ANT KATZ

ABOVE: SAUJS representatives putting up posters from their #SeeIsraelForYourself campaign were accosted by BDS supporters who had been following them and pulling the posters down. Not satisfied with their guerrilla efforts, the BDS supporters then tried to steal and run off with the pile of posters. One enterprising Jewish student lay on the posters as BDS supporters were trying to destroy them by tearing as much as they could off. Only restraint on the part of SAUJS was all that saved the day from what could have easily become a violent incident.

Prof Tawana Kupe, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Advancement, HR and Transformation (and acting VC on Wednesday in the absence of VC Adam Habib) told JR that Wits had seen the video and “are aware of the incident and the University is managing the matter in line with its rules, policies and procedures.” Watch this space, JR will keep you updated

The South African Union of Jewish Students (SAUJS), under the leadership of National Chairman Dani Hovsha, who led the Israel Awareness Week campaign on South African university campuses this week to counter Israel Apartheid Week (IAW), seems to outdo their rival, Boycott, Divestment and Sanction (Israel) – BDS-SA.

Both groups of students bring out speakers and hold events trying to outdo each other. Christian Zionist youth group DEISI (an acronym for Defend, Embrace, Invest, Support Israel) assisted SAUJS and also represented Israel Awareness Week on campuses where SAUJS does not have active branches.

RIGHT: Even JR Online got onto the bandwagon using the students’ designs

Below this story are several images which users are welcome to access.

There is also a list of linked stories way below the images – all since Sunday have included elements of the campaign posted below those stories in the biggest sizes Jewish Report Online could offer them.

Users are welcome to copy and paste the images which carry no copyright as long as they are being used in the promotion of the State of Israel.

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Strategy consisted of six tactical elements

They had a poster campaign in which 25 different designs were produced on high quality A1 boards, consisting of four themes: Nelson Mandela, depicting his warm relationship with Israel and many of his well-known quotes about the Holy Land; another series highlighting the civil and political rights of Israelis (including women’s, gay, civil, democratic, and religious rights); a united colours of Israel campaign explaining that neither Jews nor Israelis are of any particular colour, highlighting the racial and cultural diversity of Israel.

And then there was the “Went to Israel and saw for themselves” campaign, highlighting the political and cultural experience and diversity of the country.

The second element of the campaign consisted of 44 images for use on social media. The students had volunteers who were tweeting and posting on social media. The volunteers consisted of members of both African Christian and Jewish communities, using the hashtag #SeeIsraelForYourself.

The third element was the use of graffiti artists at Wits who created a Madiba Wall reading: “Let’s Bring Peace Not Hate”. The fourth element, also at Wits, was a picture wall called “Pics for Peace” where students had to take “selfies” in front of the wall, and post it on to Facebook to win great prizes.

The fifth element comprised T-shirts which were distributed with the word “Peace” printed in white on black in four languages: English, Hebrew, Arabic and Zulu.

The final element was the distribution of water bottles with pro-Israel slogans all over the campuses.

ABOVE: The front and back of the T-Shirts that were widely distributed on campuses carrying the word “Peace in four languages   

ABOVE: An example from the Freedom Series – in this case Freedom of Religion

Other stories around the campus event of 2016:

Don’t miss this one – The video that is the subject of a Wits enquiry after BDS students were nailed on video destroying SAJS’ posters and swearing that they would not allow any Zionist material on campus. With luck, Wits management will decide that these two are not allowed on campus! Also read about the SAUJS Media campaign which has won the day for them.

Read about days two and three of the annual IAW rivalry which moved online big time in 2016 and see some of the elements of the campaign on all of these stories.

In Rolene Marks’ new blog posted on JR Online on Tuesday, titled: Special salute: Israel’s sisters are doing it for themselves! – Rolene Marks says: “Naturally, women’s rights are a favourite target for those wishing to paint Israel as a discriminatory, pariah state.” Anyone who knows Rolene, an expat South African communications expert and writer who, with her husband and kids, made aliyah several years ago, will tell you that, outside of family, she has two great passions: Israeli rights and women’s rights. Which explains one of her most commonly-used mantras: “We deserve a salute – and a fabulous pair of shoes!”

In a letter to BDS, Zionist Federation Chairman Ben Swartz writes a tongue-in-cheek letter thanking BDS for helping Israel and the world to promote the Zionist cause, and castigating them for what they are not helping to do. If you don’t have a good laugh at Thank you, BDS, for making us stronger, you must be a member of BDS. But, whether you laugh or cry at what Ben has to say to BDS, you will come out on the other side of it far better informed about the anti-Israel lobby group’s activities.

In South African Christian Zionist advocate Willie Patterson’s IAW ‘silly season’ in full swing globally he writes: “The annual worldwide BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) campaign is in full swing during the month of March.” Patterson, an ardent Christian Zionist, points out that the various programmes are cleverly designed “in an effort to brand Israel as an apartheid state.”

 Although some individuals in the ANC support the BDS movement, says Patterson, the SA government refrains from publicly supporting them. In fact, the government never stopped trade relations with Israel. This statement, while true, is somewhat reduced by Board slams ANC over support for IAW, BDS posted on this website yesterday.

Last week saw BDS winning Round #1 when they hijacked the Library Lawns and started IAW a week early. Granted, Wits did try to stop it (read Wits management adopt tough stand on BDS and Stand-off after ‘BDS-inspired Wits subterfuge’ published on JR Online last week) – but management’s efforts to meet their promises turned out to be fruitless and the demonstration continued unabated.

Readers can follow our continuing coverage on the website:

While Jewish Report has contacts on all the major campuses and will be updating readers and users regularly, anyone who has pictures or news can send them to online.editor@sajr.co.za.
 
The pictures in and below this – and all other linked articles – are free-to-use for Israel advocates as long as they are credited to SAUJS or the SA Jewish Report.

ABOVE: The graffiti campaign on the Wits campus’ special Graffiti Walls

ABOVE: An event poster – which may have to be cancelled if the weather does not go the students’ way 

ABOVE: One of the Madiba Quotes series of posters


ABOVE The Wests posed for the “Went to Israel and Saw for Themselves” series – Kim did one without Kanye

ABOVE: One of the posters from the United Colours of Israel series explaining that neither Jews nor Israelis are of any particular colour, highlighting the racial and cultural diversity of Israel