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Last update - 10:11 17/07/2008
Don't call it apartheid
By Tova Herzl
Tags: apartheid, Israel 

Every so often, when the comparison between Israel and the apartheid regime in South Africa is once again in the headlines, I am reminded of the racism conference in Durban in 2001. One incident at that conference, which became a milestone in the struggle to delegitimize Israel, remains engraved in my memory.

In the last few weeks, during which Israel hosted a delegation of fair-minded people who were in the vanguard of the fight against apartheid, I was reminded of the sights and sounds of that incident: During a demonstration in the streets of Durban, protesters shouted "Amandela intifada!" Amandela is the Zulu word for power and was often used in demonstrations against the minority white regime.

Since that conference, Israel's enemies have drawn a comparison between these two struggles, in order to argue that Israel - like apartheid - does not have the right to exist. Words and slogans have a power of their own. It is acknowledged that the phrasing of questions in public opinion polls influences the answer and can point the respondent in a certain direction. When one uses the word "apartheid," which, in practice, means the superiority of one race and the inferiority of all others, it is clear that there can be no solution. The only place for regimes such as the apartheid regime in South Africa is the ash heap of history. If Israel's critics compare the Israeli regime to other phenomena, such as colonialism, the only reasonable conclusion is that the comparison is inaccurate at best or malevolent at worst - but they will also learn from history that there is a way out. When dealing with apartheid, there is no point in even trying. The die has been cast.
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There are several countries whose behavior is not approved of by someone or other. In some countries, Jews and Christians are not allowed to hold citizenship, and there are some regimes that prevent women from voting. Is this just? No. Is it apartheid? No. There are some situations where there is an insurmountable gulf between rich and poor, between the educated and the ignorant. If we were to exaggerate the case, there are some countries where it is perfectly acceptable for the state to favor those who support the regime, at the expense of its opponents. Is this hard to stomach? Yes. Is it apartheid? Obviously not. Even countries where there are bloody ethnic struggles are not compared to that most maligned of all regimes. Even if it were possible to find some similarities between a certain regime and the apartheid regime - and it is always possible to find at least one common element - the crux of the issue is different. Only when it comes to Israel and Israel's actions is this comparison used indiscriminately.

Especially annoying is the way certain people view the roadblocks and the other symbols of Israeli rule, as if they were final proof of the similarity between Israel and South African apartheid. Did Israel erect these roadblocks for no good reason? Is this Israeli-Palestinian conflict devoid of context and history? Are the Palestinians the only ones who suffered? Are we the only ones who must shoulder the blame? Only a fool or an evil person fails to recognize the mistakes and the suffering on both sides. Those who insist on seeing the two situations as identical should be reminded that avoiding harming innocent white civilians was a cornerstone of the struggle for freedom among black South Africans. In addition, apart from some fringe elements, there was no ideology calling for whites to be driven into the sea or to be deported back to wherever they came from.

When we host delegations from South Africa, or people who take an interest in what is going on here, one cannot help but feel sorrow at the suffering of the sick people waiting at the checkpoints and the cries of "apartheid." Under these circumstances, there is no point in reminding people about the hundreds of thousands of black and colored children who died from malnutrition because the government decided they were not deserving of fresh water, electricity, roads, food or medicine. One can only compare the tools used by those opposing both regimes; one can compare their goals and then decide whether there is any justification to their behavior.

Not everyone who uses the word apartheid to describe Israel believes that the Zionist enterprise should go the same way as the white minority regime in South Africa. Some want what is best for Israel, regret what Israel does and seek to warn us about the ramifications. But when they choose to use such a loaded expression, they provide additional ammunition to the worst of Israel's enemies. They do not provide them with guns and bullets, but with words to be used on the critical battlefield of international legitimacy.

I grew up in South Arica and I returned there as Israeli ambassador. In my eyes, using the word apartheid to describe Israel also cheapens the memory of those who died at the hands of that evil regime. We must speak out about the use of such a sorry comparison.

The writer was Israel's ambassador to South Africa.
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  1.   Apartheid? Israel? Perish the thought! 10:28  |  Natallie Durson 17/07/08
  2.   apartheid 10:48  |  Ralph 17/07/08
  3.   Durson: dumbfounded again 10:55  |  Star of David 17/07/08
  4.   That`s funny.... 11:04  |  Jim 17/07/08
  5.   Star of David, let yourself down in last paragraph. 11:20  |  Michael 17/07/08
  6.   Tell It To Jimmy Carter.... 11:53  |  Bobby the Jew 17/07/08
  7.   Israel is slightly better than the SA apartheid sure 11:54  |  mehmet 17/07/08
  8.   #1Natallie Durson 12:00  |  Mike 17/07/08
  9.   Haaretz doesn`t like the truth about Apartheid 12:06  |  x-ray 17/07/08
  10.   Er Bobby 6, worst president ever? Got to be Bush. 12:22  |  Michael 17/07/08
  11.   #7 Mehmet 12:22  |  Michael 17/07/08
  12.   There is a time for being intolerant 12:25  |  sarahs child 17/07/08
  13.   Fair minded people 12:27  |  allang 17/07/08
  14.   To mehmet 12:35  |  THE TEACHER/INSTRUCT 17/07/08
  15.   The left `thinks` in slogans. 13:20  |  Ilan 17/07/08
  16.   The real apartheid in Israel is rejection of inter-marriage 13:33  |  Michael 17/07/08
  17.   Dear teacher elect an arab prime minister and then talk 13:34  |  mehmet 17/07/08
  18.   Mandela 13:37  |  KAY 17/07/08
  19.   mehmet 14:17  |  THE TEACHER/INSTRUCT 17/07/08
  20.   I always hated the term Shabbos Goy 14:21  |  Ronnie Wolman 17/07/08
  21.   THANKS CARTER 14:29  |  indrajaya 17/07/08
  22.   false analogy: apartheid is against occupation, not israel 14:31  |  jerusalemite 17/07/08
  23.   Apartheid 14:31  |  Jason 17/07/08
  24.   KAY??? 14:37  |  Jason 17/07/08
  25.   Of Course not! IT IS FULLY RACIST! 14:41  |  Sharif Hafez 17/07/08
  26.   Michael UK 14:49  |  Star of David 17/07/08
  27.   Arguments Invalid 14:50  |  John Conley 17/07/08
  28.   ILAN #15: WELL SAID 14:53  |  Brant 17/07/08
  29.   Kay: i must admit that 14:59  |  Star of David 17/07/08
  30.   Michael and marriage 15:17  |  x-ray 17/07/08
  31.   Apartheid 15:38  |  Leonora 17/07/08
  32.   Good reason for roadblocks 15:40  |  W 17/07/08
  33.   "apartheid" used because it achieved results 15:46  |  Sam 17/07/08
  34.   Something fishy... 15:54  |  Peter 17/07/08
  35.   In both cases the point is 16:02  |  fab 17/07/08
  36.   apartheid 16:14  |  Lebanus 17/07/08
  37.   It`s not apartheid by the beach boys 16:25  |  JJ Burke 17/07/08
  38.   Apartheid 16:27  |  David 17/07/08
  39.   WRONG ANALYSIS. OCCUPATION = APARTHIED 16:34  |  Jaffo 17/07/08
  40.   Ilan: Is `Neville Chamberlain` not a slogan for the right? 16:36  |  Ronnie Wolman 17/07/08
  41.   Sharif Hafez 16:47  |  THE TEACHER/INSTRUCT 17/07/08
  42.   Apartheid? 16:47  |  Fair 17/07/08
  43.   It`s not as bad as SA was... 16:48  |  dogpile 17/07/08
  44.   Natalie`s seething hate of Israel 16:52  |  Avrum 17/07/08
  45.   30 X-Ray. OK so it`s religious apartheid. 16:53  |  Michael 17/07/08
  46.   Apartheid=Arab Muslim women are not allowed to marry Jewish Men 17:01  |  Genuine Tosefta 17/07/08
  47.   israel is an "honest" apartheid 17:04  |  mehmet 17/07/08
  48.   Denial 17:12  |  Afikoman 17/07/08
  49.   wow Tova a good Article, unreal for Haaretz. Hurt Durson feelings 17:27  |  Big Sur 17/07/08
  50.   # 25 - Sharia law is legalized form of religious Apartheid! 17:27  |  Paul Henzen 17/07/08
  51.   To Dogpile #41 17:30  |  Afikoman 17/07/08
  52.   # 43, MEHMET 17:30  |  indrajaya 17/07/08
  53.   #5 Mike in Uk given the demonstrations of Anti Israel 17:31  |  Big Sur 17/07/08
  54.   Kurds in Turkey`s Eastern stolen province live in much worse 17:33  |  Genuine Tosefta 17/07/08
  55.   Brilliant, define it away. 17:34  |  Bitin Dawg 17/07/08
  56.   Arab countries practice Arabization, Turkey practices Turkificati 17:38  |  Genuine Tosefta 17/07/08
  57.   If Israel had SA Blacks instead of Muslim Arabs there would be 17:40  |  Genuine Tosefta 17/07/08
  58.   #43 avrum 17:42  |  Harald 17/07/08
  59.   Tell it to Carter. Bobby the Jew from Newark, NJ 17:44  |  Rozz 17/07/08
  60.   Author describes real Apartheid, others invent new definitions 17:47  |  Genuine Tosefta 17/07/08
  61.   Indrayaja #49 Poster Girl for Iran #2 17:49  |  Big Sur 17/07/08
  62.   Wordplay For Scoundrels 17:49  |  Gray 17/07/08
  63.   Apartheid=Arab Muslim women are not allowed to marry Jewish Men 17:53  |  Genuine Tosefta 17/07/08
  64.   #48 Afrikoman