Time to mobilise against intimidation & bullying

Over the past two weeks we have seen an orchestrated campaign to silence and intimidate fellow South Africans who are supportive of Israel. The campaign attempts to “cancel” anyone who holds a different view, suggesting there is only one side to the conflict.

One of the concerns that the SAJBD has had since the outbreak of violence in the Middle East two weeks ago, is the fall-out between fellow South Africans. Many of us, to a greater or lesser extent, hold strong views about the conflict, which is understandable. Israel is home to the three Abrahamic faiths and conflicts between the Palestinians and Israelis have always inflamed tensions in South Africa and been the subject of robust debate and discussion.

However, this `cancel culture’ has created a nasty and vindictive element to this discourse, and is spilling over to ordinary South Africans. The level of demonization and aggression to anyone who dares to differ from the anti-Israel narrative should disturb every South African committed to our constitutional rights of freedom of expression. Jewish school children, University students, professionals and business people have been subjected to a barrage of hate on their social media, WhatsApp and telegram groups. Anyone daring to respond with an alternate narrative has been subjected to harassment, intimidation and cyber bullying. These hostile campaigns have a clear message – tow our line or you will be ridiculed and demonised. In a couple of cases, criminal charges have been laid for incitement to violence and assault.

Here are some further examples:

• Sudesh Mooloo a teacher at a school in Laudium posted on social media “I am not anti-Palestine but I am anti Hamas. I stand for Israel.” He has subsequently been fired. It was deemed unacceptable to hold a differing view of the conflict.

• Journalist Gareth Cliff presented an alternate understanding of the conflict and immediately the `cancel culture’ machinery went into operation assembling signatures to have him removed from his television show.

• School children at Redhill were spammed with anti-Israel propaganda on their class WhatsApp groups, children who have are not capable of responding to this complex conflict. When the principal tried to intervene, it resulted in a protest by anti-Israel demonstrators outside the school by the Palestinians Solidarity movement. Some of the learners were too frightened to come to school.

• This past Sunday, while Jewish and Christian supporters of Israel were praying for peace at our Jewish community centre, we were surrounded by hundreds of aggressive anti-Israel protesters who yelled and swore at Jewish people walking in the streets calling them `F***ing Jews. A Jewish man was beaten up not far from the centre. Earlier, the perpetrators yelled, “child-killer, F**k You” and “Free Palestine” at him and his father. It is one thing to vent your anger at an Embassy, but to target a Jewish community centre and community members is unacceptable.

• Jewish-founded and or owned business such as Dischem and Cape Union Mart have been singled out for boycott. Targeting Jewish business for boycott brings back painful memories.

Our constitution 15 (1) states that “everyone has the right to freedom of conscience, religion, thought, belief and opinion”. All communities are entitled to this right, and all of us should stand up against all forms of forms of harassment.

With the enormous challenges facing South Africa, we call on all responsible leaders across the religious and political divide to ensure that the conflict in the Middle East not further inflame tensions. We need to ensure that South Africans are entitled to their own opinions and beliefs, without fear of intimidation.