Kasrils applauds Jewish pupils for ‘bending a knee’ during Israel’s anthem

Former minister of intelligence services Ronnie Kasrils has written a column on IOL in which he showed support for the two students of Herzlia in Cape Town who chose to “bend a knee” for the singing of the Israeli anthem, Hatikva.

Two boys went down on one knee during the playing of the anthem at their school last week in protest of the treatment of Palestinians.

While many praised what they saw as a courageous act for human rights, the school said they were considering disciplining the students, with education director of the United Herzlia Schools group Geoff Cohen calling the protest “embarrassing” and “inappropriate”, adding it had “brought the school into disrepute”.

The school had since said it resolved the issue “amicably” through dialogue with the students and their parents.

In his column, Kasrils, who has long been a proponent of Palestinian rights and a vocal critic of Israel, praises the pupils for “a perfectly peaceful expression of dissent popularised by American athletes”.

The act of “bending a knee” has been popularised by American football players in the country’s National Football League (NFL), with athletes doing so in protest over police brutality.

Colin Kaepernick, who started the protests, had been both praised and vilified, with Donald Trump saying he and other football players had shown “disrespect”.

“I’m sure a great many South Africans might be shocked to learn that the national anthem of another country is force-fed [to] young people attending the Herzlia schools,” Kasrils wrote.

He then detailed “violations of international law and Palestinian human rights by Israel” which he said no students “[could] ignore”.

“We all witness the mass shooting of unarmed protesters in Gaza, the arrest and beating of children for throwing stones, the endless lines of Palestinians at the checkpoints, the destruction of homes and precious olive trees and so much more brutality.

READ MORE: Cape Town school disciplines pupils for ‘bending a knee’ during Israeli national anthem

“Who at a school like Herzlia will be unaware of Israel’s growing alliance with ultra-right-wing leaders from Brazil to Hungary and Poland, not too mention the racist Donald Trump, courting and being courted by Prime Minister Netanyahu or the fact that the right-wing Christian evangelical movement is Israel’s new best friend?

“Who in the Herzlia educational system can be unaware of Israel’s new basic law which declares that ‘Israel is the historic homeland of the Jewish people and they have an exclusive right to national self-determination within it’?

“I dare say that young Jews, not only in America, but here in South Africa are awakening to the truth and are no longer prepared to be bullied and brainwashed.”

Other Jewish South Africans have voiced support for the two students.

South African Jews for a Free Palestine spokesperson, poet Allan Kolski Horwitz, said the protest was “a brave act given the intolerant environment in which it took place”.

Jewish Voices for a Just Peace (JVJP) is currently circulating a letter, inviting Jewish South Africans to sign on.

The letter says the actions of the students “demonstrated courage and great pride in who they are as young South African Jewish students, as well as an immense amount of compassion for those who are at the receiving end of Israeli state violence”.

A social media post from IfNotKnow, a US anti-occupation group made up mainly of Jewish millennials, read: “A new generation of Jews around the world are transforming our community. They’re demanding freedom and dignity for Palestinians. Jewish establishments now have a simple choice, follow their lead or continue ignoring the youth?”

In what appears to be a letter from an official at United Herzlia Schools (UHS), circulated to parents, the students are slammed for showing “a lack of respect, pride, gratitude, responsibility, compassion, and understanding of community”. It is unclear who wrote the letter as the signature is cut off in the picture circulating on social media.

“Our pupils need to understand that when they cross a line there will be consequences,” the letter continued, in a reaction reminiscent of how Trump reacted to similar protests in the US.

An official statement from the school, though, was more balanced, saying the school “wishes to move forward with ongoing support to all parties”.

“We are fortunate to live in a country with a progressive constitution that allows for people to express their diverse opinions. This should always be conducted with respect for the dignity of others, including those who wish to participate in the school’s traditions and heritage.

“While we welcome freedom of speech, we would encourage this to take place in a constructive manner, allowing our students to express themselves openly and without judgement. United Herzlia Schools (UHS) is committed to developing further safe spaces to facilitate this.

“The United Herzlia Schools is mindful of the diverse opinions in our community and do our best to uphold an inclusive environment within our schools,” the statement concludes.

(Additional reporting by ANA)

UPDATE: Excerpts from the latest public statement issued by Herzlia were added at 1:06pm, November 19. 

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