Letters/Discussion Forums
Woolworths protests: is history repeating itself?
Val Schneiderman
Compare the attached old photo of 1933, with resent photographs of protests against Woolworths in South Africa by BDS-SA, Cosatu, Cosas etc. As the actions in 1933 by the Naziz against a German Woolworths shop, the actions of BDS-SA are no longer political, but nakedly anti-Jewish. After all, it was BDS-SA and Cosas who chanted “Shoot the Jew” during a concert by an Israeli jazz group at Wits University.
See picture below story
I’m not talking about ordinary criticism of Israel; I’m speaking of a hatred that permits itself no boundaries in the lies and myths it pours out, thus Israel being referred to as a “Nazi” state. In what sense is this true, even as a metaphor? Where are the Israeli concentration camps, the Nuremberg laws, the “Final Solution”? None of these things nor anything remotely resembling them, exist in Israel.
Likewise calling Israel an apartheid state: For those who believe this, a weekend in any part of Israel would be enough to show them how ridiculous the claim is.
Israeli hospitals not only treat Jews and Arabs alike, they also treat Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank – in the same wards, in the same operating theatres.
In Israel, women (in contrast with most Muslim countries) have the same rights as men: there is no gender apartheid. Gay men and women face no restrictions.
Under Israeli law, Arab Israelis have the same rights as Jews or Christians; Baha’is, severely persecuted in Iran, flourish in Israel where they have their world centre; Ahmadi Muslims, severely persecuted in Pakistan and elsewhere, are kept safe by Israel; the holy places of all religions are protected under a specific Israeli law.
Arabs make up 20 per cent of the Israeli university population (an exact demographic echo of their percentage in the general population).
It seems bizarre to me that BDS groups call for a boycott of Israel but say nothing about countries like Iran, where gay men are hanged or stoned to death; Russia, which recently occupied part of Ukraine; Syria, where hundreds of thousands (including women and children) have already been killed.
BDS groups are trying to trick South Africans into anti-Semitism by punishing one country among all the countries of the world – which happens to be the only Jewish state.
Greenside, Johannesburg
Picture
nat cheiman
January 21, 2015 at 5:12 pm
‘BDS and its group are thick as a brick. They don’t understand the nuances about Israel being a free country.
\n{Nat, I really must insist that you e-mail me so I can tell you what you can’t say, and why not -ED online.editor@sajr.co.za}
\nSoon, BDS are going to come up against strong resistance with people that are sick to death of BDS types and anti semites.
\nThere may be a confrontation but I don’t think ordinary people are going to be told what to eat or where to buy etc. This group has tried this in the UK and people are gatvol. They will get their a***s kicked’