South Africa’s ruling party says Israel’s actions in Gaza are ‘Nazi-like’
African National Congress said it views the Jewish state's actions with "complete shock and dismay" days after dismissing the Israeli ambassador
The African National Congress, South Africa’s ruling political party, compared Israel’s actions on the Gaza border to Nazi Germany’s actions against the Jews.
The ANC in a statement said it “views with complete shock and dismay the Israeli armed forces’ massacre of peaceful Palestinian protesters.”
“We watched in complete disbelief as a people, who continuously remind us all about the hate and prejudice Jews went through during Hitler’s anti-Semitism reign, will exhibit the same cruelty less than a century later,” the statement said, adding that the ANC once was the “target of a Nazi-like Apartheid regime.” It said it would never accept another county’s government that “regards other human beings as insignificant.”
South Africa on Monday announced its ambassador will leave Israel “until further notice.”
Two South African Jewish umbrella groups, the South African Jewish Board of Deputies and the Zionist Federation, in a joint statement slammed the government’s decision to withdraw the country’s ambassador, saying that it is “outrageous and displays gross double standards by our Government against the Jewish state.”
The groups said that while they “regret the loss of life of civilians, we recognise that Israel as a sovereign state has the right to defend its own border and its own citizens. Israel is facing a real danger with the incitement by Hamas of its own population to storm the security fence and attack Israeli civilians.”
The groups also said that by recalling its Israel ambassador “South Africa is essentially walking away from playing any meaningful role in finding a sorely needed resolution to the conflict. The rhetoric used by the government has already spilled into anti-Semitic comment on various social media platforms and the biggest losers are the South African Jewish community, and other peace loving South Africans.”
The South African Government’s decision to withdraw the South African Ambassador from Israel is outrageous and displays…
Posted by South African Jewish Board of Deputies on Monday, 14 May 2018
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
