Sanctions campaigners are demonising Israel

ANNA Majavu’s article “ANC must show how they support BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) movement” (Cape Argus, February 16) cannot go unchallenged.

The award-winning British journalist and novelist, Jake Wallis Simons, wrote: “There is something racist and hateful about the disproportionate, obsessive, unrelenting, swiveleyed, tunnel-visioned, maniacal criticism of Israel that abounds in both Britain and Europe.”

Unfortunately, this is also applicable in South Africa.

To call on the ANC, the ruling party in South Africa, to “show how they support the BDS movement”, is disingenuous. That will effectively disqualify the SA government from any future involvement in the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians.

It might already be the case after the hero’s welcome given to Leila Khaled and her subsequent invitation to the opening of Parliament.

While Isis, Boko Haram, al-Shabaab and other extremist groups are killing innocent people in their thousands in Syria, Iraq, Libya, Somalia and Nigeria, the BDS campaigners and their supporters decided to focus on Israel.

It seems that beheading people is acceptable to them – if not, why are they silent and not condemning these atrocities? Why the disproportionate fixation on Israel?

Israel is branded as an apartheid state, which is a travesty for those who suffered under apartheid in South Africa.

Israel is a parliamentary democracy, with universal suffrage for all citizens, regardless of race, religion, or sex, who are of voting age. More than 1.5 million Israeli citizens are not Jews. Israeli Arabs enjoy full political rights; they can vote and stand freely for election and political association; they have free access to the Israeli court system.

Arab women in many Muslim countries enjoy no rights at all – in Israel they enjoy full rights. There is Arab representation in the Knesset and in the government. There is a totally free press, used against Israel at times to its detriment.

The president of the Palestinian National Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, has come out against the BDS movement, telling reporters at the funeral of Nelson Mandela : “No, we do not support the boycott of Israel.”

It seems that those who blindly support the ideology of BDS need to acquaint themselves with the facts and the real reasons behind the feverish drive to demonise Israel. WILLIE PATERSON Chairman: Fair Media Reporting Initiative Brackenfell