Opinion on Mogoeng insults SA Jews

YOUR editorial of 28 June

(‘Mogoeng is courting controversy’) regrettably crosses the line by levelling unwarranted and insulting accusations against the South African Jewish community.

Particularly uncalled for is the comment reading: “In the eyes of South African Jewry, as represented by Rabbi Goldstein, Palestine does not exist”. This is a shocking and baseless smear against the Jewish community. It is also a palpable instance of how easily irrational hostility towards the State of Israel can spill over into prejudice against Jewish people in general. Had the editorial confined itself simply to taking issue with the comments made by Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng about SA’S relationship with Israel, that would have been perfectly in order.

Unfortunately, the writer was evidently unable to leave things at that. Contrary to the above allegation, the consistent approach of the representative Jewish community leadership to the Israeli-palestinian conflict has been to support a negotiated, two-state solution aimed at the creation of a sovereign Palestinian state, co-existing in peace alongside Israel. This the editor would easily have ascertained had he made even a slight effort to become better acquainted with what Jewish leaders, including Chief Rabbi Goldstein, have long been saying on the issue.

Instead, an obvious antipathy towards Israel has overridden such fundamental principles of ethical journalism as fairness, impartiality and getting the facts right. | DAVID

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