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Board & Fed met Mahmoud Abbas Wednesday
SAJBD & Fed issue joint statement noting they had met Presidents Abbas & Zuma on the day of the Palestinian leader’s arrival. “The senior leadership of the South African Jewish community, comprising representatives of the SA Jewish Board of Deputies and SA Zionist Federation, met with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and President Zuma at the Presidential Guest House in Pretoria,” reads the media release. Pictured are Fed and Board national chairs Avrom Krengel and Mary Kluk. Read what else they said…
ANT KATZ
“The Jewish delegation was much reassured by President Abbas’ confirmation that he and his government are committed to achieving peaceful co-existence with Israel based on the Two-State model,” said the joint media release.
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“The discussion focused on President Abbas’ views on what form a final peace settlement between Israel and Palestine should take and what needs to be done to achieve this.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW PIC OF THE PRESIDENTS…
“This, he said, means pursuing a negotiated solution aimed at creating an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel based on the 1967 borders, where necessary with land swaps. All issues need to be negotiated with Israel to end the conflict.
“The South African Jewish leadership welcomes the confirmation by President Abbas that he and his government remain committed to a negotiated two-state solution to the conflict with Israel and to working with the Israeli government towards attaining that goal. It further supports all efforts by the South African government aimed at bringing the respective parties together and taking the process forward.
“The Jewish leadership reiterated that as South Africans they understood the importance of direct, face to face negotiations between the parties in order to achieve a lasting peace settlement.
Choni
November 28, 2014 at 3:43 pm
‘Abbas is the leader of the Palestinians who have killed and maimed thousands of Jewish/Israeli men woman and children. For any Jewish leader to meet and talk to this man is akin to talking to a Nazi leader.
Both were and are dedicated to the destruction of as many Jews as possible. ‘
Israeli
November 28, 2014 at 4:03 pm
‘From being the most respected, and admired Diaspora Jewish community, S.African Jewry is now (correctly so) the most vilified. Reading comments in the Israeli media regarding S.African Jewish leaders meeting with the biggest Jew killer since the Nazis this vilification is justified. My own opinion is that the Jewish community in S.Africa is certainly the most generous and caring community in the Diaspora. It is the leadership that lacks courage.’
David Hersch
November 29, 2014 at 5:56 am
‘Thoughts on the Overenthusiastic Sycophant
\n
\nI watched Zev Krengel’s interview on the eNCA News Channel, channel 403, last night. I do have to wonder how come a titular head of the Jewish Board of Deputies takes such an upfront role when there is a national chairperson, but then I know who really pulls the strings.
\n
\nSo what came out was a long interview of the Board and SAZF meeting with Abbas and Zuma. We had the usual claptrap and meaningless garbage of how South Africa has a role to play in bringing about peace between Israel and the Arab Palestinians. Of course this is nonsense as South Africa not only has no role to play whatsoever, it is not an honest broker. I can even concede that, as the saying goes in Afrikaans, he was smeering honey around Zuma’s mouth and through this action keeping the South African ANC government sweet and on the “two state” path, for what it is worth.
\n
\nHowever, in what he said about Abbas and giving the
\nimpression that butter would not melt in Abbas’ mouth, Krengel, in my view, was undermining Israel and playing into the hands of her enemy. We have been treated to a daily barrage of Abbas’ invented and inventive attacks on Israel. The recent terrorist attacks on Israeli pedestrians, the Har Nof Synagogue horror murders etc. Krengel gave the distinct impression that Abbas is the willing peace partner and it is Israel that is not. That is not the case at all and is a great disservice to Israel, undermining its government and for all the lip service, is disloyal and [word removed for legal reasons, David, for your protection and ours -ED].
\n
\nI long ago ceased to have anything to do with the South African Jewish Board of Deputies and the South African Zionist Federation and as long as the Krengels or their sycophants, clones and current crop of employees remain running these bodies, as the rabbi’s prayer in Fiddler on the Roof goes, may the Lord keep the Board…. far away from us.
\n
\nAs for Zuma’s State welcome of Abbas in Pretoria, a 21 gun salute and the usual blah, they have signed three bilateral agreements. I think they actually had nothing else to do and apart from terrorism, what exports do the Palestinians actually have? These agreements were for:
\n
\n- The establishment of a joint commission of co-operation;
\n- A memorandum of understanding on political consultations of the two governments on matters of common concern; and
\n- Co-operation in higher education and training.
\n
\nLet us not forget that the PLO and ANC shared offices under the USSR when they were financed, supported, trained and armed by that country. What do these agreements actually amount to? Nothing! The co-operation on education is a laugh on the one hand and on the other does hold danger for the propagandising of South African youth. It changes nothing as South Africa is well entrenched in the Palestinian supporting camp, it finances fully the Palestinian embassy and ambassador and will continue to support the Palestinians in various world bodies. So much for South Africa having a role to play in Israel/Palestine peace.
\n
\nAs for Mandela’s often quoted ad nauseum sound bite as if handed down from Mount Olympus about South Africa not being free until the Palestinians are free – Feh!
\n
\nDAVID HERSCH
\nSAIPAC
\nThe South African Israel Public Affairs Committee, Cape Town
‘
Dion Futerman
November 29, 2014 at 10:11 am
‘The Palestinian Authority’s official television network, under the rule of PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, presented the five terrorists who murdered Israeli
civilians as \”martyrs.\” The Palestinian Media Watch documented Abbas himself honoring the terrorist who shot Rabbi Yehuda Glick, Abbas’ advisor honoring the terrorists who murdered several people by running them over as well as glorifying the synagogue murderers. Disgusting that the Board and Fed should meet with this advocate of terror who speaks with a forked tongue.’
Mordechai
November 30, 2014 at 1:10 am
‘What a disgrace. Shame on the SAJB & Fed…what a disgrace. Shame on Chief Rabbi Goldstein for not publically condemning the meeting, shame on S Africas Rabbinic leaders for not condemning the meeting and Shame on the South African Jewish community for remaining silent. Abbas is President of an organization who refers to \”animals\” who butcher Jews in a Synagogues using meat cleavers as Martyrs, Abbas is president of an organization who call the murders babies, women and children as martyrs…The families of those Jews butchered while praying in Shule have just finished sitting Shiva and your leaders meet with the president of the organization who call these murderers martyrs…your leaders meet with a man who want condemn killing of Jews without blaming Israel for causing the death of Jews, and your community remains silent….what is wring with you South African Jewry…get some back bone.’
Colin
November 30, 2014 at 5:12 am
‘S A Jewish \”Leadership\”? Is this the joke section?
we have no Leadership. Not political, civil or religious.
What we have is a bunch of self-serving rich boys (and a few girls), competing with each other for photo opps with government and other world leaders.
We are doomed.’
Choni
November 30, 2014 at 9:05 am
‘To top it all the chief Rabbinate has asked the community to \”be nice\” to young Jewish boys and girls like Joshua Broomberg. (instead of utterly condemning them).’
ANT KATZ
November 30, 2014 at 12:47 pm
‘Choni, surely we should be nice to all Jews? Is he is a Jewish crook, lock him in prison. If he’s a Jew who has a different view, tell him you don’t agree. But, unless a Jew is an anti-Zionist or wants to steal souls as a Jew for Jesus, my personal opinion is that we should indeed be nice to all Jews.
We all have lines that we draw. In my case, and very personally, it is Jews who would want to destroy Israel or Jewish souls that is my line. Yours, I know, is far less tolerant. And, to use that wonderful Afrikaans word that I have yet to find in any other language, \”ek gun jou dit\” (I hope I spelled it correctly)- In essense, \”gun\” [\”g\” pronounced like in Chabad and \”un\” like in Gin] means \”I am prepared to accept that you have the right to have your own opinion\” or do your own thing.
Isn’t it nice when a single word can replace an entire sentence, like \”Chutzpah\” – let the Afrikaners try and put that in one word!’
Choni
November 30, 2014 at 4:00 pm
‘Joshuah Broomberg did not express an opinion.
He and his ‘crew’ covered themselves with Kaffeihs, which would be akin to wearing a swastika were it in the time of the second world war. There is no difference between the actions of Hamas/Palestinians, and that of the Nazis in ww2. Both were dedicated to kill as many Jews as possible. Imagine in your worst nightmare if Jewish boys and girls would have worn swastikas when the Allies bombed Dresden or Hiroshima.
There are no lines to be drawn. Broomberg, and Jews like him tear at the very heart of our nation by their actions, never mind their opinions.’
Michael Jankelowitz
December 3, 2014 at 3:53 pm
‘Nonsense to claim that the meeting by South African Jewish leaders with Mahmoud Abbas was recommended by \”senior Israeli Cabinet Ministers\”!President Jacob Zuma summoned these fickle leaders and they obediently,went cap in hand,on the same day the shiva ended for the 4 innocent Rabbis murdered by 2 Palestinian Arab terrorists in shul in Har Nof,Jerusalem to meet Mahmoud Abbas!
‘
Mordechai
December 4, 2014 at 7:58 am
‘Mr Jankelowitz, You are spot on. For the good of the South African Jewish community its leadership needs to challenge the Israel hating South African government. This meeting was just another part of the very sad pattern one can see from the leadership of S African Jewry today. I would recommend that they stop congratulating themselves about the Shabbos Project, and begin to stand up for the Jewish State of Israel. My concern is that if the leadership continues along its current path it will not be long before they begin to criticize Israel…I beg the South African Jewish community to stand up to its leadership and replace those behaving in such a cowardly way. ‘
Clive
December 4, 2014 at 7:59 am
‘I am ashamed to confess that I was born and raised in South Africa. But that was a very different South Africa to what has become of it since the 1990’s.
I had my run-in with the SAJBD in 2002 when I requested a letter from them which would have increased my (paltry) pension by an extra (paltry) 1-2 %. They refused and it was clear to me that the refusal was purely due to fear of causing waves, which could only happen if there was loss of confidentiality.
So I am not surprised by this meeting with arch-terrorist Abu Mazen (his real name). I will also use an Afrikaans expression – gat lekkers‘
David S. Berman
January 7, 2015 at 5:12 pm
‘It is saddening and very disturbing to read that the current South African Jewish \”leadership\” met with this arch terrorist and Holocaust denier, who has repeatedly expressed his wish that the Jewish State disappear. By meeting with this undesirable individual, it debts only to give him credibility. It does nothing to help forward the agenda of the local Jewish leadership to secure a safe future for the local Jewish community. It is nothing more (or less!) than sycophantic ridiculousness. Krengel et co should really be ashamed of themselves! SKAAM! ‘