I read with a mixture of dismay and disbelief David Macfarlane’s sensationalised account of the events surrounding the lecture given by Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres at the Linder Auditorium on September 2 (“Israeli takeover at Wits sparks fury”, September 6). To add insult to injury, the editorial (“Goon brigade”) endorsed his surreal hatchet job. The anti-Israel bias of the Mail & Guardian has frequently surfaced of late, but never in so petty and malicious a manner.
Security at the event was coordinated with the South African Police Service (SAPS), which was respon- sible for what happened. But there is no need to apologise for this. The demonstrators brought the police. Macfarlane does not acknowledge this, preferring instead to concoct a lurid tale featuring Israeli goons trampling on the rights of helpless young South Africans. This is hardly fair or responsible reporting.
It is inexcusable that the report did not mention the presence of a taunting group of demonstrators who crossed the line between legitimate protest and hooliganism. Many of these were not innocent victims peacefully exercising their right to protest, but were undisciplined hoodlums spoiling for a fight. The manner in which Jewish guests at the function were intimidated and, in a number of cases, physically assaulted was an infringement of their civil rights.
Probably the most egregious example of Macfarlane’s prejudice is his reference to the faulty English of the Israeli officials. This gratuitous observation smacks of xenophobia.
The article and the editorial are unjust and irresponsible. The M&G had a reputation for quality reporting, but this piece of sensationalism does not even have the merit of being properly thought out. — Russell Gaddin, national chairperson, South African Jewish Board of Deputies
Iwish to address Steven Friedman’s letter (September 13), since it is germane to the issue of the media in relation to Israel.
What Friedman is doing, as did the M&G in its article, is to seize on a remark by Yehuda Kay to portray the South African Jewish Board of Deputies, and by extension the Jewish majority in South Africa, along with Israel, as “racist”. From “racist” to an “apartheid [state]” and from thence to “Nazi[sm]” is but a couple of steps; steps taken regularly by the anti-Israeli brigade with whom Friedman associates himself.
The kind of precautions allegedly taken by the police and other security people around the Peres visit simply reflect the primary sources of anti-Israel agitation in South Africa. “Racist”, as employed by Friedman, is a South African term of abuse that propagandists do their best to hang around the necks of their opponents. Israel is as much a “rainbow” nation as South Africa, and its multi-ethnic and multiracial population lives in an imperfect accord at least commensurate with what we’ve achieved here.
The problem with Israel is, of course, that Israel is still here. It would have been better if the tiny band of Jews, escaping centuries of persecution to their ancient homeland, had been annihilated.
But they did not follow the script. They defended themselves bravely. They established a small, acrimonious but democratic state. They built schools, made the desert bloom and created industries. And they created one of the most effective fighting forces in the world — out of necessity.
They have defeated repeated attempts by their oil-rich neighbours to drive them out of their tiny strip of land. They eventually offered a hand of conciliation, which was rejected. They still exist despite Armageddon lurking in the background.
This is unforgivable. Why could they not have, sensitively, been massacred? The media could have had moving testimonies from the survivors. Another Holocaust industry could have been created for academics to ponder.
But the truth is uglier and better, much better for the Jews and the world. And when reality strikes, better for Israel’s neighbours.
Friedman accuses the “official Jewish position” of tribal bigotry. In case he hasn’t noticed, what he calls “tribal bigotry” is humanity’s default position, not an official Jewish prerogative. And when it comes to tribes, Friedman has one of his own: the “tribe” of sanctimonious, dishonest, confused and vengeful anti-Israeli zealots. He can keep it. — Mike Berger
Macfarlane’s article on the invasion of the Wits education campus illustrates the valuable role an independent media plays in South Africa. To date his is the only account that has investigated the matter and assembled a cogent account of events.
He and the M&G deserve commendation for providing the public with information about this stealth takeover by a South African-based organisation apparently acting in the interests of a foreign government: Israel. The purpose? For Peres to address a hand-picked, racially select (see Yehuda Kay’s comments) crowd. That act should give us all pause, given the ways in which Israel has consistently denied to Palestinians the kind of democratic freedom for which the majority of South Africans strove for many years. In planning further segregation of the West Bank, Bethlehem and Gaza from the “mainland” of Israel, the Israeli government is now resuscitating apartheid.
South Africans need to ask:
Why did the SAPS act with considerable force not only to suppress peaceful protest but also to restrict and, in some cases, arrest academics trying to enter their place of work?
Has a police investigation been launched to establish who summoned the SAPS on to campus? It is curious that the Israeli embassy’s first secretary believed the pre-event organisation was the SAPS’s responsibility “with some cooperation from Peres’s people”. His confidence suggests that security arrangements may have been planned well in advance, and deliberately concealed from the Jewish Board of Deputies’ host, Wits University.
What are the links between the Board of Deputies and the Israeli security forces that they could be seen to be acting in unison on that day? May we now conclude that the Board of Deputies is acting as a front for the Israeli government and treat any future statements it makes as such?
In the current absence of coherent explanation from the Board of Deputies and the SAPS, we shall have to read the M&G to find out. –Jane Starfield
I congratulate the M&G on its coverage of the events at Wits. The all-too-familiar scenes of brutality and violence by authorities were compounded this time by the orchestration and instigation of it by foreign, occupying forces.
My colleagues at Wits, the chief of university security and the university principal have corroborated for me the fact that racist thugs from Israel occupied a section of the university.
In doing so, they violated what should be a safe space for the exchange of ideas and they turned the campus into a site for the demonstration of gross power. The behaviour of all who were instrumental in doing this, including the Jewish Board of Deputies, is akin to rape. — Michael Gardiner, Observatory, Johannesburg
One is hard-put to find a more egregious example of blaming the victim. Two weeks ago legal rights to safety and constitutional rights to attend a gathering were trashed by students from Wits and other pro-Palestinian protesters. This the report by Macfarlane failed to mention.
Firstly, this was an illegal protest. Secondly, the protesters contravened the common law and the police acted correctly to disperse the crowd. Thirdly, the protesters showed no respect for members of the Jewish community or for the values enshrined in the Constitution.
The Constitution states, “South Africa belongs to all who live in it, united in our diversity”. Furthermore, “persons belonging to a cultural, religious or linguistic community may not be denied the right, with other members of that community, to enjoy their culture — to form, join and maintain cultural associations”.
What the protesters did was to trample on the principle of diversity by attacking the Jewish community. They tried to trample on the Jewish community’s right to attend a meeting. They resorted to intimidation and violence. These are vile forms of censorship. Several members of the public were prevented from attending the meeting and this is not a victory for democratic values but a destruction of them. –Tali Schapira
A country of hope and inspiration
The World Summit on Sustainable Development has been a symbol of hope for our nation, not only because an agreement has been reached to sustain the environment and assist developing countries. It has been a success because of the cultural mixing of hundreds of diverse nations and the expressing of views and different ideologies, whether controversial or socially acceptable.
I have learned the valuable lesson that judging people on stereotypes is a mistake and in most cases will be proven incorrect. Many South Africans have realised that throughout the world people suffer, children starve and discrimination occurs. This has given our nation reasons to relate to the outside world, with people who would have previously been seen as intruders who do not understand the plight of the African nation. We have learned that through our political history people throughout the world have been inspired. We have realised the extent to which our nation, once ruled under the apartheid regime, has in fact progressed into a nation proud of its culture and its roots and capable of successfully hosting thousands of multinational individuals.
We have not only exposed to the world the heart of our friendly nation; we have emerged from this historic event having changed the light in which the world views our country. The summit has proved to the world South Africa’s true spirit — one that has impacted on many people’s lives.
As a member of the youth of this nation I have learned that as we do not wish to be judged by the stereotypes created by others, neither does the rest of the world. And so I commend the people of our country whose smiles and warm natures have created an image of a country of hope.
Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres concluded his address with a story of a rabbi who posed to his students a question: when does night end and day begin? One of the students replied that when from afar you can distinguish between a goat and a sheep, the night is over. Another student said that when you can see the difference between an olive tree and a fig tree, then the day has begun. The students eagerly awaited the reply of the rabbi, who finally spoke: “When you see a woman, either black or white, you tell her, ‘You are my sister.’ And when you see a man, either rich or poor, you tell him, ‘You are my brother.’ This is when the night has ended and the new day has dawned.” –Jonathan Whittall (16), Johannesburg
Independent thought
Over the years the Mail & Guardian has done a good job of keeping those in power on the straight and narrow. For that you are to be commended.
So I find it incongruous that you have repeatedly resorted to bashing Independent Newspapers and its toiling servants. (A case of if we can make them look bad, we can look even better?) Don’t worry. Your halo needs no further polishing.
A Krisjan Lemmer item of August 30 (“Independence day”) provides an example. This, I suppose, is the thanks one gets for giving former staffers such as John Ryan a couple of pages of publicity for his book, One Man in Africa — despite his negative comments about the company. So much for a lack of independence at Independent!
I do not wish to go into what were meant to be private discussions with staff on company policy and operating procedures. Suffice it to say Independent editors have not been emasculated by management.
Thankfully, I have not had to extol the virtues of the newly appointed chief executive at Independent (or his deputy) in my editorials as your organ did so eloquently recently.
Oh, and by the way, my colleague Shaun Johnson has called me in to his office (again!) and instructed me to inform you that he is the deputy chief executive officer of Independent News and Media SA and not, as you would have it, a general manager. –Ivan Fynn, editor, Cape Argus
Acerbic wit
The only reason I buy the Mail & Guardian is to read Robert Kirby’s column. I have been a great fan of his since attending one of his deliciously risqué revues. He always manages to put into hilarious words exactly what I think. –Caroline Voget, Constantia
If Kirby goes, then so do I. His superb command of the English language is one of life’s pleasures. –Peter Hockaday, Westville
Worrying stuff, the departure of Howard Barrell, hot on the heels of Sipho Seepe and Margaret Legum. Please don’t let that doyen of acerbic wit, Robert Kirby, out of your clutches. –Annette Thompson
In brief
Iregister my dismay at the termination of two columns in the M&G: Margaret Legum’s Economics for Humans and Sipho Seepe’s No Blows Barred. Legum’s column was a relief from the endless articles on economics for corporations and created space for alternatives to the prevailing capitalist orthodoxy. Seepe was a fearless voice who gave genuine insight into the socio-political pyschology of why things happen the way they do in Africa. — Richard Owen, Harare
Iwas in a bar last week — as academics tend to be these days — and talk turned to the witch killings in our provinces to the north. One white colleague said he would like to publish some ideas about the killings but suggested he would first have to find a black co-author to lend legitimacy to his words. I took this with a pinch of salt, but it got me wondering: are we so bent on self-censorship? Is it really necessary to be a certain colour before we say certain things? –Dr Sandra Swart, Stellenbosch
Thanks for listening to your customers and changing the format of Friday (and especially the TV schedules) back to the old — much better — format! –Birga Thomas, Cape Town
Please give your editorial staff a brief lesson in geography. Knysna is in the Western Cape — or do you know something that we who live here don’t? — Mike Young, Sedgefield
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