ANT KATZ

Regular blogger and contributor to SAJR.co.za Rolene Marks, was in Cape Town and Johannesburg last week with a guest speaker to launch a new venture in world Zionism, the unaffiliated ZIONIST SPRING. While at the Cape Town airport, Roro had an interesting experience which she shared with us.

Here’s her story…

So there I was sitting in Cape Town airport waiting for my flight back to Johannesburg and a rather rotund gent dressed in red from head to toe waddled past me and caused much excitement. It was EFF leader and political bad boy, Julius Malema, dressed in his custom red mining outfit, accessorised with de rigeur Palestinian solidarity scarf.

I don’t believe in missing opportunities to engage with folk, especially slightly loopy politicians. I approached him (while he was ordering food so his defences were down) and introduced myself as Rolene from Israel. I thought he would tell me to F-off but he shook my hand and listened patiently as I explained how we have been living for the past month with sirens, rockets, booms and trauma.

RIGHT; Rolene Marks

He remarked that Hamas must stop the rockets and he believes in a two-state solution. Gesturing to his scarf, he told me that just because he wears a “Palestinan scarf” doesn’t mean he doesn’t support Israel, but due to the high level of civilian deaths in Gaza and the historical ties between ANC and the Palestinians, that is where his sympathy lies.

I told him that SA could play a huge part in brokering peace but had lost credibility because of bias and he nodded and said: “That is why we are sending (former) Deputy Foreign Minister (Aziz Pahad) to the ME.”

He also told me he wanted to go to Gaza and I told him he should see Israel as well.

I then left him to his food. Julius likes his eggs over easy and please hold the pork…

Quite a moment.