Aiding and abetting atrocities

On Saturday, we witnessed the release of three more hostages from Gaza, an occasion marked by relief at their return and profound horror at their condition. The emaciated bodies of Ohad Ben Ami, Eli Sharabi, and Or Levy serve as a chilling reminder of some of the darkest chapters in our history. Their testimonies paint an even grimmer picture – of cruelty, torment, and unimaginable suffering at the hands of Hamas. Each word they have shared underscores the desperate urgency of securing the release of those still held captive.

We were further appalled by the grotesque spectacle of their release, orchestrated as yet another propaganda display. In a particularly depraved act, Hamas forced Eli Sharabi to read a statement in Hebrew expressing his hope to reunite with his family, all the while knowing that his wife and two daughters were brutally murdered on 7 October and that his brother perished in captivity.

This ongoing atrocity has been aided and abetted not only by Hamas itself, but by those in South Africa and around the world who have offered it support. It’s not mere indifference that has allowed these horrors to unfold, but the active complicity of those who have protested on Hamas’s behalf, engaged with its leaders, legitimised, and lent credibility to its cause.

Heartbreakingly, this week we also learnt that hostage Shlomo Mantzur (85) was murdered on 7 October, and that his body is being held in Gaza, serving as yet another reminder of the savagery and tragedy of the day. We have also been informed that signs of life have been received for a number of other hostages, including twins Gali and Ziv Berman and Yossef Ohana, and we continue to pray for their safe return to their families.

The grave physical and psychological toll on the hostages is a clarion call for action. We again urge the South African government to condemn unequivocally the mistreatment of hostages, and to demand the immediate and unconditional release of all those still held by Hamas.

Last week, I was in attendance at the opening of Parliament and the delivery of the State of the Nation Address (SONA) in Cape Town as a representative of the South African Jewish Board of Deputies. In his address, President Cyril Ramaphosa opened with the statement, “We will not be bullied,” a clear nod to the ongoing diplomatic tension between South Africa and the United States.

We were also proud to see two young representatives of the Board, Gabi Farber and Brad Gottschalk, invited by the media to participate in the televised SONA watch party, where they had the opportunity to share their perspectives on national issues. Their articulate contributions reinforced the importance of our community having a voice in these critical discussions.