Johannesburg forest turns yellow on Human Rights Day

In spite of the extreme anti-Israel position of the African National Congress (ANC) government, Johannesburg Jews turned several suburbs yellow in support of the hostages on Human Rights Day last Thursday, 21 March.

Ribbons were tied around trees on the national holiday marking South Africans’ struggle against apartheid in a city that has been described as the largest man-made urban forest.

Said Michael Kransdorff, the chairperson of the Jewish National Fund South Africa (JNF SA), “On Human Rights Day, we highlight the plight of the 134 hostages who are being denied their human rights, without access to medicine, access to the Red Cross, and whose families still don’t know whether they are dead or alive.”

The campaign, initiated by the JNF SA and the Base community, went viral. The trees of Weinberg Family Park, named for the family involved in the struggle for liberation of South Africa during the apartheid years, were ribboned and #BringThemHome posters put up by the community.

Many South African Jews feel that the ANC has turned its back on the human rights of Jews in spite of the fact that a disproportionate number, like the Weinbergs, fought for human rights and liberation in South Africa.

A banner highlighting the plight of the hostages was also hoisted over Johannesburg’s busy M1 highway by Israel supporters.

In spite of the ANC government taking Israel to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), and its close relationship with both Iran and Hamas, it has made no effort to secure the release of the hostages, which could end the war. The immediate release of the hostages was specifically called for in the ICJ order of which South Africa is a party.

“It began as a campaign to rally the community for the return of hostage Daniel Perez who was raised in South Africa,” said Saul Jassinowsky, the driving force behind the yellow-ribbon campaign. “Unfortunately, the community received heartbreaking news last week that Perez, a division commander in the Israel Defense Forces, had been killed on 7 October while defending our homeland from the Hamas invasion.”

Said Orna Toeg, the director of the South Africa desk at KKL (Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael)-JNF, “It’s a great initiative of the Jewish community of South Africa, supporting Israel in the current situation and raising the importance of bringing all the hostages home.”