The Israeli lobby has been trying all sorts of tactics to move the ANC away from its principle of progressive internationalism and solidarity with oppressed peoples of eSwatini (Swaziland) and Palestine, but without success.
SA Zionist Federation chair Ben Swartz was trying again in his letter “ANC Must Consider Consequences of Alliance With Antisemitic Group BDS” (May 23). First, there is the usual claim of antisemitism. Then they try to isolate individual leaders in the ANC who articulate and implement the government policy on Palestine.
We saw this when they came for Obed Bapela, ridiculously accusing him of antisemitism; Jessie Duarte, Lindiwe Sisulu and Naledi Pandor of being “anti-Israel”. These are ludicrous attempts to isolate the individuals from the organisation and scare them from speaking out on positions of the organisation as it pertains to Palestine.
The ANC’s decision to identify unambiguously as an internationalist organisation is embedded in our history, the history of apartheid and international solidarity. While the Israeli lobby was working hand in glove with Israel during the darkest days of apartheid, Palestine gave us unwavering solidarity and at times trained our combatants in battle.
No amount of threats and false accusations of antisemitism will deter our solidarity with Palestinians and the BDS movement.
As an organisation and people who benefited greatly from international boycotts, we dismiss the recent false accusation by some in Germany that the BDS boycott of Israel is antisemitic. This warped logic is similar to saying the boycott of apartheid was anti-white. The boycott of Israel targets a regime, just as the boycott of apartheid SA targeted a regime.
May the BDS movement move from success to success and may peace-loving people of Israel and Palestine find a just solution, just as SA did.
Alie Komape, Johannesburg
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