Image Source: The New Arab
South Africa – In an interview with Salaamedia, renowned novelist Zakira Bhika shared her and her family’s experiences with Israeli soldiers and institutions during their recent trip to occupied Palestine. This journey was part of a broader pilgrimage, including visits to Makkah and Medina.
Bhika recounted how their challenges began earlier in September when they were on their way to the Jordanian border to cross into Palestine. News soon broke of a tragic incident at the Allenby crossing, where a Jordanian truck driver opened fire on Israeli soldiers, killing three. The border was immediately closed, forcing the family to return to Amman for safety.
After spending the night and reassessing their options, they learned that the Sheikh Hussein crossing had reopened. Determined, the family made their way there in hopes of entering Palestine.
However, upon reaching the Israeli border, they were separated, enduring hours of interrogation and harassment by Israeli forces. The process involved long waits between questions, which created a tense and distressing atmosphere.
In addition to withholding their passports, Israeli authorities subjected them to repeated rounds of questioning, often revisiting the same topics in what felt like an attempt to intimidate and wear them down. The Israeli forces also demonstrated an unnerving level of knowledge about their personal lives, including past activities and protests in South Africa.
“My husband and I were there, and they were a bit easier on us. My two kids, who are both attorneys, were interrogated so thoroughly. They knew everything that happened in their lives. They knew the court cases they fought in, and they even knew about the protests that my kids participated in here in South Africa. They interrogate you and tell you there’s a telephone against the wall. They say it’s going to ring, and you have to answer it.”
“So, my son goes first. He answers the phone, and they ask him, “Were you part of any protests?” He says, “Yes, I was part of the Fees Must Fall protest.” Then, they give him the exact date he was part of a Palestinian protest here in South Africa. They said, “Should I jog your memory? On this date, in this month, were you part of a protest? Should I jog your memory?” They knew right down to the exact day, time, and month where he was and who he was with.”
“There was a big ANC protest for Palestine that my son and I participated in, and a picture of us appeared in the Laudium Sun. They knew exactly about that picture. When you go there, they ask you for your email address, and obviously, in the six or eight hours they interrogate you, they are going through your accounts and your email.”
SMread| DA Purges Racist Characters
Challenges at Al-Aqsa
Even after arriving in occupied Palestine, the family continued to face challenges from Israeli forces. At various entry points to the Al-Aqsa compound, they were repeatedly denied access by soldiers, who often displayed aggressive behaviour, asking for passports and telling them to “go back to South Africa.”
They had to pass through several gates, enduring long walks and multiple rejections before finally gaining entry. The heavy security presence, heightened by recent events, added to the tension, with heavily armed soldiers patrolling the streets, increasing the sense of intimidation.
Although they eventually visited Al-Aqsa Mosque, the experience was overshadowed by the constant presence of soldiers and the emotional weight of witnessing the struggles faced by the local Palestinian community.
“Let me tell you, the women soldiers are worse than the men. They are beautiful women, all glammed up, with makeup, nice nails, eyelashes, and perfect hair, but they are far worse than the male soldiers. It’s such an ugly thing to say, but that’s how it is.”
“While shopping or walking down the street, it happens almost every day. They caught my son, put him against the wall, and asked him to put his hands up. They frisked him, told him to turn around, searched his pockets, and made him empty everything. They have little iPads they carry around, input our passport numbers, and are on the phone waiting for a report to confirm if we are okay. After 15 to 20 minutes, they allow you to go.”
“In one incident, they asked my son, “Why are you shaking?” My daughter responded, “Look at you. You’re dressed with four guns in your pockets and one sniper in your hand. There are six of you and four of us. How do you expect us to react? Aren’t we supposed to shake? They giggled. They laughed at us.”
Despite the hardships they’ve faced, Bhika encourages everyone to visit Al-Aqsa and stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people. She emphasised that beyond offering support, this act sends a strong message against oppression and fear.
“Please, despite all the harassment, despite everything that they are trying to do and trying to make it so difficult for us It’s a special, [place]. This is not my message; it’s a message from the Palestinians that we’ve heard. Please try to show your brotherhood and support for us. Come here.”
