Organisations need to act with Israel’s best interests in mind

Allan Wolman, Johannesburg

Many of SISO SA’s comments are valid. The use of live ammunition against the “protesters” in Gaza was, again, morally wrong and indefensible. However, there are reports that someprotesters were armed and identified as Hamas operators. There have also been reports about attempts to breach the security fence.

Given the recent spate of car rammings in Israel, and before that the knife attacks on Israeli civilians by children as young as eight (I don’t recall any criticism from SISO for these atrocities), how can a sovereign state allow such an invasion by hordes of hostile people who pose a real risk to Israeli civilians?

Only last week, an assault tunnel penetrating deep into Israeli territory was destroyed by the Israeli army – certainly no peaceful protest.

The Hamas leadership knew that this land invasion would result in violence and death, yet they send children into the forefront of the rioters. This is nothing new; the currency they use to garner world sympathy are the lives of little children!

Instead of calling for “a day of rage” or “a day of return”, wouldn’t it be refreshing to hear a call from the Palestinian (and Israeli) leadership for a “day of peace and negotiation”?

Whilst the New Israel Fund (NIF) may well support some civil society organisations within Israel, it has at times expressed hostile statements against Israel. A 2015 excerpt in The Jerusalem Post reads: “NIF notes they are against ‘global BDS’ – and that’s because they support ‘limited BDS’ – a boycott of all things that come from the settlements. As Israel’s former ambassador to the US Michael Oren (and current Kulanu MK) said: It is absolutely wrong … Some… do so out of a… misplaced sense of caring about Israel.”

He’s right. Many NIF members are Zionists and have their hearts in the right place. Sadly, the organisation they support does not always act with Israel’s best interests in mind, and in fact, often acts against Israel’s interests.