WHY ARE THEY SCARED OF ISRAEL?
It is a pity that many of our S.C and H.S.C students are not aware of the meaning of the word “Apartheid”. “Holocaust” is also another word that is fuzzy in the minds of many of our youngsters. Briefly, what do they mean?
Apartheid comes from an Afrikaan Origin meaning apartness. Apartheid was a racist policy which was in force in South Africa until all the racist laws were repealed by the then South African president F.W. De Klerk in 1990 – 1991. The enfranchisement of non-whites came into effect in 1994 after a new constitution was adopted in 1993 after years of struggle by the ANC & others in South Africa and by many thousands of militants worldwide.
Apartheid is a policy that governed relations between whites and non-whites. The Apartheid regime of South Africa was for racial segregation, political, economic, social and cultural discrimination against non-whites.
Holocaust… Shoah (in Hebrew which means “catastrophe”. The Nazis called it “the final solution to the Jewish question”. Holocaust is the systematic state-sponsored killing of six million Jewish men, women, children and millions of others by the Nazi Germany of Hitler with the support or blind eyes of many others (including the Vatican)… The word Holocaust is derived from the greek “Holokauston”which itself is the translation of the Hebrew word “Olah” meaning a burnt sacrifice. The Nazis used extermination camps. The Jews were wholly consumed in crematoria and open fires.
We can excuse our youngsters for not being aware of the history because our education system does not cater for same as it will challenge in the end any form of discrimination ( Racism-communalism-casteism-sexism…) but can we excuse the so called great democratic countries?… the answer is a big “NO”.
Israel is verging more and more towards a fascist state. The recent elections in Israel reflect the mood of a right wing nation which if not checked will be a repetition of how Nazism & fascism were allowed to flourish by spineless leaders like Chamberlain and others.
Be true to peace & dare criticise Israel and you will be labelled anti-Semitic with doomed consequences for your career in whichever field you are. Politicians on the left of the political spectrum who have the “balls” (excuse me for using such term!) to criticise Israel are attacked as Anti-semities with all its innuendoes. Jeremy Corbyn is paying the price and I am sure if he has not been truthful in his analysis of Israel and support for Palestine he would have already thrown out Theresa May.
Many European countries and leaders worldwide don’t have the courage it needs to say that Israel is applying Apartheid policies. Why?
Because they fear they will be tatooed for life to be anti-Semitism which is hatred for Jews. By so doing they are allowing Apartheid policies to flourish in occupied Palestine.
Demonstrations against Apartheid in South Africa were a popular cause. Anti-Apartheid movement with the support of political parties (from right to left with the exception of the tory party of Mrs Thatcher) Trade Unions and the National Union of students were drawing huge crowds… They were lobbying for:
- Boycott for South African Exports (in Mauritius Boycott of oranges outspan led by SOMAP (solidarité mauricienne anti-Apartheid where were very active the members of Lalit Ram Seegobin & Lindsey Collen) Elwyn Chutel of UDM & others like Firoz Ghanty who designed a great poster in the style of Guernica which was printed by Pablo Picasso in 1937 in black and white. Guernica is a town in the Northern part of Spain which was formerly the seat of a Basque Parliament).
- Boycott of trade, sports, artists and academics.
- Arms embargo (even England of Mrs Thatcher was forced to join in)
- Public protests everywhere.
Criticism of South Africa was a popular cause. Why not Israel? Is Islamophobia stronger?
The Israel lobbies are very powerful and as can be seen in America, they even have the support of “pastors”…
RAMA VALAYDEN
