'BDS against Israel is taking root in South Africa ...
In only two days, Durban dock workers will enter the history of the Palestinian liberation struggle against Israel as the pioneers of implementing effective sanctions against Israeli ships and cargo. No other solidarity action can be more appropriate than this in responding to Israel's high-sea piracy and terror against the Lebanese "Brotherhood" humanitarian ship yesterday, when Israeli gunboats hijacked a ship full of medical and food supplies headed to Gaza, preventing it from reaching the besieged open-air prison, beating some volunteers on board.
In interviews with South African media, several Palestinian commentators often lambast the cowardly, often "Red Cross-ish," positions adopted by the SA government towards Israel's colonial atrocities, asking whether South Africa forgot what the Palestinian liberation movement, mainly the PLO, had done to support the anti-apartheid struggle when Israel was the apartheid regime's closest partner. Well, South African civil society has certainly not forgotten. Neither has it lost its instinctive ability to detect injustice, racism and colonial hegemony, even from a distance, or its inspiring ability to stand with the oppressed against the formidable, ostensibly invincible oppressors.
Refusing to fall prey to Zionist intimidation and bullying (which have very effectively, alas, muzzled mainstream condemnation of Israeli crimes in the west for many years), the COSATU-led BDS campaign in South Africa is truly setting new precedents with unique courage, vision and the best tradition of internationalism and solidarity.
Omar Barghouti
From: COSATU-press@googlegroups.com on behalf of Patrick CravenSent: Thu 2009/02/05 02:53 PMSubject: [COSATU Press] COSATU calls for intensified action against Israel
COSATU calls for intensified action against Israel
COSATU, the Palestinian Solidarity Committee and all members of the Ad Hoc Coalition on Palestine call on all workers and activists for justice and peace to join the ever growing movement of people in solidarity with the suffering masses of Palestine. In particular, we invite people to tomorrow's protest outside the Zionist Federation office in Raedene Estate, Johannesburg, and the Picket in Cape Town. (See details below)
We note a recent threat by some Zionists: "Let us bombard the COSATU offices with phone calls to let them know our anger. It is hard to ignore phone calls than e mails. Maybe we should start a policy that Israel-loyal Jews refuse to employ COSATU members in retaliation for COSATU's evil actions."
We warn all South African Zionists that COSATU will not allow any forms of apartheid practices and intimidation in South Africa, just as we fully support our comrades in Palestine in their struggle to remove these racist vestiges in their own land.
Employers, particularly Zionist employers who would want to try these old (and failed) tricks must be warned that we shall not hesitate to do all in our powers to deal decisively in protecting our members and the working class in South Africa.
The SA Zionist Federation's Bev Goldman warned in a local newspaper last week that "a boycott would undermine relations between Israel and South Africa and result in a negative impact on the economy." This deserves our contempt. Just as in the campaign against blood diamonds we put people before profits and solidarity before economic blackmail. Let us never forget that the SA Zionist Federation supported trade, nuclear and security links between Apartheid SA and Israel!
COSATU also calls on workers in the rest of the world to follow the lead of our members in SATAWU who have vowed not to offload Israeli goods and our members who are planning a campaign not to handle any Israeli goods in supermarkets, and other stores. We understand that the Israeli ship which was due to dock in Durban on Sunday 8 February may arrive earlier, but the SATAWU boycott and the Sunday demonstration will continue.
Workers of the world united to isolate the Apartheid South African state in 1970s and 1980s. Workers need to stretch our hands across the seas and our continents to join together, now, to isolate the Apartheid Israeli state and to Free Palestine.
We have also received reports that there are about 20 ships carrying medical supplies, humanitarian aid, doctors, journalists, human rights activists and food waiting in Cyprus, destined for Gaza. One ship was stopped by the Israeli navy and its crew arrested, confirming the inhumane character of apartheid Israel and its total disregard for the desperate situation of the suffering people of Gaza, the very victims of the latest holocaust by Israel. We salute the crews and passengers on all the ships waiting to assist the people of Gaza.'
In only two days, Durban dock workers will enter the history of the Palestinian liberation struggle against Israel as the pioneers of implementing effective sanctions against Israeli ships and cargo. No other solidarity action can be more appropriate than this in responding to Israel's high-sea piracy and terror against the Lebanese "Brotherhood" humanitarian ship yesterday, when Israeli gunboats hijacked a ship full of medical and food supplies headed to Gaza, preventing it from reaching the besieged open-air prison, beating some volunteers on board.
In interviews with South African media, several Palestinian commentators often lambast the cowardly, often "Red Cross-ish," positions adopted by the SA government towards Israel's colonial atrocities, asking whether South Africa forgot what the Palestinian liberation movement, mainly the PLO, had done to support the anti-apartheid struggle when Israel was the apartheid regime's closest partner. Well, South African civil society has certainly not forgotten. Neither has it lost its instinctive ability to detect injustice, racism and colonial hegemony, even from a distance, or its inspiring ability to stand with the oppressed against the formidable, ostensibly invincible oppressors.
Refusing to fall prey to Zionist intimidation and bullying (which have very effectively, alas, muzzled mainstream condemnation of Israeli crimes in the west for many years), the COSATU-led BDS campaign in South Africa is truly setting new precedents with unique courage, vision and the best tradition of internationalism and solidarity.
Omar Barghouti
From: COSATU-press@googlegroups.com on behalf of Patrick CravenSent: Thu 2009/02/05 02:53 PMSubject: [COSATU Press] COSATU calls for intensified action against Israel
COSATU calls for intensified action against Israel
COSATU, the Palestinian Solidarity Committee and all members of the Ad Hoc Coalition on Palestine call on all workers and activists for justice and peace to join the ever growing movement of people in solidarity with the suffering masses of Palestine. In particular, we invite people to tomorrow's protest outside the Zionist Federation office in Raedene Estate, Johannesburg, and the Picket in Cape Town. (See details below)
We note a recent threat by some Zionists: "Let us bombard the COSATU offices with phone calls to let them know our anger. It is hard to ignore phone calls than e mails. Maybe we should start a policy that Israel-loyal Jews refuse to employ COSATU members in retaliation for COSATU's evil actions."
We warn all South African Zionists that COSATU will not allow any forms of apartheid practices and intimidation in South Africa, just as we fully support our comrades in Palestine in their struggle to remove these racist vestiges in their own land.
Employers, particularly Zionist employers who would want to try these old (and failed) tricks must be warned that we shall not hesitate to do all in our powers to deal decisively in protecting our members and the working class in South Africa.
The SA Zionist Federation's Bev Goldman warned in a local newspaper last week that "a boycott would undermine relations between Israel and South Africa and result in a negative impact on the economy." This deserves our contempt. Just as in the campaign against blood diamonds we put people before profits and solidarity before economic blackmail. Let us never forget that the SA Zionist Federation supported trade, nuclear and security links between Apartheid SA and Israel!
COSATU also calls on workers in the rest of the world to follow the lead of our members in SATAWU who have vowed not to offload Israeli goods and our members who are planning a campaign not to handle any Israeli goods in supermarkets, and other stores. We understand that the Israeli ship which was due to dock in Durban on Sunday 8 February may arrive earlier, but the SATAWU boycott and the Sunday demonstration will continue.
Workers of the world united to isolate the Apartheid South African state in 1970s and 1980s. Workers need to stretch our hands across the seas and our continents to join together, now, to isolate the Apartheid Israeli state and to Free Palestine.
We have also received reports that there are about 20 ships carrying medical supplies, humanitarian aid, doctors, journalists, human rights activists and food waiting in Cyprus, destined for Gaza. One ship was stopped by the Israeli navy and its crew arrested, confirming the inhumane character of apartheid Israel and its total disregard for the desperate situation of the suffering people of Gaza, the very victims of the latest holocaust by Israel. We salute the crews and passengers on all the ships waiting to assist the people of Gaza.'
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