GNU stance on Gaza ‘worrisome’ – sanctions movement

The pro-Palestinian lobby group in South Africa has expressed worry about the position of the incoming government of national unity (GNU) regarding the ongoing Middle East conflict and its stand on South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Prompted by the establishment of the GNU that includes the pro-Israel Democratic Alliance (DA), which openly supported Israel in its bombing in Gaza following the 7 October Hamas attacks, the SA Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement called on the GNU to come clean about its support for the South African legal team handing the ICJ case in the Hague.

BDS said the new government must take measures to ensure the GNU was not complicit in alleged genocide in Gaza in line with international obligations.

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“Failure to do so will damage our country’s international reputation and serve to mobilise South Africans against the GNU.

“The vast majority of our people support the just struggle of the Palestinian people and oppose genocide. For us it is a red line. Such a failure will undermine [Nelson] Mandela’s strong belief that ‘our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians’.

‘Prosecute South Africans in Gaza’

“It is a litmus test,” BDS said. The movement also questioned the lack of prosecutions of South Africans who joined the “Israeli occupation forces” in Gaza and asked for intensification of the trade embargo and cultural boycott against Israel, including barring it from participating in the Olympics to be held in Paris, France, starting this week, and Fifa tournaments, just as the world took action against Russia within a week of its invasion of Ukraine.

“We are sure that the incoming South African government will want to demonstrate its opposition to apartheid. As a signatory to the Apartheid Convention, cognisant of South Africa’s moral and political responsibility to punish the crime of apartheid, that it will work to end all ties with apartheid Israel and for sanctions to isolate and punish the genocidal state,” BDS said.

Besides the call by BDS for the GNU to clarify its stance on the ICJ case, there have been fears within the ANC that solidarity with the Palestinian cause will suffer as former international relations minister Naledi Pandor had not returned to parliament and was therefore unlikely to return to office.

Pandor had been a leading voice on behalf of South Africa in the matter, saying Israeli bombings against Palestinians in Gaza are a disproportionate retaliation on innocent civilians, compared to the 7 October attacks on Israel by Hamas.

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In her response to BDS, South African Zionist Federation spokesperson Rolene Marks said the GNU offered a chance to realign South Africa’s foreign policy with the Western world and move away from siding with “rogue and terrorist states” like Iran.

She said the US, one of South Africa’s largest trading partners after China and the European Union, recognised Israel’s right to exist, as did several Middle Eastern countries, including Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Morocco.

“South Africa, in the interest of economic prosperity, should have open relations with Israel,” Marks said.

“Moreover, there is no genocide in Gaza; the substance of South Africa’s complaint to the ICJ has not been ruled on yet and no such finding has been made. The US has said it has seen no evidence that Israel has committed genocide, with Germany supporting this statement.”

Diplomacy with both groups

However, South Africa does not have to cut off relations with the Palestinians.

Under a policy known as de-hyphenation, practiced by India, South Africa can have relations with both Israelis and Palestinians, without linking the two on every policy.

“Israel is not an apartheid state,” said Marks. “Arabs and Jews live side-by-side and Arabs serve in the highest level of government and the private sector.

“Moreover, Israel is defending itself after Hamas, globally recognised as a terrorist group, declared war on the country on 7 October and took over 250 people hostage and murdered over 1 200 people. Hamas has consistently threatened to repeat such attacks. Israel, under international law, has a right to protect itself and is the only country in the world singled out and criticised for doing so.”

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Marks said it was “completely inaccurate” to say that the vast majority of South Africans are against Israel. Most recognise Israel’s right to exist and many have ties to the country as a religious holy land.

According to Marks, the Shembe Church of eight million people, SA’s second-largest church, for instance, supports Israel.

The support for Israel was shown in the recent election results as well, with the ANC’s campaigning on the Palestinian issue not winning votes, while parties like the Patriotic Alliance, openly supporting Israel, did well.

“It is not rational to sanction Israel. It is a global leader in computer technology, water and solar technology, and artificial intelligence. Anti-Semitic groups, such as BDS, only serve to spread hate and division in South Africa, when many South Africans recognise the right of Jewish people to have their own country and live in peace,” Marks said.