SA
Zuma at 105th birthday bash: ‘Don’t visit Israel’
President Jacob Zuma has called on South Africans not to visit Israel in order to show solidarity with the people of Palestine.
ANT KATZ
Zuma’s comments came at the 105th anniversary celebration of the African National Congress (ANC), at Orlando Stadium in Soweto, during which he reiterated the party’s solidarity with the “oppressed people of the world”, citing “Palestine” as an example.
“The people of Palestine continue to suffer in their rightful quest for self-determination… We reiterate that we firmly discourage travel to Israel for causes not related to fostering peace in the region,” Zuma told thousands of party supporters.
Zuma also reiterated that the ANC supported UN Resolution 2334, which was passed last month by the Security Council condemning the construction of settlements in the West Bank and Gaza (sic).
The ANC has consistently expressed anti-Israel sentiments in recent years. The government has frequently accused Israel of applying a policy of “apartheid” towards Palestinian Arabs. One such example was when the ANC party proposed new rules regarding dual citizenship meant to stop South African citizens from joining the IDF.
Chief Rabbi Dr Warren Goldstein was quoted by Israeli media of issuing “a stinging response” to the proposed rules, calling out the ANC party on its hypocritical and “obsessive” stance vis-à-vis the State of Israel.
The ANC has, in the past, compared Israel’s airstrikes on Gaza to the actions of the Nazis during the Second World War, evoking outrage from Jewish communal groups.
Myron Robinson
January 19, 2017 at 11:10 am
‘Zuma only advocates a selective Boycott. Why not have a complete Boycott? Because in order to do so the ANC and its members must not use/discard their motor vehicle, cell phone Laptop & all computer equipment because the software thereof was developed in & is exported from Israel. Furthermore the ANC and its members must not use most of the medical technology available to-day as most probably it was invented in Israel. In particular also avoid using inter alia the remedies for Syphilis, Gonorrhoea, Heart Disease, Headaches, Typhus, Diabetes, Mental Disorders, Polio, Convulsions and Tuberculosis as these were invented by the hateful Jews.’
David B
January 19, 2017 at 11:29 am
‘Is there any reason whatsoever that we should respect the wish of a man who stands accused of corruption by many people of his own party, as well as well as many of those in parliament of different parties, who question his integrity and commitment to the people of South Africa, who he is essentially there to serve.
It is not surprising to find that he is committed to the Palestinians as well as his wealthy friends who seem to find comfort and convenience, together with him, in using South Africa as their own private ATM.
To follow Zuma and his thinking, would be the most obvious antithesis to all free thinking, free speaking people.
‘
nat cheiman
January 20, 2017 at 5:32 am
‘Obfuscating the real issues around his lame duck presidency, Zuma does what any asinine African politician does.Try to bewilder the uneducated masses with drivel.’
Harold
January 21, 2017 at 2:37 pm
‘Z enophobic
U nderling of
M arxist
A pparatchniks’
yitzchak
January 25, 2017 at 2:42 am
‘and I wont be visiting Nkandla( some have renamed it Mphandla = the Bald Place),so there.’