Criticism isn’t always hatred

Having someone like international antisemitism expert Professor Deborah Lipstadt in our midst is eye-opening. Not only do we have access to the wealth of her expertise, but she brings us views that are untainted by our familiarity with the South African anti-Israel lobby’s form of antisemitism.

We’re exposed to large scale anti-Israel hatred, and it never seems to let up. Those behind the campaign also never seem to tire.

However, Lipstadt is right that it’s important to differentiate between what’s just people having a go at Israel because of something specific the Jewish state or its leaders have done, and blanket anti-Israel hatred.

They are different, and even South African Jews and Jews around the world may criticise Israel for certain things it might do, but still support the state of Israel 100%. We may not like something the country has done, but we still believe it has every right to exist and – like any country – has a right to make mistakes.

As South Africans, we’re constantly criticising our government, parastatals, and national leaders – it’s almost a national pastime. Who didn’t verbally decimate former President Jacob Zuma when he was still in power? Exactly – no one I know! Who hasn’t had a go at the government for loadshedding, the state of our economy, and I could go on? We all have.

Does that mean we were or are anti-South African or haters of this country? It certainly doesn’t. For the most part, it means we love our country, want it to succeed, and would prefer that the rot that has set in is removed. We’re critical because we want to find a way to get rid of the problems we have so that we can heal our nation.

So, when this week I heard many South African Jews criticising reinstated President Benjamin Netanyahu and the fact that far-right-wing fanatics have made it into government, it didn’t mean that they were Israel haters or anti-Israel lobbyists. It meant, quite simply, that they were unhappy that such people were in government in Israel because they believe such people will be detrimental to the country they love.

They want the best for Israel, and they believe that Itamar Ben-Gvir, the head of the fanatical right-wing Otzma Yehudit party, and Bezalel Smotrich, the leader of the Religious Zionist party, will be harmful to Israel.

This doesn’t make them Israel haters. And when people who aren’t Jewish have the same reaction, it doesn’t make them Israel haters either, nor does it make them antisemites. It makes them critical of a political situation in Israel, which is anybody’s right. Just as it’s their right to be critical of the British, United States, or any country’s government or actions.

In fact, in Zvika (Biko) Arran’s opinion piece on this page, we have an Israeli calling on South African Jews to stand their ground and make their criticism of the election results known, not just to each other, but to the Israeli government.

So, while in this case, it’s clear what this reaction is about, it does sometimes get murky, especially when we have so many Israel haters in our midst. These aren’t people who are critical of the result of a democratic process in Israel. These are people for whom Israel and its people can do nothing right. For these people, Israel is a monster, one that’s abusive and genocidal.

Now, when you constantly face their babble about Israel this and Israel that, in which Israel is often blamed for things it didn’t do, it’s easy sometimes to doubt when and where they crossed the boundary into antisemitism.

So, I bring you back to a situation that I would sometimes rather forget but I was reminded of this when our senior journalist, Nicola Miltz, this week asked Ambassador Lipstadt whether the cartoon that was behind the SA Jewish Report being “turfed” out of the Press Council was, in fact, antisemitic.

We had no doubt about it, but it was great to ask someone who wasn’t well versed in the South African Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement or our particular issues with it. She was categorical that it was antisemitic.

And I have to say, after being battered about it for so long, and having people debate it in the media, it was good to hear her unfaltering response. I was also happy to hear her tell us not to back down – not that we would – in the face of such antisemitism.

We won’t ever accept this or any other form of antisemitism.

We also won’t be silent when it comes to our own disquiet about situations that arise in Israel or around Israel – a country we love and want to thrive. And we’ll not be ashamed to hold these views, nor will we be browbeaten by Israel haters.

Absa Jewish Achiever Awards

On a very different note, the excitement for this Saturday night’s Absa Jewish Achiever Awards is tangible in and around this newspaper. After all the preparation and build up, we’ll join more than 800 people in person and thousands online to celebrate a few outstanding members of our community.

This will undoubtedly be a night and a celebration to remember.

If you’re not going to be there in person and haven’t got special at-home privileges, you’re still invited to join us live online. Register now on: bit.ly/2022jaa

Shabbat Shalom!

Peta Krost

Editor