South African Jewry pressured to denounce Israel

 In 1961 following Israel´s vote at the United Nations to condemn the racist policies of the Apartheid regime, then South African Prime Minister H. F. Verwoerd presented the local Jewish community with an ultimatum: either publicly castigate Israel or face the wrath of his not-exactly pro Jewish government. To their eternal shame the then leadership of the Jewish community chose the former. Almost half a century later South African Jewry is being pressured into making a similar choice. Local South African Muslim organisations this time have attempted to pressure the Jewish community into denouncing Israel´s actions in Gaza. But this time the current leadership of the community has remained united and firm in its support for the Jewish state´s right to engage in this self defensive war in Gaza.

A strong joint statement, released last week by the South African Jewish Board of Deputies, South African Zionist Federation and the Office of the Chief Rabbi, states unequivocally that the local Jewish community is 100% behind Israel. It reads as follows:

“The South African Jewish Community firmly supports the decision of the government of Israel to launch a military operation against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Bearing in mind the inevitable loss of life which occurs in every military conflict, we share with the citizens of Israel the heavy heart with which they have embarked upon this operation. Israel has done everything in its power to avoid the situation in which it finds itself, including the dismantling and evacuation of all Jewish settlements in Gaza over three and a half years ago. Israel's gesture of peace, however, has been met by a barrage of thousands of missiles which have rained down upon the villages, towns and cities of southern Israel. Hamas's decision to fire, without provocation, approximately 80 rockets per day into Israel after the expiry of the recent cease-fire forced the Government of Israel to take the necessary steps which every civilised state is required to do in order to protect its own citizens from further terror and attacks. We hope that the Israeli Defence Force is able to carry out its mission with the minimum loss of life and casualties. The Jewish Community of South Africa calls upon the South African Government as well as the ruling African National Congress Party (ANC) to act in a balanced and constructive manner towards the conflict in Gaza. We hope that the Government and the ANC use their special relationship with the Palestinian leadership to persuade them once and for all to enter into peaceful negotiations with Israel. These negotiations will hopefully lead to the fulfilment of what the South African Government and the ANC have repeatedly stated is the desired outcome for the region, namely the achievement of a two-state solution which allows Israelis and Palestinians to live peacefully side by side with one another. The leadership of the South African Jewish Community understands thatmany citizens of South Africa have strong ties to participants in the Gaza conflict, and we urge the communities in question to join the Jewish Community in ensuring that the conflict in the Middle East is not imported into South Africa and is not allowed to disrupt the excellent relationships which exist between all of the communities and peoples of South Africa.”

I have no doubt that this statement has the support of the vast majority of South African Jewry, not out of some sense of religious solidarity but out of a deep belief that the state of Israel, on balance in this conflict, has the moral high ground. The vast majority recognise that this is a defensive war aimed at preventing rockets being fired indiscriminately on Israeli population centres. The vast majority understand that Hamas and not Israel, is squarely to blame for its cause. The vast majority also know that the high civilian death count is not an indication of Israel´s disregard for Palestinian lives but of Hamas´ sick tactic of using their own people as human shields.

Certain Muslim organisations in South Africa have responded by denouncing local Jewish leaders. In particular Chief Rabbi Goldstein has come in for serious attack. These groups have called for him to be removed from the prestigious National Religious Leaders' Forum comprising clerics from all the major faiths. Muslim Judical Council spokesman Nabeweya Malick said his organization was questioning Goldstein's position and "whether he holds the necessary moral and ethical authority to be part of this noble forum."  *Worse still, these Muslim organisations have been coordinating with Far Leftwing Jewish groups to organise a petition against the mainstream South African Jewish response (See full clarification on this here). They have managed to garner so far about 160 signatures. This action is clearly an attempt to show the broader South African community that despite the Jewish leadership’s stance, there are still some `good South African Jews’.

In the face of these despicable tactics against the local Jewish community, the leadership, to their credit, has remained steadfast in its support for Israel. They organised a prayer rally on Sunday where over 2000 people attended. In addition, today in the Cape Times the South African Jewish Board has hit back at its Jewish detractors and reiterated its support for Israel.

This new tactic of Israel’s enemies of targeting the local Jewish community is an extremely dangerous development. Being forced to tow the Hamas line should never be made a litmus test of our patriotism or morality. The New South Africa is supposed to be based upon the notion of diversity and the tolerance for different views. Many may not like our political positions on the conflict but that does not reduce our right to hold and express them freely. This insidious tactic does not only pose a threat to us, but also to South Africa`s democratic institutions.

Update

We have been asked to either remove or edit our claim that there was coordination between Nathan Geffen's "not in my name" style letter and various Muslim groups such as the PSC. The reason this claim was made is because the Voice of the Cape website predicted the petition before it was publicly released. The VoC website wrote:

According to Dr Farid Essack of the Palestine Solidarity Group in Cape Town, moves were afoot to produce a statement from within the community that would counter the SAJBD statement.

Comments

[Brett Chatz]

Analysis of the war being waged against the radical Islamic terrorist group

Who is to blame for the latest ongoing crisis in the Middle East?

Hamas is to blame. A definition of whether Hamas should be considered a terrorist group or a militant group is extremely important here.

Who is Hamas and what do they want?

* Hamas is a radical Islamic group engaged in violent activity against their rivals in the Gaza strip and the West Bank and Israel. Their struggle is founded on their desire to rid 'Palestine' of the 'Zionist imperialists' and to create a new Islamic order where Sharia Law rules supreme. Democracy, liberalization, freedom of speech and belief are not part of the deal. Hamas is a proxy organization of the fanatical Iranian regime, which is hell-bent on destroying Western influence in the region, and indeed the world. Israel is at the heart of their wrath. Without Israel there is no scapegoat for the failings of these radical dictatorships. Democracy is an affront to autocratic, despotic regimes - propped up by no more than a fickle support base. Radical Islamic doctrine is being spewed to the disillusioned masses of the Muslim world, where it is digested with such alacrity that it multiplies exponentially while being taken as holy writ.

Hamas is not interested in the plight of their own people. To many this may appear to be unfounded, but this is a qualified statement. For a group to be considered a viable, responsible and effective leadership entity it needs to respect its populace, work for the upliftment and well-being of its citizenry, and act as a responsible public citizen. Hamas has done none of the above. Since violently assuming power, Hamas has killed hundreds of people, imprisoned opponents, used public funds for weapons purchases and run the Gaza strip with an iron fist. Proponents of the group are quick to point out that Hamas was democratically elected. What they are less likely to admit to is that Hamas violently clashed with rival Fatah supporters. Scores of dead and injured resulted. Imprisonments, beatings and clampdowns on the press and opposition groups resulted. Hamas rules by the sword - by blood and iron. Hamas indiscriminately targets Israeli civilians and purposely targets Palestinian opponents.

Their puppet masters are Iran and Syria. These regimes are hellbent on Israel's destruction. These regimes are supported by nations such as Venezuela, Cuba, Russia, Bolivia and the like. These are the enemies of Western style governance and democracy. Iran is the sworn enemy of Israel. Hamas, like their better equipped and better trained brothers in Southern Lebanon - Hezballah - are radical Islamists. Their stated goal is Israel's destruction. The Hamas Charter calls for the following:

Read the Hamas Charter

Given the Hamas Charter and their repeated rejections of mutual co-existence with Israel, is it any wonder that diplomacy is not an option? Hamas is willing to shed every last drop of Palestinian blood in order to achieve their pre-stated goal of Israel's destruction. Hamas is being funded, trained and supplied by Iran.

Iran is actively seeking the rapid development of enriched Uranium for nuclear warhead material. That Mahmoud Ahmedinejad has repeatedly called for Israel to be wiped off the map is nothing new. The world is aware of the precarious predicament that it is now facing. The Middle East problem is not confined to a specific geographic location. It's a war of ideologies. It's a war of radicalism against moderates. It's a war for the very essence of democracy. The fall of Israel is not the fall of the Jewish state. It is the fall of freedom. It is the fall of hope and prosperity in a world that is teetering on the brink of a dangerous precipice. Israel has but one option - survival at any cost.

A victory for Hamas would occur by sheer dint of Israel's lack of will to enforce its terms on the group in Gaza. A victory for Hamas will be for the free world to enforce sanctions against Israel. Hamas will gladly claim kudos by seeing an Israeli soldier kidnapped or killing an Israeli civilian. Hamas needs only to convince the international press that they are the victims - while they are clearly the terrorist perpetrators in the region. Hamas knowingly fires from civilian areas. Hamas uses civilians as shields. Hamas proudly declares its opposition to a long-term ceasefire - one where it will not buy time to rearm and wage another horrific war against Israel. Hamas is not held to account for what they do, because they are perceived as victims by an overly eager liberal and misguided press. The world will witness the consequences of appeasement. Hamas - the Iranian puppet - will surge ahead in popularity rankings while the world looks on in earnest. The world has yet to feel the wrath of radical Islam. September 11 was a tragic day, but what is to come with the Iranian war machine and all its allies will be nothing short of Armageddon. The Iranians are months away from the bomb. They are months away from changing the balance of power in the world.

Where are the moderates when all the radicals are running rampant? Where are the backers of Egypt and Saudi Arabia? Where are the moderate Jordanians and the masses of peace-loving Muslims who can see through the carcinogenic facade that is Iran's handiwork in the Middle East?

[Nathan Geffen]

Where do you get your facts Mike? Do you just make them up as they suit you? Doron and I have not co-ordinated with any Muslim groups in developing or circulating the response to the Board of Deputies et al.

For the record: I wrote the response shortly after receiving the Board of Deputies statement. I circulated it. Doron and others improved it and the response to it has been fantastic.

I find it interesting that you can describe as despicable a balanced statement signed by people like Nadine Gordimer, Anton Harber, Jonny Steinberg, Max Price, Deborah Posel, Graeme Bloch, Leslie London, David Lewis and many others, without the least embarrassment.

Incidentally, here is the link to the statement with the latest list of signatories:
https://dl.getdropbox.com/u/193052/responsetoBOD.html