Zionism is not a racist conviction
DEAR SIR — Kelly-Jo Bluen (The pulpit’s power can be used for good or ill, June 30) would do well to heed her own advice around the abuse of power and privilege, only in this case it applies to columnists not clergy.
To use SA’s brewing racism crisis as a platform to advance one’s own factually devoid prejudices against Israel is pernicious.
Behind the emotionally charged tone of her column, there is very little fact indeed. Take, for example, her attacks on Zionism. Despite what the column suggests, Zionism is simply a belief in Jewish indigenousness. It is the belief that Jews should be able to live in their historic homeland, where they are free to learn and practise their faith.
The Jewish connection to Israel is a religious, historical and cultural fact recognised through time immemorial. Zionism is not racist, just like the black consciousness movement is not racist.
Both are simply saying that their constituents have a right to life and self-determination.
The land owned by the Jewish National Fund has never been “stolen”. It was purchased from Arab landowners at more than fair value on an entirely consensual basis. These deeds of sale still exist and are available for anyone to see. Bluen also apparently opposes the planting of trees in Israel.
Thanks to the fund’s efforts in planting 260-million trees, Israel is one of the few countries in the world that has more trees than when it started. Through this programme, it has successfully fought off both malaria and desertification.
In her rush to condemn all things Israel, Bluen also neglects the excellent work done by the fund and various Arab and Palestinian communities in terms of sustainable forestry and transferring firefighting skills. This is to say nothing of the positive role the fund continues to play in the development of agriculture in Africa, including in SA.
Racism is a serious issue in SA and we would do well to address it instead of wasting valuable column inches on narrow, self-interested perspectives on the Middle East.