Ronnie Kasrils: SA Minister of Totalitarian Affairs

Hot on the heels of signing a defence pact with one of Africa’s most repressive regimes (Zimbabawe), Minister Kasrils spent the last week breaking pita with the leadership of the Arab equivalent (Syria). The South African department of Intelligence states on its website that the purpose of the visit was ‘to hold discussions to strengthen relations between the two countries (South Africa and Syria)’.

The choice of Kasrils as the envoy for such a diplomatic mission is rather strange. Someone from the department of Foreign Affairs would surely have been a more appropriate choice. The Syrians however seem to have been ecstatic with the choice. For Ronnie received a red carpet roll out reserved only for tin pot dictators and leaders of terrorist gangs. He met the Syrian Interior Minister, Foreign Minister, deputy Foreign Minister, Minister of Expatriates (what ever that maybe) and Syria’s President Bashar Assad.

And the admiration seems to have been mutual. For Red Ronnie did not stop fawning over his Syrian hosts. After meeting Syria’s deputy foreign Minister, for example, Kasrils ‘expressed on our behalf his respect and appreciation of Syria's stances and important role for realizing stability and security in the region.’ I wonder if the poor people of Lebanon now on the brink of civil war (as a result of Syrian meddling) would see it quite the same way. Or the poor people of Iraq for that matter. The Syrian border is only the most popular entry point for foreign terrorist in Iraq.

Not only is the Syrian regime a threat to its neighbours, Iraq, Israel and Lebanon but it is also a menace to its own people. Although Syria has a constitution that in theory should protect the rights of its citizens, a state of emergency has been in place since the 1960’s effectively giving the government absolute authority. More than 4 decades of martial law has reduced Syria to one of the most unfree countries in the world. According to freedom house, an independent organisation that monitors freedom around the world, on a scale of 1-7 from free to unfree, Syria scores a whopping 7 (just like Zimbabwe). It has no free press, no real opposition parties and uncontested presidential elections. Moreover like most totalitarian regimes the Syrian government from time to time murders any potential political opponents. In fact 2 years ago 30 Kurds were murdered in cold blood by security forces for staging a protest against the government.

But not only does our good Minister respect and admire one of the world’s most totalitarian states, he actually believes that South Africa should emulate them. Kasrils told the Syrian press of his visit that

'We've dealt with bilateral relations between our two peoples and governments in addition to Syria's experience in the Security Council as a non-permanent member because South Africa will also occupy the same position next year…I have a lot to tell my president about Syria.’

If Red Ronnie has his way, South Africa’s U.N. Security Council seat will be used not to export the ideals of our democratic revolution but rather in the service of tyranny and terror.

What disgusts me most about Kasrils and his political road trip through the Syrian halls of power, is his blatant double standard. In classical Kasrilspeak, Ronnie called on the West to engage with Syria saying that

South Africa rejects every policy aimed to isolate states and peoples instead of getting them close by enhancing dialogue among them.’

This is the same Ronnie Kasrils who has been campaigning tirelessly to sever South African diplomatic ties with Israel and to impose anti-Apartheid type sanctions on the Jewish state.

Hypocrisy has become Minister Kasrils’ political trademark.

Comments

[Roy]

Excellent article! Put this one is the Jewish Report!

[Rethabile]

Why are there Jews at the "conference" in Iran? And who is Ahron Cohen (a participant at the "conference")? Cheers

[Gary]

Rethablie , they are a tiny fanatical sect of 'Jews; called the Neturei Karta , linked to Hamas , that believes the state of Israel should not exist , because Jews are meant to be persecuted and murdered as part of G-D's will and that the holocaust was G-D's vengeance on Jews for Zionism
They are disgusting vermin who do not reperesent Jews , Orthodox Jews or even Ultra-Orthodox Jews.

[mike]

Rethabile, that’s a great question. As I am sure you have realised Jews are not monolithic in their opinions. There is an adage: 2 Jews 3 opinions. Even amongst orthodox Jews there are huge differences of opinion on religious customs and interpretation of the law.

These Rabbis represent an extreme fringe group of Ultra-Orthodox Jews called the Neturei Karta. They oppose the existence of the modern Jewish state on religious grounds. They argue that 2000 years ago Jews were expelled from the Holy Land as a result of their sin of baseless hatred. Suffering and humiliation in exile are God’s way of bring the Jewish people back to the correct path. Only once he is happy that they have learnt their lesson and changed their ways will he bring them back to the Holy Land. This will be when the messiah comes.

Zionists (religious and non-religious) oppose this interpretation. We believe in auto-emancipation being part of God’s plan. The establishment of the modern state is not an abomination conceived to challenge God’s power on earth but part of the beginning of our redemption process.

These Neturei Karta Jews are self-hating Jews in every sense. So much so that they will conspire with our enemies to bring greater suffering on the Jewish people. They were great friends of Arafat for example. They used to visit him every Friday to provide religious guidance. They are sometimes derogatorily referred to as Arafat’s Jews. They have also met with Iranian leaders on numerous occasions. They were at the Racism conference in Durban and I saw them at the London anti-war protest on the Sabbath. Their website has some really nasty anti-Zionist stuff. Last time I checked they were promoting books that claim that Zionist collaborated with the Nazi’s to kill Europe’s Jews so the remaining could get the state of Israel. an absurd position of course.

I am happy to answer any other question you have on them. They unfortunately do the Jewish people great damage. But that is after all their aim.

[THE DICTATOR / EMBITTERED CORRESPONDENT]

Just to reiterate: Assad has said that The Israelis are worse than The Nazis. So obviously Kasrils couldn't wait to shake his hand!

I didn't see The Kasrilspeak Syrian +Zim stories in The Mail and Guardian. Perhaps I missed them??
But it is actually quite scary to reflect how willing that "newspaper" is to collude with Ronno Einstein. Perhaps if he was less anti-Zionist, more criticism would emerge. I can only conclude that the pact that he has signed is Faustian.

[Steve]

Hey Rethabile,
Long time...nice to hear from you again :)

[THE DICTATOR / EMBITTERED CORRESPONDENT]

FROM THE MINISTER OF INTELLIGENCE WEBSITE.

Early life

Kasrils was born in Yeoville, Johannesburg, in November 1938. His grandparents were immigrants from Latvia and Lithuania who fled from the Czarist pogroms at the end of the 19th century. His father was a factory salesman. His mother worked as a shop assistant prior to her marriage.

A matriculant at the King Edward VII High School, he excelled in athletics and history.

His initial career was as a script writer for a Johannesburg film studio and then for Lever Brothers, as Television and Film Director for their advertising division in Durban, until 1962.

[THE DICTATOR / EMBITTERED CORRESPONDENT]

MORE INFO FROM THE MINISTER OF INTELLIGENCE WEBSITE.

Favourite pastimes

They include swimming, watching sport, reading, writing and, as he puts it, “a struggling golfer”.

Palestine

Kasrils has passionately espoused the cause of the Palestinian people for justice and national self-determination and believes this is the only way to secure peace and security for both Israeli and Palestinian peoples. He believes that as a South African of Jewish origin he has a moral obligation to speak out against Israel’s unacceptable policies and has founded a South African solidarity group called “Not in my Name”. He has written numerous articles and letters on the issue and in February 2004 met the late President Arafat in Ramallah.

( DID ARAFAT AND KASRILS PLAY GOLF TOGETHER? DOES ANYONE KNOW RONNIE'S HANDICAP?)

[Rethabile]

Thanks for the info, guys. And pardon my non-knowledge (a nice way to say "ignorance").

Are the Neturei Karta Jews succeeding in their quest? Which from your explanations I see as two-fold: first, convince the world that the state of Israel is a non-state, a sin that shouldn't exist, and two, take action to see that Israel does not succeed as a state.

Thanks for your prompt reply, and sorry for interrupting the original conversation. I'll try to come back more regularly.

[Steve]

The question of are they succeeding depends on outlook of the person giving the answer.

An optimistic Zionist would say no.

A pessimistic Zionist would say, to some extent, yes, because the image of ultra Orthodox Jews taking the same position of stridently anti Zionist activists is a very powerful one.

On the other hand, they do the real Zionist left wing peace activists who seek a two state settlement for moral reasons no favours. These guys are forced more to the right (or center) when they see other Israelis campaigning for the destruction (or cessation) of their state.