It's Almost Supernatural

The "Good anti-Semitism" trick

In his book, “The popes against the Jews”, historian David Kertzner recalls a notorious distinction held by the Catholic Church in the 19th and 20th centuries, between “good anti-Semitism” and “bad anti-Semitism”.

“Bad anti-Semitism” was a hatred of Jews purely based on their descent. This was a purely racial form of anti-Semitism which the Jew could not escape. “Good anti-Semitism”, however, was a hatred of Jews who continued to identify themselves as Jews, or who identified with Jewish causes. “Good anti-Semitism” used as its foundation a series of conspiracy theories invented centuries before, most of which are still unfortunately very popular today. Examples included alleged Jewish conspiracies to control newspapers, banks, and other institutions, to care only about making money, attempts to control the world, accusations of usury and profiteering, lack of patriotism and extreme cowardice, etc.

When Church officials wrote anti-Semitic articles, they always defended themselves against charges of anti-Semitism with a caveat reminding people that they condemned the “bad anti-Semitism”.

It’s with this background in mind that I am referring you to an article on a Mail & Guardian ThoughtLeader blog by Sentleste Diakanyo. Sentletse uses the above fallacious defence to exempt his article from charges of anti-Semitism.

I don’t know much about Sentletse. From a short perusal of his blog he seems to identify himself as a member of the new ANC-breakaway political party, Congress of the People (COPE).  He further describes himself as “inquisitive about everything and a master of none.” I wouldn’t argue with the latter claim in that statement.

Sentletse is an angry South African. You see, he is really irked that the SA Jewish Board of Deputies has had the chutzpah to lay a claim with the SA Human Rights Commission regarding Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Fatima Hajaig’s recent remarks about Jewish money, power and control.

Sentletse is clearly writing on a topic that is well beyond his grasp. Take, for example, his vacuous explanation of what anti-Semitism is and why the Deputy Minister isn’t guilty of it:

"It is important to examine whether there is any measure of truth to claims by detractors of the Deputy Minister that she had indeed been anti-Semitic. A common understanding of anti-Semitism would generally refer to prejudice against or hostility towards Jews, although the appropriate meaning is not limited to Jews. I would immediately dismiss as utter rubbish claims that the above comments by the Deputy Minister are prejudicial against and hostile towards Jews. Moreover, these comments have no relevance whatsoever to Jews in South Africa."

Invoking that old play on semantics that “anti-Semitism” is not limited to Jews is a good sign that the drivel defence you are about to read is as bad as the original outburst that precipitated it.

Sentletse also dismisses the SAJBD’s claims that Fatima’s anti-Jewish rhetoric was consistent with classical anti-Semitism, which seeks to portray Jews as scheming, manipulative, and disloyal to the countries in which they lived. In comical style he then uses the very same canards he attempts to dismiss, accusing the SAJBD of “abusing” South African national institutions (disloyal), misrepresenting who they really are (manipulative), and of embarking upon what is merely a “publicity seeking stunt” (scheming). He writes:

"The action by the SA Jewish Board of Deputies is an abuse of such national institutions such as the SAHRC. The SAHRC has a constitutional mandate to promote the protection of human rights of citizens of South Africa. Unless the SA Jewish Board of Deputies regards those South African Jews they represent as Westerners, their much-reported tirade is misguided and appears to be a publicity-seeking stunt. "

After accusing the SAJBD of “fear mongering” he then pretends to take a factual and analytical look at the issue"

"The behaviour and over-reaction of the SA Jewish Board of Deputies is tantamount to fear mongering and a despicable attempt at playing victim to some invented threat to their dignity and human rights. The question we should all ask is whether or not Jews wield immense power and influence in the US. By answering this question we would arrive at an informed conclusion on whether these absurd attacks on the Deputy Minister are warranted instead of immediately dismissing them as I have."

His evidence deserves no serious consideration; it is premised on work done by the hateful, Holocaust denying “Institute for Historical Review”. His views coincide with theirs, producing a foul-smelling concoction of a bravadoismic sense of victimisation. Instead of denouncing the Deputy Minister, Sentletse thinks she should be praised as a brave iconoclast:

"Instead of condemning the Deputy Minister she should have been commended for her will to trounce the preservation of falsehoods and expose these self-evident yet unspoken and vexing truths about the influence and power of Jews in America. There is this fear to speak truth to power that is prevalent everywhere and so is the risk present of having one’s voice silenced with a nauseating anti-Semitism card. It is those of robust constitution who, regardless of the awful consequences of revealing these truths, rise above feeble others who allow suppression of their voices. Criticism of Jews has far too often triggered a backlash of unimaginable proportion, a sign of ingrained intolerance to robust and unflattering appraisal."

Having read many comments across various websites and blogs that have reported on the Deputy Minister’s outburst, it’s become apparent that we stand alongside a very small minority of fellow South Africans who agree that the Deputy Minister’s statements were not only “ill-advised”, but indeed hateful and setting a dangerous precedent.

Many comments have disgusted me - there is a view that Jews have some unfair and mysterious economic and organisational advantage over other groups. This is regarded as an incontestable truth. But some have displayed a genuine lack of historical understanding about what is at the root of Fatima's vitriol. 

Perhaps the problem stems from education. There is a distinct failure to see the historical nature of these accusations and how they have been used for centuries to justify the persecution of Jews.

Conspiracies about Jewish control of the IMF, Jewish profiteering from globalisation, Jewish control of the FBI, CIA and Federal Reserve – it’s all part of the same festering pot of stew which cooks up stories of Jews poisoning Christian and Muslim wells, Jews killing Christian babies and using their blood to make matzah, the Jewish fictional story of the Holocaust and the Jewish plot to control the world.

Jews are not the only victims of the idea behind a group wielding excessive control beyond their numbers. This is a concept that was used in Rwanda in 1994 to drive the Hutu machetes through the flesh of Tutsis who, like the Jews, were also “guilty” of having too much power and influence.

I condemn Sentletse’s nonsense with all my heart, but I will stop short of calling for the Mail & Guardian to remove it. I would rather have this form of hatred out in the open where we can see it, discuss it and attempt to cure the people infected with it.

Update at 2009-02-03

Here's a masterful response to Sentletse's malevolent screed from Conrad Steenkamp, also at Thoughtleader: Sentletse, be careful where you dip your pen

My favourite bit is where Conrad points out that Merk Weber, the nutjob whose hateful work Sentletse so readily quotes from, is also an open racist who thinks it's impossible for black Americans to be assimilated into white society. It gets funnier - Weber's talks are promoted on various white supremacist sites like "white pride world wide". Is Sentletse a "self hating Black," or does anything go when it's Jews you wish to defame?

By the way, I'm pretty sure Sentletse is an active member of Cope, his name appears on their websites.

I should also note that Sentletse has deleted many of my comments from his column. This is quite amusing because (1) he claims to be defending the Deputy Minister's freedom of expression and (2) he wrote the following comment on a DA Facebook group:

Sentletse wrote: It is very clear from these rantings that Madame Zille is getting extremely paranoid and terrified of the prospect of losing the title "Official Opposition" to COPE. NB: No need to delete my comments; the DA has been proclaiming to protect the constitution; and the admin here should equally respect my freedom of expression.

Update at 2009-03-03

David Saks has now weighed in at his ThoughLeader blog - Saks Appeal

"Instead, Jew haters have concluded from this that “Jews have too much power”. It follows that they could only have reached such positions of influence by dishonest means, since how otherwise could so small a group attain such influence? And that leads logically to the conclusion that the Jews must be stopped."

Fatima Hajaig's anti-Jewish comments on YouTube

Kudos to the SA Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) for releasing a recording of SA Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Fatima Hajaig's, revolting antisemitic remarks. The recording was played on e-TV last night (and 702 Talk Radio this morning) and the footage has since been uploaded to YouTube. It includes an interview with SAJBD Chairman, Zev Krengel.

So far it's only got 315 views. I call on other bloggers to post a link to the YouTube clip to increase its viewership.

Fatima's ugly remarks are again quoted below. It is in response to these abusive comments, that the SAJBD has laid a complaint with the SA Human Rights Commission.

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”.

Here's some other choice quotes from the Deputy Minister

"Comrades know very well there has hardly been a day, not a single day in the last 60 years, 60 years – most of us were not born, I certainly was born, but many of you sitting there weren’t even born when the conflict in Palestine began. So, within those 60 years there has not been a single day when a Palestinian has not been killed or injured by Israel. " [...] "The society that professes to respect human rights and the ethics of justice based on the Jewish religion. As I understand the Jewish religion its value system will not condone this. Therefore one has to ask the question, what has happened to the conscience of the Jewish people, of the Jewish society that allows the horrific carnage to continue to be inflicted on innocent people, most of whom are defenceless women and children."

Update - Stephen Friedman - an apologist for anti-Semitism?

One press report on the SAJBD's decision to take Fatima to the South African Human Rights Commission that caught my eye was the Business Day, who interviewed political analyst Stephen Friedman.

Friedman is an obsessive anti-Zionist loved by the local media. He describes the Deputy Minister's statements as "ill-advised" and "foolish" and has accused the SAJBD of using this as a red herring to divert attention from the "real issue". He has portrayed himself as an apologist for a canard that has historically been used to justify the most cruel forms of persecution against Jews.

Does he really believe that the SAJBD has the power to divert attention from the "real issue"? Diverting attention? Come on! It's almost as if he believes that the SAJBD in some devillish way holds the power to end the suffering of the Palestinians, but they are cunningly using this incident to "divert attention". His lack of condemnation and description of the remarks as "ill advised" places him shoulder to shoulder with Fatima in a crowd where it's ok to have these views, but "ill advised" and "foolish" to make them public. Thankfully, the ever-reliable David Saks was on hand to put Friedman back in his place.

But political analyst Steven Friedman said that while the statement by Hajaig was “ill- advised”, the complaint was a red herring and the board was diverting attention from the real issue. “What we should really be talking about is the aggressive campaign to camouflage the attempt by the Israelis to cower the Palestinians into sub- mission.” He said the real human rights issue was that Israel was “destroying what may be the only democratically elected government in the Middle East with the exception of Lebanon”. “If the South African Jewish Board of Deputies was as concerned about the deaths of more than 1000 innocent Palestinians as they are over the foolish remark of a junior minister, I would take their claims about concern for human rights more seriously.” Responding, Saks said the two issues were entirely separate. “Whatever happens in a foreign conflict cannot justify racist attacks against Jews, especially by a government representative. “Mr Friedman is frankly being wilfully blind to the shocking extent of Jew hatred masquerading as concern for Palestinian rights.” He said the board’s position on the recent Israeli-Palestinian conflict was that “the blame could be squarely laid at the door of the Hamas movement that provoked it”.

Irrespective of whether she issues a retraction of her statement and an apology, she should be sacked. As long as she is part of the South African government, they are a government which I can never trust.

Response to Fatima Hajaig’s Anti-Jewish Cabal

It’s taken a while, but there’s finally been some public statements released in response to South African Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Fatima Hajaig’s fevered conspiracy theories about Jewish power money controlling America and the Western world.

The press has finally caught onto these remarks and reports today have appeared in some of the leading dailies. But there has been no real outcry. I doubt we will see many opinion pieces bemoaning the high-level problem here – that there has been an insufferable wound to the vital trust between a government and a community of her people.

Besides for the blogosphere, where David Saks, associate director of the Jewish Board of Deputies South Africa, broke the news, the first group to publicly respond to the Minister were guys I recently had a run-in with - Nathan Geffen, Doron Isaacs, Jonathan Berger, Zackie Achmat and Faizel Slamang. It should be said however, that the Jewish Board had already laid their complain of hate speech with the SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC), so although they weren't the first to release a public statement, they were the first to react and we commend their strong response.

The Geffen, Isaacs et al. letter is available here. Not able to separate a response to blatant anti-Semitism from their politics, the letter begins with this opening salvo:

“We are deeply concerned about the recent invasion of Gaza. We are also deeply concerned by the manner in and the extent to which the South African Jewish Board of Deputies has expressed its unqualified support for Israel's attack which left over 1,200 people dead. Three of us, who are members of the Jewish community, have signed a widely published statement in this regard.”

I don't quite see what relevance their rejection of the Jewish Board and their widely-published but poorly supported petition has. Do their political positions lend their criticisms additional weight? If not, what is the value of stating these positions?

Let’s use the same model but switch the variables – say a Jewish Minister in the South African government made some crude anti-Islamic remarks. Should a condemnation of those remarks begin by expressing criticism of Al-Qaida or Hamas? It's not necessary. If someone at my work says that “Muslims control the world,” I won’t begin my rejection of that opinion with “I condemn Islamic terrorism but what you said is...”

The Democratic Alliance has also responded with Tony Leon, their spokesperson for Foreign Affairs, quoted as saying that Hajaig must apologise or be sacked. I don’t think an apology should cut it – she is responsible for her statements and, as I have already said, for violating the important trust between a people and their governmet. As a consequence she should be sacked. Tony Leon writes:

"This makes it clear that she feels absolutely no contrition, nor believes her comments to have been offensive. "Ms Hajaig’s allegations are nothing more than bargain-basement conspiracy mongering, which would be unacceptable coming from a senior member of any government anywhere in the democratic world." Leon warned that if the comments were ignored, it would create the impression that they reflect the views of the South African government. "President Motlanthe therefore needs to deal with this issue with the forthright decisiveness which it so clearly merits."

Finally, the Jewish Board od Deputies has laid a formal complaint with the SA Human Rights Commission. The full press release has been included below:

The SA Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) has laid a formal complaint against Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Fatima Hajaig, with the SA Human Rights Commission for anti-Jewish hate speech. The complaint is based on statements made by Hajaig at a pro-Palestinian rally in Lenasia on Wednesday 14 January, in which she alleged that the control of the United States and most other Western countries was in the hands of “Jewish money power”. What Hajaig, speaking in her capacity as Deputy Minister, said was the following: 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. SAJBD Director Wendy Kahn strongly condemned what she termed “classic anti-Jewish stereotyping and conspiracy-theory mongering”, which were typically used by those seeking to portray Jews as scheming, manipulative and disloyal to the countries in which they lived. “The Jewish community is outraged by such a public display of bigotry by a senior government representative. As South African citizens, we cannot allow this kind of comment to be brought into this country” she said. SAJBD Chairman Zev Krengel observed that the decision to lodge the complaint had not been taken lightly, but that there had not been any realistic alternative. He commented that not since the era of pro-Nazi Nationalist MPs more than half a century ago had such statements been made against Jews by a senior government official, nevertheless emphasizing that Hajaig’s views were her own and in no way representative of Government as a whole. Charisse Zeifert Head: Communications SA Jewish Board of Deputies

The deputy Foreign Affairs Minister should be sacked not only for her anti-Jewish remarks but also for the lack of diplomacy she showed in her recent "dressing down" of the new Israeli ambassador to South Africa Dov-Segev-Steinberg. She unleashed her fury for 45 non-stop minutes not allowing the ambassador a word in edgeways. Steinberg said that in all his years as a diplomat, years which include spells in the Arab world and Far East, he has never been treated so appalingly.

Haaretz today also reported that the deputy Minister accused the ambassador 'of bringing a diplomat of Ethiopian descent to the embassy "only because he was black"'.

It's been a poor start to the year for our Foreign Affairs department, and as my next post indicates, I suspect things may get a lot worse. 

A shameful day in South Africa

David Saks' Thought Leader blog has a report on an outrageous COSATU rally for Palestine in Lenasia last week. According to Saks, at the rally, South Africa's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Fatima Hajaig, spewed forth age-old anti-Jewish canards about Jewish money and subsequent control of the Western world.

Read the full report at David Saks' blog: Middle East fallout is poisoning our democracy

"The dichotomy between “good” and “bad” Jews came out very strongly during last week’s Cosatu solidarity rally for Palestine in Lenasia. It also witnessed what might be the first instance of public Jew-baiting by a member of government in over half a century as Deputy Foreign Minister Fatima Hajaig informed a deliriously cheering crowd that America, as well as other Western countries, was in the grip of Jewish money power. What the honorable FJ actually said was: “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”. Comrade Fatima’s brazen invocation of the spectre of Jewish money exercising its malign behind-the-scenes influence in shaping world events was greeted with a particularly enthusiastic roar of appreciation by the audience. She even used the words “Jew” and “Jewish” rather than the code-word “Zionist”. In addition to such revolting conspiracy theorising, various other speakers at the Lenasia rally made threatening statements against the local Jewish community.This included calls that anyone with Zionist sympathies be expelled from the country, that “Israeli” businesses be boycotted (a list of Jewish-owned businesses is in fact now doing the rounds within the Muslim community and further afield) and that action be taken against South African Jews who served in the Israeli military. One presenter said: “The common enemy is making inroads in South Africa … the Zionists in South Africa must be kicked out of the shores of South Africa”. Another speaker praised “our Jewish brothers and sisters” who had come out against the Israel Defence Force, assuring them “there is a place in the world we are building in South Africa for you”. Those who had not done so, he warned, had “better watch out because the winds of change are blowing”. Regarding local Jews allegedly serving in the IDF, another presenter shouted (again to rapturous and sustained applause): “We are going to become impimpis, we are going to become impimpis … the business that we are going to carry out with the Jews, with these Zionist entities. We are going to talk to them, were going to find out if their sons have gone to fight our brothers and sisters in Palestine and then we’ll say to them come and fight us at home”. Other speakers included ANC Provincial Secretary Nazeem Adams and Eddie Makue, general secretary for South African Council of Churches. Makue denied that the fight against Israel and Zionism was anti-Semitic, saying that he and his fellow activists only wanted to bring their “Jewish brothers and sisters onto the right path”. “This is a global struggle. We are inviting you to join us in it, otherwise you will be mowed down in the annals of history as people who refuse to support justice and peace” he said, as the crowd bellowed its approval. All in all, it must have been very much reminiscent of a Nuremburg rally."

I'm ashamed of being South African today.

Muslim anti-semitism takes a leaf from the Nazis

Only one week after Hitler was sworn in as leader of Germany, a national boycott of Jewish businesses was organised by the Nazis. Today in South Africa, the Muslim community is copying these tactics and calling for a national boycott of all Jewish businesses.

To date, no group of Muslims of high conscience have signed and distributed dissident letters to the press, distancing themselves from this boycott - [This has since changed - see update]. (By the way, I'm not implying that this means that all South African Muslims support the boycott. But the moderates clearly have to be careful when considering moves of dissent against the radicals. We blogged abut this before when the PSC pressured Benjamin Pogrund and Walid Saliem into cancelling their peace tour to South Africa. In any event, I am just mocking similar Jewish petitions.)

An email circling around South African Muslim inboxes and Facebook groups reads:

Subject: Not with my money

The Chief Rabbi of South Africa expressed support for the criminal actions of the state of Israel. The support by the religious head of SA Jews for Israel, suggests that most SA Jews would have a similar view*.. As consumers we can avoid supporting businesses affiliated to those who believe incendiary-bombing helpless children is justified (the chief rabbi said Israel could have killed tens of thousands, thereby implying the deaths of more than 800 is somehow acceptable). Many of us may not be aware of the wide influence of Israeli supporters in the local economy. Below is a list of SA companies that are either owned or run by Israeli-supporters (based on the Chief Rabbi's views and similar statements by the SA Jewish Board of Deputies). When you transact with these businesses, know that your money may be partly paying for the next bomb killing innocent children in Gaza. Please forward to all those with conscience and feel that they want to express their disgust with Israeli actions.

The e-mail continues with a Nazi style list of business in South Africa with major Jewish involvement.

Retail Pick 'n Pay -Controlled by Ackerman family Dis-Chem - Owned by 5 Jewish pharmacists (CEO L. Saltzman) Woolworths - CEO Simon Susman, his father (also a former MD of Woolworths) fought in the early wars to establish Israel. Truworths, YDE, Daniel Hechter, Identity - CEO Michael Mark Foschini, Markhams, American Swiss, Sterns, Matrix, Donna Clair, Due South, Luella, @home - The Lewis family are significant shareholders Mr Price, Miladys - S Cohen co-founder Joshua Doore, Russells, Hifi -Corp, Incredible Connection, Price & Pride, Barnetts Part of JD Group - CEO D Susman Clicks, Body Shop, Musica - Chairman D Nurek Lewis, Best Electric, Lifestyle Living - Chairman D Nurek Sweets from Heaven - CEO L Davidoff Stuttafords, Spilhaus, Look and Listen, Whitehouse (linens), Sportsmans Warehouse, The Pro Shop, Sportshoe World Units of Vestacor and Moresport - Chairman G Rubenstein Eateries Nando's & Barcelos - Founder RC Brozin Malls Canal Walk - 20% owned by the Ellerine brothers Medical Discovery Health - CEO Adrian Gore (Jewish Business Achiever of the Year 2000) Netcare Hospitals (eg N1 City, Chris Barnard, Milpark, Garden City, etc) - Chairman M Sacks, CEO R Friedland Clothing Pals Clothing MD SR Kagan (President - Hebrew order of David) Appliances Sunbeam, Conti, Goldair, Ideal, JVC, Casio, Telefunken, Fenici, Morphy Richards) Part of Nu-World group, CEO J Goldberg Media Ster-Kinekor, Radio stations 702, 567 Cape Talk, KFM, Highveld Sterio, Kaizer Chiefs - Part of Primedia Group - Founder I Kirsch Financial services Investec - CEO S Koseff Liberty - Founder D Gordon Sasfin - CEO A Greenstein, R Sassoon Ooba (formerly Mortgage SA) - CEO S Geffen Alexander Forbes - CEO Rael Gordon Master Currency - MD A Jacobson Property Pam Golding Properties, Founder P Golding Seeff Properties Rabie Property - CEO L Cohen Madison Property - CEO M Flax Sotheby's - CEO L Geffen Jawitz - CEO E Jawitz Auction Alliance - CEO Rael Levitt IT & Telecom Softline (Accpac, Pastel) - CEO S Cohen; founder I Epstein World Wide Worx - CEO A Goldstuck Telimatrix - CEO SJ Joselowitz Blue Label telecoms - CEO Brett Levy (Jewish entrepreneur of the year) Teljoy & Jasco Electronics - Chairman T Rutstein Transport Value Truck Rental - Founder S Gottschalk Trencor - CEO C Jowell Leisure Club Mykonos - Co-founder A Krok (director of Ben Gurion University Israel) Industrial Bidvest Group - CEO B Joffe (Jewish Business Achiever of the Year) Workforce Holdings - Founder R Katz Plate Glass & Shatterprufe - Director B Lubner (board member SA Jewish Board of Deputies) Bearing Man - Chairman D Samuels Other Bic SA - CEO E Sackstein Saldanha Group Holdings - Chair R Silverman (member Cape Jewish Board of Deputies) York Timber - CEO Sol Tucker Should you know of other businesses that should be added to this list, please forward details to [email protected] . We will verify claims before adding to future update lists. * = Some Jews have distanced themselves from the statements by the Chief Rabbi and the SAJBD . None of the prominent business leaders above are in this group. (My emphasis)

*To get your business removed from this list you can contact Nathan Geffen from the SA Human Rights Delegation, signatory number 1 on the recent "not in my name" style letter.

*See update below.

Clarification

This morning I woke up to accusations of anti-Semitism and defamation due to the final paragraph of the above post. For the record, I apologise to all readers who got the impression that Nathan was in some way involved in the Muslim boycott of Jewish businesses. I never intended to create this impression and wish to distance myself from it. Nathan was in no way involved.

My point was two-fold: (1) That Nathan's efforts are being abused by real anti-Semites who are actually supporting him, and (2) that as a consequence, his attempts to bring Muslims and Jews in South Africa closer together are actually driving them further apart.  

The facts however, are clear, irrespective of what Nathan intended. The Muslim boycott email specifically exempts Nathan and Co. from the boycott. It follows from that, that you can protect yourself from the boycott by signing their petition. This was the essence of my sarcastic remark, which I'll agree was somewhat spiteful but not defamation, and not as spiteful as Nathan's response.

You can read my full response as well as Nathan's accusations here: Nathan Geffen accuses IAS of anti-Semitism and defamation

Update

A group of Muslims have distributed a petition called "Muslims against Racism" calling of Muslims to distance themselves from this anonymuos e-mail. Whilst they condemn the targetting of Jewish owned businesses, they nevertheless support calls for a boycott on Israeli businesses. At time of writing they have less than 100 names on their list. When they are able to condemn anti-Semitism, without first condemning Israel, I'll start taking them seriously. 

It's the Jews stupid

Perhaps too malignantly hateful for the Smoking Socks Award, here’s an egregious letter from the Durban Daily News blaming the Jews for the Mumbai terror attacks.

'THE REAL EVIL OF MUMBAI ATTACK by Saber Ahmed Jazbhay It is hurtful and offensive to read some of the asinine comments printed in your Backchat column attributing what happened in Mumbai to Islam. Mostly irrational prejudice and visceral hate informs those commentators whose lack of identity marks their true agenda. What a pity, when we could discuss this great evil terrorism, and together work towards its total eradication. Will we, now that such hurtful comments have been levelled, ever learn the entire truth behind the despicable acts in Mumbai that claimed so many innocent civilians? Yes, those who perpetrated the odious acts were Muslims and yet there is something intangible, if not imponderable, that requires closer analysis. Incredibly they were young men wearing Versace apparel who made no demands as would terrorists except for a questionable missive released in the name of a nebulous and hitherto unknown organisation the Deccan Mujahideen, which I suspect is just a cover for something more sinister and larger, demanding more respect for Muslims. Those who executed the military-precision operation were not amateurs, but highly trained and motivated professional terrorists who, I suspect, were part of a larger geopolitical agenda and the operational nature and scale of their enterprise suggests that they were not religious zealots. What transpired in Mumbai, as evil as it was, had the hallmarks of Operation Susannah better known as the "Lavon Affair" one of the most bizarre events in Israeli history which occurred in November 1954. Historians will remember Operation Susannah as a Machiavellian charade that played itself out in Egypt in 1954 at a time when a nascent Israeli state was in a state of perpetual war and there was a power struggle between David Ben Gurion's successor Moshe Sharret and defence minister Pinhas Lavon, the latter who was seeking to unseat Moshe Sharrett the dovish prime minister who had taken over from Ben Gurion. British and American targets were blown up in Egypt by a ring of Jewish terrorists and the intention was to blame it on the Egyptian regime headed at the time by Gamal Abdel Nasser, but the affair was blown and the ring leaders, all Jewish, were apprehended and a few were hanged or died in Egyptian jails'.

The writer turns the victim into the oppressor and accuses others of what his letter clearly proves him guilty of – “irrational prejudice and visceral hatred”.

This is not one arbitrary and isolated opinion. It’s pretty much a mainstream school of thought amongst many Muslims in South Africa. It’s totally in line with discussions you can openly hear on Muslim radio stations, blogs, and more recently, some emails that I have been copied in on. Just the other day in fact, I was sent an email going around the Muslim community claiming “an entire city [Mumbai} has been attacked by Mossad and probably units of mercenaries.” (You can see the article discussed in the email here).

I think we have a better chance of making peace with the Palestinians than we do with most of their supporters.

Campus Corner: When Hatred Comes to Wits

Anti-Semitic graffiti adorned walls and dustbins at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) this week in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the modern state of Israel or as the Palestinians call it, the Nakba (Catastrophe). Swastikas and slogans like ‘Jews Die!’, ‘Zion will Die’ and ‘Jews = Magen David = Nakba’ were scribbled in red paint.

The graffiti appeared after the Palestinian Solidarity Committee convinced officials to allow the graffiti wall to be used to debate the Israeli – Palestinian conflict.

It is unthinkable that in our multi-racial democracy, on one of the country's most liberal universities, such crude racism would be so openly displayed. The graffiti has now been removed but much more needs to be done. Those responsible for the promotion of this anti-Jewish hatred and vandalism on campus need to be found and charged. Moreover a public condemnation from the university must be issued.

The irony of these sorts of ugly incidents is that in addition to inciting hatred against Jews, they only serve to weaken the Palestinian cause. For it gives credence to the argument that pro-Palestinian activism has at its core some element of anti-Semitism.

Perhaps we shouldn't be too surprised when students are able to distribute this trashy incitement on campus.

Related

• IAS Campus Corner

If you see anything that you think we should include on our Campus Corner, be sure to let us know. Our email is at the top-right of this blog.

AMP Councillor Facing Allegations of Disgraceful Racism

The Cape Times reports that an investigation of Africa Muslim Party Councillor Badih Chabaan revealed allegations of toxic racism and anti-Semitism.

He is alleged to have called Independent Democrats leader Patricia de Lille a “coloured k***ir". Other allegations involve an intense hatred of Jews.

He is alleged to have said there was something about Jews that everyone “wants to f**k them” and it was “time for the Jews to be f***ed again”. Chabaan allegedly said the “final solution would be when five or six million Jews are bombed in one day” and Jews were “repressed and scared and slept with their eyes open for fear of being robbed”.

Chabaan denies all allegations. He claims that he does not hate Jews, in fact, all of his friends are Jewish.

Of the allegations that he made racial and anti Semitic comments, Chabaan said “My advocate and attorney are both Jews. My doctor is Jewish and all my friends and people I play cards with are Jews.”

Despite referring to black people as “k****rs” Chabaan reminded us that this is not apartheid South Africa.

Chabaan said he had been waiting since June to listen to the tape recordings and to read the affidavits of councillors. Never mind the city’s deadlines. This is not 1976 and the Speaker is not Jimmy Kruger (apartheid minister of justice and police). We want a reasonable time to study the tapes. We are entitled to a copy of the tapes. Without it we cannot conduct a proper defence.

We should refrain from automatically associating the Africa Muslim Party with these slurs because Chabaan is also alleged to be forming a new political party called the National People’s Party once the floor-crossing period is in play. That said, as Chris Roper explained, they're not exactly the party of tolerance: Africa Muslim Party ‘Full of Hate’

SA Silent on Ahmadinejad’s Call for Israel’s Destruction

Once again there is an eerie silence in the hall of the South African Department of Foreign Affairs in response to the Iranian president’s latest call for the eminent destruction of the Jewish state. In a speech over the weekend Ahmadinejad declared that

With God's help, the countdown button for the destruction of the Zionist regime has been pushed by the hands of the children of Lebanon and Palestine…By God's will, we will witness the destruction of this regime in the near future.

Once again Iran’s genocidal leader has expressed his desire for the annihilation of Israeli Jews. This comment serves to re-enforce the fact that Iran cannot be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons. It would be like giving fire to a pyromaniac. But South Africa continues to defend Iran’s right to develop nuclear technology.

To what lengths does the regime have to go before the South African government will criticise them? When they called for ‘Israel to be wiped off the map’ we remained silent; when they hosted a conference to deny the holocaust we remained silent and when the United Nations tabled a resolution to condemn this blatantly anti-Semitic action South Africa did not even bother to show up.

What has become of South African foreign policy? How can a government that was forged out of a struggle against racism remain silent in the face of Iran’s murderous anti-Semitism? Our refusal to speak out renders us complicit in Ahmadinejad’s incitement to genocide.

Update
South Africa were also silent on a UN Security Council vote establishing an international criminal tribunal to investigate the 2005 assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

What Were Those Jews 'Really Doing'?

A letter to the Pretoria News by the chairman of the Pretoria Council of the SA Jewish Board of Deputies answers the ‘concerns’ of a letter writer who alleged that something sinister was taking place at the Pretoria cemetery last week.

The sinister event? It was nothing other than the commemoration of the 6 million Jews killed in the Holocaust.

I refer to the letter by “Concerned Resident” headlined “Jews refused us entry to cemetery” (Pretoria News, April 20). It appears to be a deliberate attempt to inflame passions and cast aspersions on the Jewish community. It is devoid of truth. On Sunday April 15 the annual Holocaust memorial service was held at the Jewish section of the Rebecca Street cemetery. Because of previous unfortunate experiences and the presence of seven foreign diplomats, a representative from the Department of Foreign Affairs and other dignitaries, two marshals were placed at the main entrance to informally screen all arrivals and assist those unfamiliar with the locality They were instructed to be polite and non confrontational. ‘Concerned Resident’ arrived behind the vehicle of one of the ambassadors who had stopped at the entrance to identify himself. When ‘Concerned Resident’ then stopped he enquired about the presence of the diplomat and was told that this gentleman was attending a private function. During the 90 minute memorial service people arrived to visit graves in other sections of the cemetery. While the marshals enquired about their intended destination, none was denied entry as this would have been contrary to our undertaking with the Tshwane Metro Council. Concerned Resident claims that he as a ‘black person’ was denied entry. But he then admits that he drove into the cemetery and went about his business. He further claims that he had only 10 minutes to perform his ritual. All this is not only illogical but also a blatant lie as the marshals made no attempt to interfere with the activities of any visitor. On finally leaving the cemetery this gentleman whose identity is known from his vehicle number plate slowed at the gate and shouted,”You lied to me. It’s a f***** Jewish function.” Before this, one of the marshals had been called a “bloody Jew” by another female visitor. It is this very bigotry that unfortunately necessitates some level of security. In answer to the question by “Concerned Resident” – “What were they really doing?” - let me inform him that contrary to any conspiracy theories that he appears to harbour, we were doing what we do every year - mourning the murder of 6 million innocent Jews by people with an equally negative agenda. Finally, I wish to take issue with the Pretoria News regarding the misleading and inflammatory head line given to the letter from “Concerned Resident”. It labels Jews as guilty of taking this apparent action without making any attempt to establish the truth. A newspaper of this stature should know better. Victor Gordon, Brooklyn Chairman Pretoria Council SA Jewish Board of Deputies