Dr Allan Boesak has rejected having a street renamed after him following the PA’s stance on Israel’s genocide Photo IndyStar
South Africa – In July, the Patriotic Alliance (PA) journeyed to Israel on what they called a “fact finding” mission. Despite initial claims of not picking sides between Israel and Palestine by Kenny Kunene, the Deputy President of the PA, their stance appeared to shift dramatically in favour of Israel when Kunene openly declared the PA’s unequivocal support for Israel during a gathering hosted by the South African Zionist Federation (SAZF) at Yeshiva College Campus on Sunday. After these incidents unfolded, Dr. Allan Boesak, Anti-Apartheid activist, who had been in discussions with the PA to rename Louis Botha Street in Johannesburg after him, turned down the honour, a decision the party deemed ungrateful.
In a letter to the PA, Boesak made it known he did not want to be associated with a party that supported the Apartheid state of Israel. “I’ve seen it a number of times but every time I see it, it shocks me to my core,” said Boesak speaking on the video circulating social media of Kunene voicing his support for Israel.
Boesak expressed deep frustration at Kunene, emphasising his lack of comprehension regarding the historical, humanitarian, political, and social contexts. Boesak’s voice resonated with anger and shame as he condemned the PA for supporting Apartheid Israel.
“It is incomprehensible to me that a black South African who has lived through Apartheid, certainly for most of his life, because Mr Kunene is still fairly young, could speak such language and the language of pure hatred and pure revenge for something that he does not clearly understand. He’s not calling for Hamas to be killed. If he thinks a little deeper, he will know that. He’s calling for every Palestinian to be killed. For every Palestinian woman, man and child to be murdered as they are being slaughtered this very day. I’m sure he does not understand that this is not a war that started on October 7th. This is a war that started 75 years ago with the beginning of the Nakba.”
The role of education and educating the youth
One of the primary reasons behind widespread ignorance concerning Israeli’s genocide is the lack of comprehensive education. Many individuals, both in South Africa and across the globe, remain uninformed about the historical context, the struggles of the Palestinian people, and the nuances of Zionism.
“You will be surprised how many of our young people don’t even know about our own struggle. I have spoken at places where a young lady, who got a degree from the University of Western Cape, got an advanced degree from the University of Cape Town, has said to me it’s the first time that she has heard of the United Democratic Front and the role they have played. It’s only now, for the first time in the last year or two, that that part of our history is being taught in our history books. Now imagine if your own history of your own struggle for freedom is not taught in schools to our children, what will they know about the struggle of the Palestinians? What do they know about the Nakba?”
It is essential to educate the youth on these issues and not let political parties “who for their own political gain and for money have sold their soul” to lead our people “down the same river of shame”. A river filled with“the blood of Palestinian children”.
“We have to be passionate. We have to be convicted, be clear, be unapologetic in our solidarity with the Palestinians. We have to teach every single time we get the opportunity to tell our people about what the real history is and to stop the lies that are being spread through propaganda, through media or books or whatever else or by politicians who think only of themselves.”
As long as the minds of people are “colonised” the people will always accept the view of the oppressors. Boesak stood firm in his belief that those who are on the side of Palestine are on the right side of history and he will continue to fight for the freedom of Palestine.
SMread: The political world’s indifference to Palestinian suffering
Separating Judaism from Zionism
Oftentimes, people make the assumption that Zionism and Judaism are two peas in the same pod, it is not. There are fundamental differences between the both which is why organisations like Not In Our Name exist. An organisation composed of Jews who stand firmly with the Palestinian cause and declare they are not Zionists.
Jews in New York protesting against Israel under “Not In Our Name” banner Photo Twitter/@ashoswai
Judaism as a religion is thousands of years old. Zionist ideology is a creation of the early 19th century. It is a specific ethnic nationalistic, racialist ideology which makes claims for Jews that Judaism does not, says Boesak.
“That’s why we have so many Jews who say I am a Jew and I am proud to be a Jew but I am not a Zionist. I am a Jew because of my faith but I’m not a Zionist because Zionism as a political ideology with the consequences that we have seen since 1917 at least and especially since 1948 and the duration of the Nakba and the extermination of the Palestinian people as a project of new settler colonialism, that is Zionism.”
Forgetting about the past
Collectively, humans frequently overlook the lessons of history. By delving into the past, we uncover the underlying reasons behind the mass migration of Jewish people onto boats bound for Palestine after World War II.
“People forget that the reason why the UK especially and the countries in Europe and the United States created a Jewish State called Israel in Palestine. It was because they knew the Jews stood no chance, and had no future of a human existence in Europe. So the anti-Semitism of the Germans and of others in Europe is what created the State of Israel. The British didn’t want them there and the United States didn’t want them there and so gave them a land of their own where they can be as far away from us as possible and we will make up for our bad conscience by giving them lots of money and keeping them in arms so that they could oppress other people and steal other people’s land. They transferred their guilt … onto the Palestinians and they act as if it is the Palestinians who now have to pay the price for what the Germans and other Europeans have done to them. Which is another unspeakable thing.”
Jewish refugees arrive in Palestine with a banner proclaiming: "The Germans destroyed our families and homes - don't you destroy our hopes" Photo BBC/GETTY IMAGES
The Jewish refugee ship Pan-York, carrying new citizens to the recently established state of Israel, docks at Haifa. The ship sailed from southern Europe to Israel, via Cyprus Photo Holocaust Encyclopedia
For Boesak, if Israel chooses to live a life where they cannot live side by side with others, they feel the need to dominate, exterminate others, then those people “have no future”. This war and genocide, no matter how many weapons and what weapons are used will “not kill the genuine and legitimate feelings for and longings for justice and freedom and land which is your own that live in the hearts of the Palestinian people”.
While Boesak admits it was a huge honour to be approached by the PA to have the street renamed after him, after seeing the stance of the PA, it became very clear to him securing his legacy was not worth the “lives of Palestinian children, the dignity of the Palestinian people” that will be sacrificed for a small moment of glory.
