Bapela’s rant is in conflict with democracy

MARY KLUK

Regrettably, this festive spirit was somewhat marred this week by Deputy Minister Obed Bapela’s uncalled for public attack on students who, under the auspices of the South Africa Israel Forum, had just visited Israel.

Among other ill-considered comments, he accused the students of bringing the ANC into “disrepute”, and charged Israel with “offering free trips and holidays to embarrass the ANC”. The students concerned would be “summoned’ to an investigation.

Mr Bapela’s diatribe against those who did no more than visit Israel to see the situation there at first hand, is disturbing on a number of levels. In a strongly worded press statement, jointly issued by the Board and SA Zionist Federation, we deplored how a member of government had condemned and even threatened to punish individuals simply for exercising their democratic right to freedom of thought and association.

Why, exactly, was Mr Bapela so against visits to Israel by members of his party, the statement continued? Could it be that he was afraid that by being exposed to information and opinions that differ from his own, they might end up coming to the “wrong” conclusions?

What is perhaps most reprehensible about Mr Bapela’s reaction is how much it goes against South Africa’s commitment to dialogue and engagement as a way of resolving conflicts.

In its dealings with other countries, South Africa is quite happy to involve itself in such interactions. At our meeting with President Jacob Zuma and senior members of his Cabinet last September, we were told that government wishes to engage with all sides in helping to bring about a peaceful solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict. However, it would appear that according to Obed Bapela, at least, Israel should be treated differently from every other nation.  

Seeking to prevent people from visiting Israel, whether through threats of disciplinary action, expulsion or other sanctions, is also starkly in conflict with the fundamental principles of democracy on which our society is based. Just two weeks ago, we celebrated the 60^th anniversary of the adoption of the Freedom Charter which, among other things, asserts the right of all citizens to “travel without restriction from countryside to town, from province to province, and from South Africa abroad”.

Essentially, Mr Bapela is demanding that members of his party follow the agenda of BDS-SA, an organisation that aggressively lobbies against South Africans having any contact whatsoever with Israel.

BDS has no compunction in resorting to threats and intimidation and even, as we have since learned, offering financial incentives to dissuade people from going on the trip. Such tactics aim at shutting down any possible debate, and imposing a single, distorted interpretation of events on the public.

It is an overtly fascist tactic, and it is dismaying indeed that it has evidently gained a degree of support within the ruling party.