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Thursday, February 23, 2006
Veteran South African Journalist Allister Sparks Compares Israel to South Africa Mr. Sparks statements cut right to the point in the debate that many people in solidarity with people suffering in Palestine about the use of the word apartheid to describe Israel and the discussion about what tactics best serve a nonviolent agenda for peace and justice in the Holy Land. This debate has been especially strong within communities of North American Jewish activists. While many Jewish individuals agree that the Israeli rule over the occupied territories warrants a comparison with apartheid South Africa, a critical mass of Jewish people, even those who would not consider themselves "anti-Palestinian" argue that the comparison is unfair or even somehow essentially "anti-Semitic." Furthermore, this comparison begs the question of whether a world wide divestment campaign, modeled after the campaign against apartheid South Africa in the 1980s, would be a fair and effective tactic for pressuring Israel to respect the Palestinians' human rights. While not answering the second part of that question, Allister Sparks suggests that such an action would be legitimate and should be very seriously considered. It also suggests that activists should not be considered "anti-Israel" for simply supporting divestment than Nelson Mandela would be considered "anti-South African." Of course the formation of these two nations (or three, if one includes stateless Palestine) have as many differences as similarities. Though both are colonial projects born of European politics, Afrikaners and other European colonizers in Africa were not fleeing the aftermath of genocide as the Jews were. This fact adds a layer of complexity to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. In any case, the word of such a veteran South African journalist who wrote on behalf of truth and justice should go far to legitimizing the discussion over divestment in Israel to many who are still unwilling to consider it open for debate. ___________________________ From La Luchita: Paz, Justicia y Libertad Blogger News Network is advertiser-supported, and your visits to our advertisers help BNN to meet its expenses. Help keep us afloat! posted by Simon Fitzgerald at 3:51 PM |
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4 Comments:
This post has been removed by the author.
Yes the comparison between Israel and apartheid South Africa is entirely fair, whatever the "shock" caused to Jewish liberals.
Israeli politicians have also compared Israeli tactics such as demolishing Palestinian homes as collective punishment to Nazi Germany.
I used not to buy South African goods, and now I avoid Israeli goods just the same.
Personally, I boycott Caterpillar who make the militarized diggers which destroy Palestinian homes, Marks and Spencer, who sell goods in the UK produced in the occupied territories and who benefit from over £250m trade annually with Israel, and Merrell shoes, who also sell goods produced in Israel.
More here and here.
"This fact [fleeing Genocide] adds a layer of complexity to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict."
Dear Simon, I respectfully disagree with this rational; while the genocide against Jews, Gypsies, Armenians, and other groups committed by the Nazis has to be the most abhorrent act of modern history, it should in no way serve as a justification for further genocide.
The holocaust, you say, adds another layer of complexity, truthfully, it adds a layer of guilt in the western world, that allows those who stood up against apartheid in South Africa to turn a blind eye to the same acts as they happen in Palestine.
It is time to apply the South African remedy to Israel.
ummm...
I didnt delete that first comment. What is that about?
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