Anti-Apartheid Movement takes a stand against Israel

The newly inaugurated Anti-Apartheid Movement (AAM) SA Chapter yesterday unveiled plans to push for comprehensive economic sanctions against Israel.

It also called for an end to the ongoing “apartheid-driven genocide” against the Palestinians.

According to AAM SA Chapter chair Reverend Frank Chikane, the plans include an arms embargo, disinvestment, boycotts and an end to SA coal exports to Israel.

Plans to sanction Israel

The UN special committee investigating Israeli practices in the conflict this month declared Israel’s warfare as consistent with the characteristics of a genocide.

The committee found that there were mass civilian casualties and life-threatening conditions intentionally imposed on Palestinians by Israel.

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In lobbying for sanctions, Chikane said the chapter was mobilising the trade union movement and the international community.

“In 1977, the UN decided on an arms embargo against South Africa and we are walking on the same journey. This was to support SA to be free and we are going to do the same to support Palestinians to be free,” said Chikane.

He said the key objectives of the campaign were “to stop the support for an apartheid regime like Israel, particularly concerning the ongoing genocide”.

‘Ongoing genocide’

“We want to ensure that countries supporting Israel stop the practice, with their citizens making sure that this happens.

“We are calling on companies doing businesses with Israel to stop collaborating with the country,” he said.

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The AAM local chapter was requested by the Palestinians “to take on this initiative, because we have had the experience of apartheid in SA – a regime that was supported by the US and major European countries, purely based on racism and the colonial way of thinking”.

He added: “The Palestinians are subjected to the same experience. The world mobilised the Anti-Apartheid Movement against apartheid South Africa.

‘Palestinians subjected to the same experience’

“Now there is an Israeli settler colonial apartheid regime from the River Jordaan to the Mediterranean Sea. What they are doing there is worse than the apartheid system.”

Three leading political analysts have lauded the AAM for its role in ending apartheid in South Africa. One of them, Dr Nkosikhulule Nyembezi, said the AAM “left a rich legacy in fighting the legal system of apartheid”.