South African unionist condemned for urging exile of pro-Israel Jews
Human rights panel: Statement implies 'Jews, Israeli communities are to be despised, scorned and ridiculed.'
By Cnaan Liphshiz Tags: Jewish World Israel newsA South African human rights panel last week condemned a local trade union leader for calling to exile Jewish compatriots who support Israel, in a ruling which defined his statements as "hate speech." The union had no comment on the case.
The South African Human Rights Commission said statements made publicly by Bongani Masuku, international relations spokesperson for the Congress of South African Trade Unions "implied that the Jewish and Israeli communities are to be despised, scorned and ridiculed," thus "subjecting them to ill-treatment on the basis of their religious affiliation."
The commission - a government watchdog with some constitutional powers - also determined that the comments that Masuku made on March 5 at Johannesburg's University of the Witwatersrand are "of an extreme nature."
The probe into Masuku's conduct was initiated following a complaint by the South African Jewish Board of Deputies - the community's representative body.
"Masuku said Jewish lives would be made 'hell,' that vigilante action would be taken against Jewish families suspected of having members serving in the Israeli military and that Jews who continued to stand up for Israel should 'not just be encouraged but forced to leave South Africa'," The board's complaint read.
The commission requested Masuku apologize for his statements within 14 days, or else his case would be transferred to court. Krengel said that he hoped that an "appropriate apology from Masuku would make this unnecessary."
Patrick Craven, national spokesperson for the union - the country's largest with 1.8 million members - told Haaretz his organization was not aware of the ruling, and did not have an immediate reaction to the commission's ruling. Mr. Masuku could not be reached on his mobile phone or at his office.
But Wendy Khan, the board's national director, said the board had informed the union about the issue before filing the complaint against Masuku. Zev Krengel, the board's chairman, called the ruling "a victory for all South Africans."
In 2007, the union adopted a policy supporting a boycott of Israel, and has since launched several initiatives and campaigns to promote the policy.
Earlier this year, the South African Jewish Board of Deputies filed a hate speech complaint with the human rights commission against Deputy Minister Fatima Hajaig, who in January said that "Jewish money controls America" while speaking at a Congress of South African Trade Unions event in Lenasia. She later apologized for the statement.
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The majority of the scots that I have met hate Israel They don't seem to understand that almost 1,000,000 Jews fro the arab world were made homeless, stateless, centless, refugees overnight by those corrupt arab regimes, from 1948 at the inception of the 'State of Israel' right up untill the 1970s jews were being used as scapegoats against Israel. Five arab armies in may 1948 invaded the newly declared state of israel by the United nations in order to annihilate it and it's jewish citizens, they didn't succeeed so they turned their anger on the jewish communities of the arab speaking world making their lives a misery, from that date on until even now, look what's happened oin the Yemen where there was once around 55,000 jews, today maybe 200-300 left, although very soon none will be left as they are flleing from persecution. The arab world today is down from 1,000,000 to around 6,000 who reside mainly in Marocco and Tunisia. Israel is there to stay, whatever this Scotsman has said.
George as we stand forgiven before time we also walk in thoughts of those lost while under our league. Yes without Israel there would be peace but Israel has always been. Where is Atlantis but a real city that sunk on the continent of Aluetia during Roman times. What of Venice? We are but one mark up and we do the best we can. We exist because we exist. Not without the same struggle of all that walk to lead. Arise a child is born and two walked two different ways. One to the Koran and one to the bible both meet in Israel. All is not lost we of the Templar unions of nations called to war and peace. We observe truth above all. Rankoo-Karoon
Once as a youth my grandfather Rabin and my other grandfather Netanya who is family to Benjamin Netanyahu argued about the union and nazi for hours.I sat and listened.Here we have South African fighting but several Israeli agents over time saved South Africans during the wars.Can you imagine we are in 2010 and I sat listening to a production created by South African called the Nutcracker here in Louisville Kentucky.I a Hebrew hidden safe listened to a South African white with an interantional conductor who was Negraodic of colorization.It was lovely as usual.Can we sing together and not hate?Can we combine a language of music and biametric code of dot dot ta dot with music and waves of blissful peace amongst the stars.Do others hear our music and voices of peace.Maybe just maybe we shall dance in peace by the firelight with my soul agleam with the eternal life giving peace of God glowing down in moments of love forever upon the ones he created from a dna strand called Earth.Rankoo
Hebrews leave South Africa and allow it to rot. It is no small wonder this degenerated nation has one of the highest AIDS rates in the world. Leave it to the Black South African Racists and see how they handle it on their own. South Africa is surely doomed. One racist group (the Blacks) has simply taken over from another (the Whites) and is equally bad...or worse since they don't have the wisdom to run the nation and support its economy.
Judaism got along for nearly nineteen hundred years without the state of Israel, and there is little doubt it would continue just as well if Israel followed the example of South Africa and became a secular state in which everyone is equal.
a pro-Israel Jew would be most likely move to Israel, than any other country in the world. Otherwise he wouldn't be "pro-Israel"???
"I give Israel 30 years at max" "You'll remember what I said in 30 years" Boy, do you have some inflated sense of your own importance. No doubt you will be posting the same message in Haaretz in 30 years time.
Great idea. After you kick out the Jews, they'll move to Israel.
Mr. Bongani Masuku, international relations spokesperson for the Congress of South African Trade Unions, seems to be leading an attack against Whites couched in a form of ant-Semitism, because he knows he can get away with vilifying a minority white group, but not the entire citizenry of White South Africans. Alas, this is a man who is no better than the former apartheid racists of the past. It is time to call a spade a spade, and the White community of South Africa support its Jewish brothers and sisters on filing hate crime charges against Masuku. South Africa with its high unemployment should not fall back on the same ethnic prejudices that have castigated Jews as the bad guys for everything that is wrong in society. We have had enough of that. No More!
I'm a proud South African when seeing things like this it deeply embarrasses me, I despise racist clowns like these and whats worst of all is the fact this trade union actually has over a million South Africans which, i hope, do not share these views.
Taking out the bush, from those that lived in the bush. COSATU is by no means far from the above. The Jewish community supported groups like the "Black Sash" run by the great Parliamentarian Helen Suzman. Many others supported and were members of the ruling ANC, on its fight for freedom. Of course all the above has been conveniently shelved, thus Israel and its policies are now used to attack Jews Worldwide. South African Jews are the true builders of South African Industry and Commerce. Thousands of doctors, engineers,dentists and other professional folk have left for the West. Replaced in many cases by Cuban trained "professionals".?? We all know how this works. OK, the RSA has the World Cup. Then what. Back to the bush..? You bet. Good day.
One can expect there to be a very deep reservoir of well deserved ill will in South Africa for a country like Israel which so strongly supported the apartheid regime that oppressed the locals. Who can blame them?
Bongani Masuku most certainly does not speak truth. And what's so courageous about him?
But is this not the same South African Human Rights Commission which has been denounced as anti-Semitic? No doubt those who think 'human rights' are anti-Semitic will not agree with the actions of the South African Human Rights Commission. But I think this ruling is quite in keeping with the idea of 'human rights.' Now South African Jew should be punished for what Israel does.
Judge Goldstone - until they'll it him ...
Delegitimize the Jewish nation's right to the Land of Israel with jerusalem its undivided capital and the illegitimacy of Jewish life in the Diaspora will follow. Those living on J Street just don't get it.
The presence of Israel increased hatred toward the Jews. If Israel does not exist, Jews would be living in more peacefulness in all world's countries. Today, there is no need for the State of Israel as a "protector" for the Jews. Jews in all world democracies are equal citizens. Jews in England, USA, South America, Morocco, Russia, and many others, are living in more peace of mind than those who are in Israel. The anti-Islamic propaganda that Israel and the USA are using will soon backfire. The world are being more aware day by day. Many more people believe that 9/11 is a conspiracy. If Israel continues with such a policy toward itself and the Palestinians, I give Israel 30 years at max. Hint: In the 1980's, the USA used to support Bin Laden to fight the soviets there, they used to call them "freedom fighters", now they are "terrorists". Also remember the picture of Sadam Hussien with Dick Cheney in the 1990!! Israel is no exception. You'll remember what I said in 30 years.
affirmative action.
Sad that the Football World Cup takes place in South Africa, the holy see of Antisemitical Correctness.
Time for the Jewish population to leave this impoverished, anti-semitic, lawless, disease-ridden entity.
Bongani Masuku has courage to speak the truth.
Merely trading white racists for black racists. Note the lack of international interest in racism perpetrated by the new black south africa.
as long as it is not directed at jews, it's freedom of speech, though this guy is a bit of a nutcase i'll have to admit.
Sadly there will always be fools like this preaching their hatred. These countries can boycott all they want. Israel is a master of technology, because of this USA gives much military aid because it gets technology in return. What does it get back from Egypt and Pakistan?
Even when a public leader seizes his pulpit to forment hatred against Jews, offical South African institutions cannot help but to seize upon it to deny the very existence of our people. "On the basis of their religious affiliation"? You just can't admit that our people exists, can you, South Africa?