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Harris Zvi Green

South Africa – Quo Vadis?

The wave of incitement and hatred against Israel currently sweeping South Africa should be causing grief and concern to all thinking South Africans. The inflammatory anti-Semitic rhetoric used in the ANC statement on the Gaza crisis is hate speech. The racist banner slogans displayed at the demonstration marches derive their legitimacy from this irresponsible statement. This statement was issued with the sole intention of creating the climate to justify the killing and maiming of Jews and to justify the annihilation of Israel as the national state of the Jewish people. It is reminiscent of the venom and atmosphere that prevailed in Nazi Germany on the eve of World War II.

I am astounded that the ANC denies Israel’s right to self-defense. Under International Law, the Israeli government has both the right and the duty to protect its citizens. No country can allow its citizens and cities to be targeted by rockets hour after hour, day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year. In the past 10 days alone, more than 1,500 missiles were fired at Israeli cities and towns. Each one of these missiles was launched with the aim of killing and maiming as many innocent civilians as possible. Under International War, this represents more than 1,500 war crimes committed against Israel. Hamas rejected the terms of the Egyptian ceasefire after Israel reluctantly agreed to the ceasefire despite the imminent military threat facing its citizens. Israel did what she did to limit the suffering of innocent people on both sides of the border. Hamas focuses its efforts on shedding as much blood as possible.

I am appalled that the ANC has the gall to blame Israel for the latest escalation of hostilities thereby condoning these grave violations of International Law. It is Hamas and only Hamas who is to blame for the unnecessary loss of life on both sides of the border.

As a Jew and as an Israeli, I am honored that the ANC holds the Jewish people accountable for maintaining a higher standard than it does for itself and its allies. We Jews are not prepared to be judged by the ANC’s hypocritical and corrupted values which condone the massacre of more than 160,000 Syrians – most of them innocent women and children. The ANC couldn’t even find the language to censure the use of chemical warfare by Bashar Assad, its trusted ally, against his own innocent Syrian civilians. Is the ANC aware that Israel has established field hospitals to provide aid to Syrians wounded in the conflict? What has the ANC done with regard to this conflict other than continuing to provide Assad with the moral support to continue butchering his people? The ANC is no longer worthy of Nelson Mandela’s legacy.

The time has come for thinking South Africans to demand that the ANC faces up to its challenges on the home front. South Africa’s educational, housing, health and social services infrastructure are in chaos. Instead of confronting these challenges, the ANC has elected to shift the focus away from its failures and support fundamentalist Islamic imperialism.

Is this what thinking South Africans want?

About the Author
Harris Zvi Green was born in Cape Town, South Africa. He made Aliyah 53 years ago. An accountant by profession, he served as the Chief Financial Officer for a number of Israel based hi-tech companies. He is married to Phyllis. They have 3 married children, 13 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren. Harris Zvi Green is a founder member of Truth be Told, an organization engaged in public diplomacy on behalf of Israel.