The smear of the nation….
by Roy Bard
Tuesday, May 22nd, 2012
Historically, Israel and South Africa have been pretty close buddies, with close ties revealed between the former regime and Israel. Although one would expect the new regime to show solidarity with the Palestinians, their support to date has been pretty muted.
Recently however, the Israeli state has started flinging accusations of racism at the African National Congress government.
This follows a decision by the South African Minister for Trade and Industry that goods from the West Bank should not be labeled as ‘Made in Israel’.
“The government of South Africa recognises the state of Israel only within its 1948 borders – that area does not include territories captured by Israel in 1967.”
The inevitable tantrum from Israel followed, with Israel’s foreign ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor accusing South Africa of racism by “singling out Israel and ignoring dozens of other areas of conflict”.
Israel’s foreign ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor accused South Africa of racism by singling out Israel and ignoring dozens of other areas of conflict.
On Sunday, the Jerusalem Post published an op-ed which confirmed that Yes, all criticism of Israel is anti-Semitic!, arguing that:
All criticism of Israel is anti-Semitic because of the specific historical circumstances under which we currently live. That is to say, the historical circumstances under which Israel and the Jews exist in the world today render any non-anti-Semitic criticism of Israel impossible. And, ironically, these are circumstances that Israel’s opponents have themselves created.
So, there we have it, its our fault, and we must focus on the suffering of the oppressor whilst the oppressed are conveniently swept under the carpet.
The op-ed ends with a call that might well have been issued by Tony Greenstein and the PSC:
…however, there is at least a possible solution to the problem, should critics of Israel be willing to entertain it. It is a modest imperative: Work toward less anti-Semitism
Sadly for Israel, it is a different inevitable accusation of racism that is currently occupying the minds of South Africans.
Its all to do with a painting by artist Brent Murray, entitled the Spear of the Nation, which depicts President Zuma with his bits dangling.
The painting and it's inspiration.
Or I should say depicted, as this morning the painting was defaced, after the gallery refused to take it down, and in advance of the scheduled court hearing , when Zuma will argue that the painting should be removed because it violates his right to dignity and makes a mockery of his office. He said the portrait depicted him as a “a philanderer, a womaniser and one with no respect”.
In his court affadavit, Murray said that he never intended the artwork to cause any hurt or to harm the dignity of any person, and noted that during the apartheid years he had created satirical images which attacked abuses of power.
“For many years I have used, and continue to use, symbols with sexual connotations representative of political power and patriarchy,”
The debate focuses around the issue of freedom of expression, and whether Zuma has a right to expect respect or needs to earn it. One commentator notes that there are cultural reasons why the picture is so offensive, claiming rather dramatically that:
“The Spear” was not a spear in the heart and ego of Zuma, “The Spear” is the final spear in the future of whites in South Africa.
Oliver Tambo’s daughter Tselane has come out in support of of the painting:
So the Prez JZ has had his portrait painted and he doesn’t like it. Do the poor enjoy poverty? Do the unemployed enjoy hopelessness? Do those who can’t get housing enjoy homelessness? He must get over it. No one is having a good time. He should inspire the reverence he craves. This portrait is what he inspired. Shame neh!,
In the JP op-ed the author wrote:
A large portion of the world, West and East, has come to believe that Arabs and Muslims have earned the right to murder Jews.
Derived from this right, they have also come to believe that the destruction dismantling, and erasure of the State of Israel, and the slaughter, expulsion, and/or perpetual subjugation of its Jewish population are entirely legitimate and indeed desirable.
The claims that the end of a racist, oppressive state apparatus would lead to the killing of driving out of the Jewish population are reminiscent of the claims that white South Africans used to justify the continuation of the Apartheid regime. Yet for the majority of those who remained, life carries on much the same as it did then.
What is clear is that even Israel’s friends will not be able to turn a blind eye forever, and that the Palestinians will continue to demand justice.
Almost two decades after the African National Congress assumed power, there is still a racial tension that pops up from time to time and is never far from the surface.
Rather than insist that the world ignore the Palestinians and focus on virtually non-existent anti-semitism, it really is time for Israelis to start addressing that injustice and seeking reconciliation.
Posted by 9 Responses to The smear of the nation….
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Jay Knott
May 22, 2012 at 8:26 pm
South Africa sounds like its still as funny as the Tom Sharpe novels about it.
It’s funny how Israel is still criticized for its links to apartheid, but not the other way round. As if Jewish racism is tainted by association with white racism.
Ariadna Theokopoulos
May 22, 2012 at 9:01 pm
Watch out, South Africa! You can’t do that without consequences:
“The Israeli Foreign Ministry is considering downgrading your diplomatic status.”
Then what will you do?
Watch out, Denmark!
“It now seems that Denmark is likely soon to follow South Africa’s lead in legislation requiring separate labeling for products from the West Bank. Danish Foreign Minister Villy Søvndal was quoted in the newspaper Politiken as saying that such a step would “clearly show consumers that the products are produced under conditions that not only the Danish government, but also European governments, do not approve of.”
The head of the Meretz party Zahava Galon has suggested that the South African decision reflects world opinion and proved that the rest of the world does distinguish “between Israel, the Occupied Territories and the settlements” adding that it is only the Israeli government that does not make this distinction.
Silly man! Israel may cut ties with all but three or four states if necessary to teach the uppity anti-semitic world a lesson.
http://www.imemc.org/article/63542
who_me
May 22, 2012 at 9:11 pm
““It now seems that Denmark is likely soon to follow South Africa’s lead in legislation requiring separate labeling for products from the West Bank.”
are they sure that is a wise move? mossad literally runs the danish intelligence services. think of the mischief they will soon be doing in response. shouldn’t the danes clean house first before defying the master who has them by the short and curlies?
Ariadna Theokopoulos
May 22, 2012 at 10:09 pm
You mean that some islamic terrorist or white supremacist in Denmark might teach them a lesson soon… showing them the perils of siding with the islamofascists who push labeling produce?
who_me
May 23, 2012 at 12:40 am
Ariadna Theokopoulos
yup. one of those hitler worshipping, red guard, islamic, syrian-iranisn-venezuelan, funded by russia and china revolutionary types that are threatening all of our freedoms around the world will most assuredly blow some people up in denmarck, using breast implant bombs. then a never heard of before skinhead group, claiming association with ron paul, will admit responsibility.
Ariadna Theokopoulos
May 23, 2012 at 12:58 am
You are good….
Sounds perfect, provided a diary is found. I love it that they all keep diaries.
“Monday: I want to kill all the Jews. Will get a gun from Yusuf on Thursday. I trust him–he is in AlQaida –not sure how to spell it in English, will ask him. Also get milk, very little left in the fridge.
Tuesday: Will kill as many infidels as possible but mostly Jews. I hate them for their values. Pick up balaclava from the cleaner.
Wednesday: I know I’ll get 99 virgins in heaven but right now just one call girl would not go amiss. Must stop impure thoughts. Long live the jihad.”
who_me
May 23, 2012 at 3:13 am
lol
you got that diary business down.
Blake
May 22, 2012 at 9:03 pm
Yawn. The truth is anti semitic.
Ariadna Theokopoulos
May 23, 2012 at 2:22 am
Oy, this South African boycott will kill Jews, no less! History says so.
“Knesset Member Arieh Eldad of the far-right Yechud Leumi goes further, calling on the government to mark all products imported from South Africa with a prominent label of “Warning! Product of South Africa. The history determines: anti-Semitism is liable to result in the death of Jews!”
http://leftwing-christian.net/2012/05/22/palestine-bds-movement-notches-up-a-couple-of-wins.aspx
(Leftwing-christian.net quotes deLib, which quotes it back… it’s called cross pollination)