South African Minister of Intelligence Ronnie Kasrils has stooped to an all time low. In the past, he has called Israelis baby killers, likened IDF actions in the Territories to those of the Nazis, declared Israel worse than apartheid and questioned the patriotism and loyalty of South African Jews. As if this was not bad enough, Kasrils has now challenged the validity of Judaism’s (not only Political Zionism) very foundation.
In an article in the Cape Times today Kasrils, citing Israeli archaeologist Prof Ze’ev Herzog, claims
the Israelites were never in Egypt; did not wander in the desert; did not conquer the land in a military campaign and did not pass it on to the 12 tribes of Israel. |
If the Israelites were never in Egypt than the Jewish festival of Passover is a fraud. But worse, if the Jews never wandered in the desert, than they could not have received the Torah on Mount Sinai. And by denying the receiving of the Torah on Mount Sinai, Kasrils is denying the validity of Judaism itself.
Kasrils’ attack on Judaism doesn’t stop there. He claims that the Jewish Monarchies of David and Solomon were at most a small tribal kingdom and certainly not the region superpowers Zionists (but in fact the Torah and therefore all Jews) maintain. This is not the first time Kasrils has publicly questioned the existence of the biblical Kingdom of Israel. He expressed these same views in a pseudo academic treatise on the ‘history’ of Israel published in the official ANC journal Umrabulo.
It is completely unacceptable for a minister in the South African government to be publically delegitimising the Jewish religion. Can you imagine the outcry had he questioned the validity of Mohamed’s epiphany in the cave or Paul's revelation on the Road to Damascus. Kasrils’ jihad is no long aimed at just Israel and Zionism but Judaism itself. The time has now come for the Beth Din and Chief Rabbi to speak out.
Previously at IAS
Steve, I believe you're refering to Paul's (Saul of Tarsus') revelation on the road to Damascus, not Peter...
Posted by: Hard Rain | June 13, 2007 at 16:33
Kasrils is doing what Arafat did. Dennis Ross speaks eloquently about how Arafat killed the peace process by refusing to accept the religious claims of his opponents.
Kasrils could not accept that the Jews would retain the Western wall. He argued that the temple never stood in Jerusalem. Imagine Israel refused to grant the Palestinians sovereignty over the temple Mount (which they did agree to) claiming that Mohammed never ascended to heaven from that spot!
In the negotiations both sides needed to accept the religious claims of the other. They did not need to believe them, but they needed to accept that the other side believes them.
You can't negotiate whilst denying the fundamental beleifs of your opponents.
Kasrils has shown that he (and South Africa because as has been said many times before, the ANC does not allow Cabinet ministers to have personal opinions) intend to worsen the Middle East situation rather than improve it. They are doing this by hardening the position of the Palestinians, encouraging them to hold out for TOTAL VICTORY.
This conflict will never end if either side believes it can attain a total victory.
Kasrils should be sacked.
Posted by: Steve | June 13, 2007 at 16:34
Aside: it's Judaism, not Judiasm.
(Apologies for being such a stickler)
I'm sure you've noticed Zapiro's latest offering (see today's M&G) of the two school children. Aside from the usual nonsense reflected in his writing on the board, what is really fun to appreciate is the old "bittere gelegte", at the truism that we always come out looking stronger, more in control and more secure in the anti-semitic press.
With respect to the caption on the board, what Zapiro seems to forget is that Israel is amongst the more concerned about genuine HR violations (e.g. Darfur - have you heard of any other countries accepting sudanese refugees? or any other country's press complaining that the refugees aren't being treated well enough?), the other irony is that if anything it really is a case of "them or us" and for Zapiro not to acknowledge that is naive/stupid/self deceiving or all of the above.
Posted by: Hillel | June 13, 2007 at 18:31
Kasrils should be sacked? Definately.. But won't happen, Mbeki refers to Hamas as his brothers and supports their struggle.
More here:
http://www.mg.co.za/articlepage.aspx?area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__national/&articleid=311248
"...we would like to convey to our brothers and sisters in the Fatah and Hamas the same message that [the late African National Congress president] Oliver Tambo conveyed to the-then struggling people of South Africa."
Posted by: Kevin | June 13, 2007 at 20:48
Perhaps The SAJBD has advised The Chief Rabbi to distance himself from the Kasrils controversy? It is debatable whether that is an astute political strategy. It would be interesting to read Joel Pollak's comment.
Posted by: The Blacklisted Dictator | June 13, 2007 at 21:26
"If the Israelites were never in Egypt than the Jewish festival of Passover is a fraud. But worse, if the Jews never wandered in the desert, than they could not have received the Torah on Mount Sinai. And by denying the receiving of the Torah on Mount Sinai, Kasrils is denying the validity of Judaism itself".
And he is also denying the validity of Christianity.
The churches should demmand that this venomous hate-monger be removed.
Posted by: Gary | June 13, 2007 at 21:33
Good point Gary, in fact he'd be denying the Muslim tradition too (though the extent to which they genuinely practice & learn the "old testament" is debatable). Cricket's chirping from all the Imam's in SA! Obviously it must be ok to insult the Prophet Muhammad as long as it's for purposes of delegitimising Jews.
Posted by: Hillel | June 14, 2007 at 10:37
The Minister of Intelligence should get the facts straight. I highly recommend Kenneth Kitchen's mmonumental masterpiece "On the Reliability of the Old Testament".
Posted by: TC | June 14, 2007 at 19:38
That is the sick thing about modern Islam today.
They will jump into bed with absolutely anyone who hates Israel, no matter what else they stand for.
Atheist communists, homosexuals, radical lesbi-feminists.
Most of Islam today stands first and foremost for hatred of Israel and her friends, and the rest is subsidiary.
This is not the religion as it was 50 years ago.
Posted by: Gary | June 18, 2007 at 20:35