Political parties are from pleased about the Zionism ideology being pushed onto students Photo Herzlia
Cape Town – A controversy has emerged surrounding Herzlia High School in Cape Town, South Africa. The school’s affiliation with a sister school in Israel and the promotion of Zionism among its students have drawn strong objections from political parties like the Economic Freedom Fighters who have called for the school to be de-registered.
The issue at hand is not a religious one, contrary to popular belief. It is not an attack on the Jewish community or an attempt to curtail religious freedom. The core concern lies in how Herzlia High School enforces Zionism on its students, encouraging their participation in activities that promote an oppressive and inhumane agenda, explained Aisha Cassiem, EFF MPL.
“It is not an issue of the Jewish Community. It is not an issue of our Cape Town parents sending their children to a Jewish school to uphold their religious beliefs … The real issue here is rather about how the school enforces Zionism on these Jewish students. How it encourages the students to participate in Apartheid activities and inhumane practices and encourages them to join [the] Israeli Defence Force (IDF) after completing grade 12.”
The call comes after Herzlia High director of education Geoff Cohen and the school’s executive director Andries van Renseen disclosed to an Israeli TV news channel that a number of their students, almost 22%, had joined the Israeli army after leaving school.
The role of the Democratic Alliance
The Democratic Alliance (DA), the ruling party in the province, has been criticised for its response to the issue. Education MEC David Maynier dismissed the concerns raised by Cassiem as well as ANC’s provincial education spokesperson, Khalid Sayed, refusing to take action against the school.
During a heated debate in the legislature, Sayed asked if Maynier would intervene at the school, following the broadcast of the interview. To which Maynier said the question was asked to deflect attention from the government’s entanglements with Russia.
“I think it’s obvious that it is clearly an attempt to use a school to pivot, to deflect and to draw attention away from the monumental international relations shambles of Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine.”
Maynier further went on to say, “The real insult here is that a person who professes to care about human rights supports a country whose leader has been charged with the forced relocation of 16 000 children” adding he would not deregister the school.
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Opposition and protests against Herzlia High School
Notably, there have been instances of opposition within the Jewish community itself. In 2018, two students were disciplined for criticising the mistreatment of Palestinians during the playing of the Israeli National Anthem. The school dismissed their concerns as embarrassing and inappropriate.
“These students said that they were being forced to do it and were not entitled to different views on the matter of Palestine and Israel … There are Jewish people within the Jewish Community who are not in favour of what the school is doing. If they do stand up, they are being disciplined by the school. Once again it goes back to the students that are being forced to the practices of the school.”
The controversy surrounding Herzlia High School goes beyond religious differences. It highlights the need for effective institutional frameworks to investigate and address cases where oppressive ideologies are being enforced. The issue at hand is not isolated but has implications for South Africa as a whole. It is essential to prioritise the protection of children’s rights and ensure a society that respects diverse perspectives and upholds human rights.
Aishah Cassiem engaged in a conversation with Julie Alli on the complex and far-reaching implications surrounding the affiliation of Herschel High School in Cape Town and examining the involvement of influential figures. Listen to the discussion here:
