As the architect of Apartheid, Dr Henry Verwoerd said: “The Jews took Israel from the Arabs after the Arabs lived there for a 1000 years. In this I agree with them. Israel like South Africa is an apartheid- state.” Rand Daily Mail, 23.11.61.
It is therefore doubly gratifying that the South African ruling party, the African National Congress, is considering sanctions against the world’s other apartheid state – Israel. It is a fitting punishment, if only for all those years when Israel broke the arms embargo on South Africa, developed a joint nuclear weapon with it (perhaps if they introduce apartheid in Iran…)!!!
And the most enthusiastic proponents of co-operation with Apartheid were the left Zionists of Mapai and Mapam. And the Histadrut, which these days tries to pass itself off as a trade union but then also owned 25% of the Israeli economy, encouraged its enterprises such as Koor Industries to partner white South African ones, thus enabling much produce to be passed off as ‘Israeli’ – much the same as West Bank produce today is passed off as the product of Israel. In fact Koor Industries formed a joint holding company with the South African Steel Corporation, Iskoor. So let’s look forward to the first official Boycott of Israel by a State.
Tony Greenstein
South Africa mulls imposing sanctions on apartheid Israel
The New Age Newspaper: (02 February 2012)
South Africa’s ruling party, the African National Congress, is a long-time partner of the Palestinian people. This was the case during the 1980s, during the the anti-apartheid struggle and isolation of the Pretoria regime, at the United Nations during the Palestinian statehood bid, and now in the peaceful and nonviolent Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel.
The South African Minister of Arts and Culture and a member of President Jacob Zuma’s cabinet, Paul Mashatile, recently told the Johannesburg-based newspaper, The New Age:
“We want to step up our support of the Palestinians and are investigating a number of peaceful ways to upgrade this support. We have no problem with supporting the Boycott, Disinvestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel.”
W: www.bdssouthafrica.com | E: [email protected]
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BDS South Africa is a registered Non-Profit Organization. NPO NUMBER: 084 306 NPO
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Mel Frykberg | The New Age Newspaper 02 February 2012
The South African government might consider supporting sanctions against Israel as it explores a variety of peaceful methods to step up support for the Palestinians’ fight for freedom and independence.
“We want to step up our support of the Palestinians and are investigating a number of peaceful ways to upgrade this support. We have no problem with supporting the Boycott, Disinvestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel,” Minister of Arts and Culture Paul Mashatile told The New Age.
Mashatile was addressing a press conference in Pretoria yesterday at the Department of Arts and Culture, during the signing of a cultural agreement between South Africa and Palestine.
During the signing Palestinian Arts and Culture Minister Siham Barghouti and Palestinian Deputy Minister of Arts and Culture Musa Abu Ghreibeh, exchanged gifts with their South African counterparts, Minister Mashatile and deputy minister Joe Pehle.
Later on in the year the Palestinians will host South Africa’s Arts and Culture Week, where South African artists and cultural entrepreneurs will present cultural exhibitions from their country.
Mashatile’s statement presents a considerable upping of the ante in South Africa’s long-standing support for the Palestinians and the cementing of a relationship that goes back decades, to when the ANC was struggling against the former apartheid government.
“Your Excellency, we count the people of Palestine among those patriots who stood by us in our struggle for national liberation,” Mashatile told the Palestinian delegation as he recalled former President Nelson Mandela’s 1997 speech to honor the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
“Having achieved our freedom we can fall into the trap of washing our hands of difficulties that others face. Yet we would be less human if we do so,” said Mandela in 1997.
BDS supporters argue that Israel’s continued illegal occupation of the Palestinians territories and expropriation of Palestinians land, water and other resources can only be stopped when sanctions against Israel begin to bite economically.
“We are grateful for South Africa’s support for our efforts to become members of the international community and look towards you for guidance in our continued struggle,” said Barghouti.
The two delegations agreed that future cooperation would include language development, heritage preservation, literature exchanges and exhibitions.
www.bdssouthafrica.com/2012/02/sa-pledges-support-for-palestinians-mel.html
http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/south-africa-mulls-bds-sanctions-israel
Tuesday, August 9. 2011
This afternoon at a joint press conference held at the student centre of the University of the Witwatersrand, national representatives of the South African Union of Students, the South African Student Congress and the Young Communist League slammed the pending trip of “Israeli Apartheid agents” to South Africa.
The Israeli mission to South African campuses are expected to arrive in South Africa on the 11th of August 2011. Palestinian students have written to South African colleagues asking South Africans to challenge and boycott the Israeli delegation.
An extract of the press statement is produced below:
“We, students and youth of a post Apartheid South Africa, who bear the scars of a racist history and who continue to fight for complete liberation, have a duty and responsibility to stand in solidarity with those facing oppression worldwide. Israeli apartheid is one such form of oppression. “Israeli media boast that a mission of 150 Israeli propagandists will be sent to universities in 5 countries to fix Israel’s “serious image problems”. The Israeli mission will begin on South African campuses, with a delegation that includes at least two aides from the Israeli parliament. A delegation member was clear about the intention of their trip: “We have to create some doubt in their [South African students’] minds.”
“Don’t patronize us! We lived apartheid, we suffered apartheid, we know what apartheid is, we recognise apartheid when we see it. And when we see Israel, we see a regime that practices apartheid. Israel’s image needs no changing; its policies do! We urge Israeli students to instead join the growing and inspiring internal resistance to their regime, particularly the boycott from within movement, rather than waste time and money on these propaganda trips to deceive us Black students, South Africans have no need for these Muldergate-like trips.
“A “major focus” of the Israeli trip will be the University of Johannesburg (UJ). On 1st April 2011 UJ’s Senate, with the full backing of UJ’s Student Representative Council, terminated its institutional relationship with Israel’s Ben-Gurion University. Indeed, UJ set an academic boycott of Israel precedent that all other South African and international universities can follow.
“Following UJ’s decision, and in response to a letter sent to us by Palestinian students, we urge all SRCs, student groups and other youth structures to strategize and implement a boycott of Israel and its campaigns. We declare that all SA campuses must be Apartheid-Israel free zones.
“As with the struggle against apartheid in South Africa, international solidarity is key in overcoming Israeli Apartheid. In Nelson Mandela’s words: It behoves all South Africans, erstwhile beneficiaries of generous international support, to stand up and be counted among those contributing actively to the cause of freedom and justice….we know too well that our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians.”
“Issued by the South African Union of Student, the South African Student Congress and the Young Communist League of South Africa.
For the full statement visit
Tuesday, August 9. 2011
Israeli police entered the Jerusalem compound housing Al-Aqsa Mosque on Sunday evening and forcibly removed worshipers, a Ma’an correspondent said.
Israeli police forces raided the Haram Ash-Sharif complex after the Tarawih, the additional extended prayers performed during the holy month of Ramadan after the last obligatory prayer, Ma’an’s reporter said.
The police removed from the site a group of around 30 people, who were spending a special time of seclusion in the area where the mosque and Dome of the Rock stand, as part of Ramadan devotion.
They had at first refused to leave, the correspondent said, as they wanted to prevent further raids by right-wing Israelis on the compound, which is revered as the third holiest site in Islam.
On Friday night, a group of right-wing Israelis entered the Haram Ash-Sharif where they clashed with local youth.
An Israeli police spokesman could not be reached for comment.
During the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast during daylight hours and spend extra time in devotion and charitable giving. Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza strive to enter East Jerusalem to pray at Al-Aqsa Mosque, where daily special prayers are held.
Source: Ma’an News
Posted by nakba in News Tuesday, August 9. 2011
Tension is running high in the holy Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem after Jewish settlers stormed and roamed the plazas of the holy site at the early morning hours on Monday.
The Aqsa guards said that Israeli occupation police escorted the groups of settlers who were roaming the mosque in provocative tours.
They said that the policemen were barricading the settlers in face of the angry Muslim worshipers, who were preparing to confront the settlers.
Israeli policemen and special forces broke into the holy site on Sunday night and forced out worshipers for the third straight night.
Source: International Solidarity Movement
Posted by nakba in News at 20:38
Tuesday, June 28. 2011
This Ramadan, don’t break your fast with an Israeli date
Ramadan is a time of year when we remember those who are less fortunate than ourselves. It would be an affront if at such a time we helped support oppression
Every year, Israel exports millions of pounds worth of dates to the world, which many people unknowingly buy and use to break their fasts. These dates are grown in illegal settlements in the West Bank and the Jordan Valley, on land that has been stolen from Palestinians. By buying these dates, we are in fact helping Israel to continue its occupation and oppression of the Palestinian people.
For this reason, Friends of Al Aqsa will again be launching the ‘Check the Label’ Campaign.
Most of the major supermarkets will stock dates produced in Israel, West Bank and the Jordan Valley. Dates produced in the West Bank and the Jordan Valley are from Illegal Israeli Settlements and should also be boycotted.
