuku, which is what they suggest Posner and Berger should do.

Masuku statements

The SAHRC finding was made in direct response to complaints from the SAJBD about statements made by Masuku at a Wits rally jointly hosted by the Young Communist League (YCL) and the Palestine Solidarity Committee (PSC). The ruling, however, also responds to complaints about statements made by Masuku in a comment posted on this blog, and within email correspondence between Masuku and Anthony Posner.

Apportioning Blame

The Shuhada blog thesis seems to be that Masuku was victimised and fell for some clever traps designed to invoke an anti-Semitic response - although they fail to provide an excuse for the far more serious Masuku statements that took place at the Wits rally jointly hosted by the Palestine Solidarity Committee (PSC) and Young Communist League (YCL).

David Saks, associate director of the SAJBD summed up his contempt for the Shuhada accusations in a comment on their blog:

Can one seriously equate nakedly the issuing of threatening and abusive statements against an entire community from public platforms by a representative of a major political organisations to mere email correspondence in which no threats or racial slurs feature? In my view, given the palpable hatred and menace emanating from Masuku’s every response, the comments of his critics were actually rather restrained under the circumstances.

The writer would seem to believe that Posner should apologise for mocking Masuku, yet surely the latter’s grotesque language deserves, at the very least, to elicit a degree of such scorn? And surely Mike Berger is entitled to express an opinion that Masuku is intellectually challenged given the sheer crudeness and puerility of his views without being smeared with bogus charges of racism and intellectual elitism? What nonsense!

One might also add that any read through of exchanges on the net when something contentious is being debated will show, it often gets rough. One can’t put out highly provocative views and then play the victim when the responses are robust.

Blaming IAS

Shuhada claim that amongst others, the actions of the It’s Almost Supernatural bloggers (i.e. myself and Mike) were problematic. But they don't explain why.

Shuahada state that the correspondence started when Masuku queried a racist comment that was placed on my blog. This is false.

The correspondence began when Masuku responded to a racist comment placed on my blog, by replying with a racist comment of his own, even after he saw that the initial racist comment had been removed.

Masuku's comment on this blog precipitated an e-mail from Anthony Posner who asked Masuku if his language "encourages Jews and Israelis to digest [his] critique."

Things at this point seemed pretty civil. Masuku responded by thanking Posner for his "gesture of engagement" and then explained that his comment was in response to the racist comment that I had already removed

This is when I got involved, in a naive attempt to condemn the racist comment that was left on my blog, and to explain that I had removed it as soon as I had seen it.

Claiming that Masuku's first correspondence was to query the racist comment on my blog makes it seem that he first attempted to open a civil dialogue and only afterwards resorted to posting his own racist comment.

Irrespective of whether this was the intent of Shuhada, muddling with the order of the events distorts the understanding.

This was the extent of my involvement in this saga, besides for the public coverage I ran on my blog.

So then, why has Shuhada blamed this blog and its authors?

I can only presume it was because a racist comment was placed on my blog. Shuhada fails to distinguish between posts written by the authors of a blog, and a comment written by a reader. They also fail to distinguish between a comment placed by an anonymous idiot on a blog and a public representative of an important South African institution. In doing so, they use a simple comment - that had been removed as soon as I had seen it - as a pretext to justify Masuku's own bad behaviour.

The Posner Correspondence

Shuhada claim that Posner started "toying" with Masuku on February 13. It is significant that this was after Masuku's comments about subjecting us to “perpetual suffering” and about Jews being “arrogant”.

Posner really had very little to do with Masuku's initial statement that Jews who support the occupation should be encouraged to leave South Africa.

Masuku took his statement further, stating that Jews should be forced to leave South Africa after Posner brought it to his attention that it was the far-right wing of the Afrikaner Nationalist movement that last encouraged Jews to leave South Africa.

Mike Berger’s email

It is important to note that Berger was really not involved in any of this. In fact, Berger's comments were made only after the statements by Masuku. There is also no connection between them and Masuku's comments at the Wits rally.

Shuhada claim that Berger and Posner use their expensive educations to disguise their racism using subtle language.

Although they fail to provide evidence of Posner having done this, their smoking-gun with Berger is this statement he wrote in an e-mail to Masuku:

"South Africa is ill-served by having people like yourself in postitions of political influence. The Middle East conflict is complex and irrelevant to South Africa. Given our diverse population it should be left to those with the direct interest and knowledge to make a useful contribution. That does not include you. "

Shuhada respond saying: "Who did Berger mean by those with a “direct interest”? Jews? Muslims? Whites? Apparently not non-Jewish black Africans."

Readers can judge for themselves, I think it’s a poor accusation.

The role of the PSC

If we are to agree with Shuhada that Masuku just can’t help himself, then it’s peculiar not to look further and target other players who helped elicit these responses.

Surely one of the leaders of the PSC would share some of the blame. It was a Wits PSC leader who sent the initial racist comment from my blog to Bongani Masuku. This leader, with the benefit of his very own expensive education, should have known better. Whilst he was quite right to be offended, he distributed the racist comment on my blog without any context and failed to explain to Masuku that it was just one of thousands of hateful comments that sprawl the Internet.

Another email sent to Masuku, and I assume it was from the same person, alerted him about a comment made by Gary on this blog (and also later removed) suggesting that “Israel-loyal Jews refuse to employ COSATU members in retaliation for COSATU’s evil actions”. Masuku saw no reason why he should just ignore this comment and move on. Obviously the comment was sent to Masuku in order to deliberately evoke a response. In discussing this ridiculous comment, Masuku said:

“Surely, we cant blame Patrick for taking Gary’s email, which was sent to us as COSATU in its very raw form and we did not worry much which forum it came from, but we only knew it was written by a Zionist full of hatred and evil, thirsty for the blood of Palestinians and all who dare stand by the side of the oppressed.”

There was clearly no attempt to place the comment in its correct context – i.e. that it was made by one far-right supporter of Israel with no leadership influence in the community. Patrick Craven eventually responded by treating this threat as if it emanated from the official leadership of the Jewish community!

Let me be clear, I am not holding this PSC member accountable. He is free to email whatever he likes to Bongani Masuku, without any explanation. I am mentioning his role because blaming him is as ridiculous as blaming Posner, Berger and myself, but instead of adding the PSC to the melting-pot of blame (they jointly sponsored the event were Masuku really let fly) Shuhada choose to single them out for praise!

Summary

This whole episode has further diminished the opinion I have of what Shuhada are trying to achieve (one member in an email to Anthony Posner explained it as such “I am part of a broader secular struggle for Palestinian people and the restoration of the humanity of the Jewish people of Israel”).

Initially Posner indeed did hope to open a serious and engaging dialogue with Masuku, but it was Masuku that turned things nasty. Posner just followed suit, the way he does with everyone, black, white, Zionist or anti-Zionist.

Berger’s involvement was so incidental that I am convinced Shuhada made reference to it only as an opportunistic points-scoring attempt. There appears to be no basis to their accusation that his statements were racist, even if you disagree with Berger’s actual argument (I do).

Finally, blaming this blog for a comment that an unknown racist was able to make would pose a challenge to the very idea of an open forum, should anyone actually take the Shuhada claim seriously. We get hateful comments and threatening emails from both the far left and far right. Forums on the Internet often get rough, and if you want to play in them you need to grow a pair.

It's Almost Supernatural

Our beautiful baby girl, born Thursday 25 December 2009...mom and dad are too proud!

Bongani Masuku will Appeal Against Hate Speech Ruling

“COSATU has got members here even on this campus; we can make sure that for that side it will be hell” “COSATU is with you, we will do everything to make sure that whether its at Wits University, whether it’s at Orange Grove, anyone who does not support equality and dignity, who does not support the rights of other people must face the consequences even if it means that we will do something that may necessarily cause what is regarded as harm…” “…The following things are going to apply: any South African family who sends its son or daughter to be part of the Israeli Defence Force must not blame us if something happens to them with immediate effect…” Bongani Masuku at an address to students at Wits University, Johannesburg

We are often told that the Palestine Solidarity Committee (PSC) is a peaceful, moderate and secular (secular…so what?) organisation. This flies in the face of the facts on the ground, most recently, their support for COSATU’s Bongani Masuku. It was after all at an event jointly hosted by the PSC where Masuku threatened to “do something that may necessarily cause what is regarded as harm” to Jewish supporters of Israel. And so it is with no surprise to see that the PSC has issued a Press Release supporting Masuku and informing that he will appeal against the SAHRC ruling of Hate Speech.

Media Release: SAHRC errs in hate speech ruling against COSATU’s Masuku Issued by: Palestine Solidarity Committee 4 December 2009 The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) and the Palestine solidarity movement in South Africa are shocked and appalled by the decision of the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC), which found that COSATU’s International Relations Secretary, Bongani Masuku, is guilty of hate speech and called on him to apologise to the South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD). In a submission to the SAHRC, the SAJBD had accused Bongani of hate speech for comments he made during a lecture at the University of the Witwatersrand, hosted by the Palestine Solidarity Committee and the Young Communist League, as well as comments he had made on a Zionist blog and in a personal email to a Zionist detractor. As Bongani’s response (see below for full text) to the SAJBD complaint illustrates, none of his comments can be regarded as hate speech in terms of the South African Constitution. Furthermore, his comments, in the main, referred to South Africans who supported the illegal Israeli military occupation – irrespective of their religious or ethnic backgrounds. These comments were certainly a trenchant critique of Israel and its apologists and supporters in South Africa, but were not directed at the Jewish community or any other ethnic group. Section 16 of the South African Constitution, the section on Freedom of Expression, states: (1) Everyone has the right to freedom of expression, which includes- 1. freedom of the press and other media; 2. freedom to receive or impart information or ideas; 3. freedom of artistic creativity; and 4. academic freedom and freedom of scientific research. (2) The right in subsection (1) does not extend to- 1. propaganda for war; 2. incitement of imminent violence; or 3. advocacy of hatred that is based on race, ethnicity, gender or religion, and that constitutes incitement to cause harm. None of Bongani’s statements can be regarded as being ‘advocacy of hatred’ based on ‘race, ethnicity, gender or religion’. He did not refer to Jews, as is being alleged. The gleeful and smug comment by the SAJBD, following the SAHRC decision, is simply untrue. Their claim that Bongani’s comments ‘advocate and imply that the Jewish and Israeli community are to be despised, scorned, ridiculed and thus subjecting them to ill-treatment on the basis of their religious affiliation’ is a pack of lies. It is through such lies and intimidation that the SAJBD, the South African Zionist Federation, and other apologists of Israel have sought to chill free expression in South Africa and to prevent any critique of Israeli war crimes. Their repeated accusations of ‘hate speech’ against criticisms of Israel have become wasteful of public resources, and trivialise the very serious charge of ‘hate speech’. Furthermore, their constant, frivolous, and false accusations of ‘anti-Semitism’ against critics of the state of Israel and the calumny of ‘self-hating Jews’ against those Jews who support the just struggle of the Palestinian people against racism and oppression is an attempt to silence and intimidate those who, using their own experience of racism and oppression in Apartheid South Africa, feel they can contribute to a just resolution of the problems in the Middle East. Indeed, we believe that SAJBD’s statement during the Gaza massacre of December 2008-January 2009, wherein it defended all Israeli actions in that massacre – including the use of white phosphorous against civilians, the bombing of United Nations buildings, the murder of civilians, the bombing of civilian infrastructure such as schools, hospitals and places of worship – violates Section 16 of the Constitution in attempting to incite South Africans (especially South African Jews) to violence against Palestinians, and in being clear and obvious propaganda for war. We are shocked that the SAHRC, after receiving a written complaint and a written response to that complaint, saw fit to make such a finding – with the potential weighty precedent that it can set – without even entertaining a hearing on this matter. We do not believe this constitutes due process and believe it to be unprocedural in terms of the manner in which the Commission should operate and in terms of its mandate to ensure the realisation of Constitutional rights – including the right to free expression. We are also surprised that the Commission made such a decision which blatantly contradicts previous rulings it has made on similar issues. Bongani, with the support of Cosatu and various solidarity organisations in South Africa, will appeal this SAHRC decision and is willing to defend his right to free expression – as guaranteed by our Constitution – in the Equality Court and in any other court in South Africa.

See the Voice of the Cape for a more detailed response from the PSC including a cartoon where they employ the stock-standard response that the SAJBD regard any criticism of Israel as antisemitic: SAHRC erred on hate speech

Previously at IAS

• Summary of Masuku's Hate Speech
• COSATU's Masuku guilty of hate speech
• Bongani Masuku at Wits University
• COSATU's Masuku calls on Zionist Jews to leave SA

Useful Links

• Harry's Place - Bongani Masuku and invited guest of UCU
• Harry's Place - BRICUP and Bongani

Summary of COSATU's Masuku's Hate Speech

The post belowis a summary of various statements made by Bongani Masuku against both South African Jews and the State of Israel. I should add that not all of the comments below are to be considered Hate Speech, particularly those in the section of statements directed against Israel. We continue to support Masuku's right to voice his opinion on Israel, however unpalatable it may be. 

The SA Human Rights Commission specifically ruled on statements that were seen to incite violence and hatred amongst students during a speech at a rally at Wits University. Specifically, Masuku said:

“COSATU has got members here even on this campus; we can make sure that for that side it will be hell”

“COSATU is with you, we will do everything to make sure that whether its at Wits University, whether its at Orange Grove, anyone who does not support equality and dignity, who does not support the rights of other people must face the consequences even if it means that we will do something that may necessarily cause what is regarded as harm…”

“…The following things are going to apply: any South African family who sends its son or daughter to be part of the Israeli Defence Force must not blame us if something happens to them with immediate effect…”

The commission found that the "comments and statements made are of an extreme nature that advocate and imply that the Jewish and Israeli community are to be despised, scorned, ridiculed and thus subjecting them to ill-treatment on the basis of their religious affiliation."

THREATS MADE AGAINST SOUTH AFRICAN JEWISH COMMUNITY BY BONGANI MASUKU, INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS SECRETARY OF THE CONGRESS OF SOUTH AFRICA TRADE UNIONS (COSATU)

Compiled by SA Jewish Board of Deputies

1) COSATU to harass, intimidate and disrupt lives of all Jewish supporters of Israel

 “We want to convey a message to the Jews in South Africa that our 1.9-million workers who are affiliated to COSATU are fully behind the people of Palestine… Any business owned by Israel supporters will be a target of workers in South Africa” [Source: Address at COSATU-Palestinian Solidarity Committee rally in Raedene, 6 February 2009].

"COSATU is with you, we will do everything to make sure that whether it’s at Wits University, whether its at Orange Grove, anyone who does not support equality and dignity, who does not support the rights of other people must face the consequences even if it means that we will do something that may necessarily cause what is regarded as harm …[Source: Address at public meeting on Wits University Campus, 5 March 2009]

Speaking on Wits campus on 5 March this year, Masuku used the expression “make their lives hell” on four occasions when referring to what COSATU intended to do regarding those who supported Israel. This included a specific reference to students on Wits campus ("COSATU has got members here even on this campus; we can make sure that for that side it will be hell”) [Source: Address at public meeting on Wits University Campus, 5 March 2009]

"Bongani says hi to you all as we struggle to liberate Palestine from the racists, fascists and zionists who belong to the era of their Friend Hitler! We must not apologise, every Zionist must be made to drink the bitter medicine they are feeding our broathers (sic) and sisters in Palestine. We must target them, expose them and doo allthat (sic) is needed to subject them to pereptual suffering until they withdraw from the land of others and stop their savage attacks on human dignity" [Source: Comment left by Masuku on supernatural.blogs.com/, 6/2/2009]

2) Threats to Target Individual Jewish Families
 On 5 March, Mosuku indicated that vigilante action would be taken against South African families whose children were serving in the Israeli Defense Force:

 “The following things are going to apply: any South African family, I want to repeat so that it is clear for anyone, any South African family who sends its son or daughter to be part of the Israeli Defence Force must not blame us when something happens to them with immediate effect” [Source: Address at public meeting on Wits University Campus, 5 March 2009]

 The biggest problem, said Cosatu International Secretary, Omgabongani Masuku, is with Jewish South Africans who hold duel citizenship with Israel. He condemned the government for allowing South Africans to be involved in what he called “missionaries of Apartheid”. “Israel is spreading and defending Apartheid and we say that South African families who contribute to this must be targeted.” [Source: Voice of the Cape website 20-26 February 2009]

3) Jewish supporters of Israel unwelcome in South Africa and should be encouraged/forced to leave

 “…all who have not accepted or woken up to the reality that we now live in a democratic South Africa where racism or promotion of it is a crime, are free to leave the country. I repeat, whether Jew or whosoever does so, must not just be encouraged but forced to leave, for such a crime is so heinous it cant be tolerated”. [Source: e-mail from Masuku sent to Anthony Posner, 13 February 2009]

 “…all who deny that occupation is wrong must be encouraged to leave South Africa before they infect our society with much more racism”. [Source: e-mail from Masuku sent to multiple recipients, 13 February 2009]

4) Dehumanisation and demonisation of Jews who support Israel

 “All Jews who have risen above the fascist parochial paranoia of Israel have changed our views on Jews, as we thought all of them are inhumane…” [Source: e-mail from Masuku sent to multiple recipients, 25 February 2009]

 “Whenever we speak about their evil acts, we must be called anti-semitic, but they have the god-ordained right to murder, rape and kill innocent children in Palestine. … [Source: e-mail from Masuku sent to Anthony Posner, 13 February 2009]

"I am aware that so many Jews are on the side of justice and only those Jews are people I hold in high esteem, but not those who silently support the massacres, but expect us to regard them as human beings." [Source: e-mail from Masuku sent to multiple recipients, 25 February 2009]

STATEMENTS MADE AGAINST THE STATE OF ISRAEL BY BONGANI MASUKU, INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS SECRETARY OF THE CONGRESS OF SOUTH AFRICA TRADE UNIONS (COSATU)

"Israel supported apartheid South Africa and assisted in the murder of many of our comrades and still works with the most reactionary and murderous regimes the world over, including Colombia (also financed by the US)"

"The source of the war is the occupation of Israeli and not rockets of Hamas or Al-Aqsa matrys. Any people who are occupied have a duty to fight as we all did, we would never support people who only submit to invaders, but will actively support those who are fighting against colonialists and settlers, who have one intention, occupation to steal other people’s land. No jew, however much his hatred will ever deny that FACT that occupation is evil and an injustice."

"Israel is the client and puppet of US imperialism and responsible for protecting the oil interests of the west, which itself was stolen from the Arabs" [Source: e-mail from Masuku sent to multiple recipients, 25 February 2009]

 “The simple thing is that Israel is the source of the problem, without occupation, there should be no need for rockets, full stop!!!” [Source: e-mail from Masuku sent to Anthony Posner, 13 February 2009]" The issue is that Israeli must GET OUT OF OTHER PEOPLE’S LANDS. There would be no need for rockets if there was no occupation, full stop. I am not interested in the hell about rockets, as if there should be pity, you are the agressors, get out of other people’s lands, you greedy lots! We waged an armed struggle against the Afrikaner murderers here and they are in their rights to wage their own struggle until you vacate their land." [Source: e-mail from Masuku sent to Anthony Posner, 13 February 2009]

Previously at IAS

• COSATU's Masuku guilty of hate speech
• Bongani Masuku at Wits University
• COSATU's Masuku calls on Zionist Jews to leave SA

Useful Links

• Harry's Place - Bongani Masuku and invited guest of UCU
• Harry's Place - BRICUP and Bongani

SAHRC Ruling Against Cosatu's Bongani Masuku

Here's a copy of the letter that the SA Human Right's Commission sent to Bongani Masuku informing him that they have found him guilty of Hate Speech. Alana Pugh-Jones from the SA Jewish Board of Deputies makes an important point:

"This really is a victory for all South Africans, not just the Jewish community to whom the hate speech was directed, as it shows that racism, prejudice and hate will not be tolerated in any form in the new South Africa."

---

 

Mr Bongani Masuku

International Relations Secretary

COSATU

Email: [email protected]

Our Ref: GP/2009/0362/UN

03 December 2009

Dear Sir

RE:   COMPLAINT RECEIVED FROM SOUTH AFRICAN JEWISH BOARD OF DEPUTIES

The South African Human Rights Commission (“SAHRC”) is one of the state institutions supporting constitutional democracy, created in terms of Chapter 9 of the Constitution of the RSA Act 108 of 1996.  In terms of its mandate the SAHRC must promote respect for human rights and a culture of human rights. 

The SAHRC hereby advises that a Finding has now been made in this matter, in terms of which the SAHRC finds that the statements made by yourself on 5 March 2009 and certain comments made by you during or about February 2009 on the internet amounts to hate speech that is prohibited in terms of Section 16(2) of the Constitution of the RSA Act 108 of 1996 and in terms of Section 10 of the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act No. 4 of 2000. 

Please find attached hereto a copy of the said Finding for your perusal.

In order to settle this matter amicably the SAHRC hereby requests that you tender an apology to the complainant, the South African Jewish Board of Deputies within 14 days hereof but no later than 23 December 2009 failing which this matter will be referred to the relevant Equality Court for final adjudication without further notice to you.

We trust that this matter will be settled amicably and await your response.

Yours faithfully

_______________________

Ms. U Nyar

Legal Officer

Gauteng Provincial Office

SAHRC

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You can download the SAHRC ruling against Bongani Masuku here: Download SAKS FINDINGS_

Previously at IAS

• COSATU's Masuku guilty of hate speech
• Bongani Masuku at Wits University
• COSATU's Masuku calls on Zionist Jews to leave SA