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Anti-Israel demo in Joburg attracts 5 000 on Mandela Day
In response to Israel’s military incursion into Gaza, an anti-Israel demonstration on Friday in Sandton opposite the Israeli Embassy Trade Office accused Israel of genocide and called for expulsion of the Israeli ambassador and the recall of South Africa’s ambassador in Tel Aviv. Protesters called for termination of all trade relations with “apartheid” Israel until it ends its strikes in Gaza and stops oppressing the Palestinians.
STAFF REPORTER
The demonstration was organised by BDS and the Palestine Solidarity Alliance. Protesters were brought in by busses and were addressed by speakers including the SA Communist Party, the South African Students Congress, the National Union of Metalworkers, and the Swaziland Solidarity Network.
Present at the gathering were anti-apartheid Struggle activist Ahmed Kathrada, who spent many years on Robben Island with Nelson Mandela and the former South African ambassador to Israel, Ismael Coovadia.
Several speakers stressed that they were not “anti-Jewish” and denounced anti-Semitism, which they said the SA Jewish Board of Deputies was accusing them of. They were against Israel and the “genocide and killing of children” being perpetrated by Israel.
One of the speakers was Allan Horwitz, a Jewish leader of the organisation Stop the JNF.
Speakers also called for a two-state solution to the conflict, based on the 1967 borders, with Jerusalem as the capital of the Palestinian state.
The demonstration was controlled by marshals, and the organisers called repeatedly on the crowd to be disciplined and peaceful.
Allan Horwitz addresses the demo
Gary Selikow
July 20, 2014 at 8:54 am
‘What makes me angry is them hypocritically claiming they are not against Jews and oppose anti-Semitism but are against Israel. So hate the Jewish State, 40% of the world’s Jews (who live in Israel) and the largest national Jewish community in the world-but dont dare call them anti-Semitic!’
Witness
July 20, 2014 at 3:32 pm
‘South Africa is being used as an intellectual weapon against Israel, if only the people can understand that such demonstrations cannot take place. BDS manifested in Durban so as to use SA’s name whilst the idea is foreign, our people needs to be taught on these matters so that they will not just follow and \”the same enemy\” takes advantage of their ignorance. The question is how to deliver the truth to the mass….?’
Shehnaaz
July 21, 2014 at 12:46 am
‘Dear Gary
Please realize that those that protest are anti-Zionist and not anti-Semitic or anti-Jew. One can be anti-communist yet not be anti-Chinese. For Zionism is a political ideology based on segregation.
Thank you..
Ps: perhaps join in on a protest as an observer .. And you’ll see it’s all about being anti-Zionist.
Thanks for reading.. Now please ponder.’
Gary Selikow
July 21, 2014 at 7:55 am
‘Shehnaaz , what you people cannot apparently get through your heads is that being prejudiced against Israel and Israelis makes you as much as a bigot as being prejudiced against Jews
And Zionism is the national liberation movement of the Jewish people.
‘
Fazil
July 21, 2014 at 1:41 pm
‘Go Allan Horwitz ,Go!
Gary, Zionism the liberation movement of the Jews, not according to ALL Jews!
\”Liberation\” from what and at who’s expense?’
Gary Selikow
July 22, 2014 at 8:26 am
‘According to the vast majority of Jews. Kapo traitors dont count’
Gary Selikow
July 26, 2014 at 7:45 pm
‘An Israeli mother at Entebbe in 1976, one of the hostages together with her family asked one of the German hijackers a question as pertinent to pro-Palestinian agitators and terror-instigators as ever today : \”Let’s suppose that you and the ‘Front’ and all the other enemies of Israel in the Arab countries and elsewhere succeed in destroying Israel, heaven forbid, and the surviving Jews will be dispersed all over the world again-what will you do? Hijack planes to help the Jewish people return to their homeland, or do you only do that for the Palestinians?\”
‘