Banner
Abbas reiterates to Zuma – ‘Don’t boycott Israel!’
ANT KATZ
While the one hour and 21 minute address by President Jacob Zuma to the ANC Youth League leadership (above) is, on the whole, extremely boring, there are two highlights on this SABC video.
ALSO READ ON SAJR: BOARD & FED MET ZUMA & ABBAS
The first, is the two minutes between 1:00:05 and 1:02:08 – see transcript below – during which Zuma explains Abbas’ reiteration of his statement (see below story from The Star) in SA when he was here 12 months ago for Madiba’s funeral. The PA do not want sanctions on Israel.
Transcript
To understand their (the PA’s) attitude, says Zuma, and mindful that “people here are saying let’s boycott any commodity from Israel, let us recall the Ambassador, let us do all of that….
“They said: ‘No, sorry. That is not correct. We have said boycott the products that come from illegally occupied places (disputed territories) in Gaza. That is what must be boycotted, not other things’,” Zuma told the ANCYL conference.
“They have said so. And I am happy because they are meeting with (other) political parties. And they will explain this. They have got a very logical reasoning why’” said Zuma. The international community had said a solution must produce two states, he told the youth. “Let us create two states, living side by side, in peace. And they (the PA) was busy working on this, very methodically. even convincing people in Israel,” said Zuma, quoting Abbas.
“It is absolutely crucial that when you support people you must know their own views on issues,” he explained, “so that we will do what they expect us to do.”
Second item of interest
The second item is just prior to the Israel slot, at about 56 minutes, where Zuma makes what appears be a gaffe by admitting that the ANC is in serious trouble. He suddenly stops, is beckoned to go and report to ANC Secretary-General Gwede Matashe and his deputy Jessie Duarte, (both vigorous BDS supporters who would have been shocked at what they were going to hear next), and told not to discuss that matter any further.
Zuma promptly changes the subject after joking that the officials had made “an intervention”, so he had to make an intervention to them.
Clipping from The Star, 11 December 2013
BDS Works
Nov 29, 2014 at 8:07 am
‘The Palestinian leaders praised the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) organisation, which is behind the campaign to compel Woolworths to stop buying foodstuffs from Israel and the occupied territories. This week, a court ordered Woolworths and BDS to enter into talks with each other over their conflict.
\n“They are the platform and glue with their single focus over this one issue,” said Abbas.
\n
\nhttps://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/abbas-sa-can-help-with-sanctions-1.1787742#.VHl-idKUeSo
\n
\n
\nDear \”BDS WORKS\” – while we do like to allow an open forum where all can have their say, that say should be correct. Unfortunately we cannot check the veracity of your comments as the IOL site says the page link you have given does not exist or has been taken down.
\n
\nMay I take the liberty of correcting two things you have asserted from what I have read:
\n
\n1. According to President Jacob Zuma, SEE: ABBAS REITERATES TO ZUMA – “DON’T BOYCOTT ISRAEL!” for text and video, Abbas asked SA NOT TO boycott Israeli goods, only those from Gaza; and
\n
\n2. According to BDS TELLS TWO BIG LIES – SEE: ALL THIS FOR FIGS, PRETZELS & A FEW POMEGRANATES No court ordered Woolworths to meet BDS. After Woolworths were granted their interdict against BDS, they entered into a party-to-party agreement to meet with them. This was done by Woolworths of their own volition.
\n
\nYou are most welcome to visit this site and post comments. But please second-source anything you may have read in a BDS media release. We wouldn’t want you to confuse fellow-readers of this website by espousing BDS’ little fibs as if they were true.
\n
\nFeel free to communicate directly with me if you feel you can substantiate what seems to be a whole lot of drivel – online.editor@sajr.co.za
\n
\n
‘
Mordechai
Dec 1, 2014 at 8:15 am
‘It is interesting to note that this article states that Abbas told Zuma not to boycott Israel. This I respectfully note is wrong, and plays into the narrative of Israel’s enemies. The reason I say this is that Abbas has told Zuma (and the world) to boycott goods from Judea and Someria, which are in fact part of Israel’
BDS WORKS
Dec 1, 2014 at 10:38 am
‘Found on the iol website…Abbas: SA can help with sanctions…November 28 2014 at 09:58am
\n
\nBy Janet Smith
\n
\nPalestine President Mahmoud Abbas wants South Africa to lead the acceptance for international guidelines on the sanctions and boycott campaign against Israel.Speaking at the John Makhatini diplomatic guest house in Waterkloof Heights, Pretoria, on Thursday, Abbas and his chief negotiator, Saeb Erekat, spoke warmly of their renewed ties with this country after Abbas’s State visit to South Africa this week.They reiterated the powerful role South Africa could play in assisting Palestine to self-determination, emphasising the role of boycotts.Abbas said he had raised the issue in his discussions with the ANC government, which also saw the signing of three new agreements to add to the six in place between the two countries.The Palestinian leaders praised the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) organisation, which is behind the campaign to compel Woolworths to stop buying foodstuffs from Israel and the occupied territories.This week, a court ordered Woolworths and BDS to enter into talks with each other over their conflict.“They are the platform and glue with their single focus over this one issue,” said Abbas.Earlier this week, Palestine’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr Riad Malki, emphasised in an interview with The Star that Palestine would be looking at “ways to improve, develop and deepen” the relationship with South Africa.“We will sit together to see how South Africa could lend a hand to us to achieve freedom and independence. This is something South Africa committed itself to, even under Nelson Mandela, who said the freedom of South Africa is not complete without the Palestinians. We would like to walk hand-in-hand with you.”On Wednesday, representatives of the South African Jewish Board of Deputies and the South African Zionist Federation met Abbas and President Jacob Zuma to talk about Abbas’s views on a final peace settlement between Israel and Palestine.Abbas said it meant pursuing a negotiated solution aimed at creating an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel based on the 1967 borders.The Jewish leaders welcomed Abbas’s commitment to a negotiated two-state solution and said they supported South Africa’s efforts at bringing Israel and Palestine together.
\n
\nThe Star
\nhttps://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/abbas-sa-can-help-with-sanctions-1.1787742#.VHxEE9KUeSp
\n
‘
simon
Dec 1, 2014 at 11:47 am
‘Dear Mr \”SAJR Online Editor\”, this wasn’t a \”BDS media release\”. It was an article written by Janet Smith which appeared in The Star newspaper last Thursday. The poster is well within his/her rights to post this piece – especially so since it seems to contradict – if not in content, then certainly in tone – something you have published drawing on an article that appeared in 2013. In case you are still battling to access the link which apparently \”does not exist or has been taken down\”, here is the full text of the article:
Abbas: SA can help with sanctionsNovember 28 2014 at 09:58am
By Janet Smith
Johannesburg -Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas wants South Africa to lead the acceptance for international guidelines on the sanctions and boycott campaign against Israel.Speaking at the John Makhatini diplomatic guest house in Waterkloof Heights, Pretoria, on Thursday, Abbas and his chief negotiator, Saeb Erekat, spoke warmly of their renewed ties with this country after Abbas’s State visit to South Africa this week.They reiterated the powerful role South Africa could play in assisting Palestine to self-determination, emphasising the role of boycotts.Abbas said he had raised the issue in his discussions with the ANC government, which also saw the signing of three new agreements to add to the six in place between the two countries.The Palestinian leaders praised the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) organisation, which is behind the campaign to compel Woolworths to stop buying foodstuffs from Israel and the occupied territories.This week, a court ordered Woolworths and BDS to enter into talks with each other over their conflict.“They are the platform and glue with their single focus over this one issue,” said Abbas.Earlier this week, Palestine’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr Riad Malki, emphasised in an interview with The Star that Palestine would be looking at “ways to improve, develop and deepen” the relationship with South Africa.“We will sit together to see how South Africa could lend a hand to us to achieve freedom and independence. This is something South Africa committed itself to, even under Nelson Mandela, who said the freedom of South Africa is not complete without the Palestinians. We would like to walk hand-in-hand with you.”On Wednesday, representatives of the South African Jewish Board of Deputies and the South African Zionist Federation met Abbas and President Jacob Zuma to talk about Abbas’s views on a final peace settlement between Israel and Palestine.Abbas said it meant pursuing a negotiated solution aimed at creating an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel based on the 1967 borders.The Jewish leaders welcomed Abbas’s commitment to a negotiated two-state solution and said they supported South Africa’s efforts at bringing Israel and Palestine together.
The Star
‘
ANT KATZ
Dec 1, 2014 at 2:54 pm
‘Both “BDS WORKS” and “simon” have been tricked by BDS’ spin-doctoring (more like spin-professoring in this case) as was Janet Smith and many of SA’s media. But it was all lies, lies by BDS to save face, and then lies by media who were too lazy to second-source their facts and hence allowed BDS to make fools of them.
\n
\nLet’s look at your “This week, a court ordered Woolworths and BDS to enter into talks with each other over their conflict” statement you are attributing to Janet Smith from The Star: IT IS TRUE that BDS’ Muhammed Desai and Kwara Kekana said that. It is untrue that it actually happened.
\n
\nWe, too, were confused last Tuesday when the information we received from WW and BDS on were completely different accounts of the same event – how was the meeting set up and by whom? Woolworths had said after getting their interdict they had voluntarily agreed to meet BDS. The latter then issued a statement of their own headed: “Court orders that Woolworths must meet with BDS” which was co-signed by Muhammed Desai and Kwara Kekana.
\n
\nThey continued: “Today the South Gauteng High Court provided a court order that Woolworths and BDS-SA ‘shall meet face to face on or before 10 December in an attempt to settle the entire matter’. This is seen as a positive development as to date, the management of Woolworths refused to meet with BDS”, they said.
\n
\nIn response to an inquiry about the discrepancies in the statements, a source in Woolworths’ legal department told Jewish Report unequivocally on Tuesday afternoon that they had been granted their court Interdict against BDS. “Separately”, he said, “there is a party-to-party agreement to meet by December 10. (This is not a part of the court order)”.
\n
\nIn MUCH HOT AIR, LITTLE TO SHOW we said “Woolies was granted its Interdict against in-store demonstrations this week ahead of the crucial seasonal trading period – leading the desperate anti-Israel lobby to publish a pack of disingenuous
\nuntruths on Tuesday.”
\n
\nIn FIGS, PRETZELS & POMEGRANATES, we stated it quite categorically: “BDS TELLS 2 BIG LIES”! This was confirmed after speaking to a lawyer of our own, who said that: “It is an outright obfuscation of the truth,” which is legalese
\nfor a big fat lie!
\n
\nOh, and “BDS WORKS,” we found no reference to the story you mentioned at the URL you provided.
\n
\nonline.edior@sajr.co.za ‘
Simon
Dec 1, 2014 at 7:31 pm
‘If The Star isn’t good enough for you, perhaps you’ll take it from the Jpost (http://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/South-African-Jewish-leaders-fete-Abbas-in-Pretoria-383107)
\”Abbas subsequently met with leaders of the South African Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement. Their discussions including upcoming campaigns to boycott Israel, with Abbas presenting members of the organization with a ‘Path to Freedom’ gold medallion.\”
Sounds to me like BDS SA and our good friend Abbas are pretty cosy. Then again, I’ve probably been \”tricked\” again.
‘
Simon
Dec 1, 2014 at 7:37 pm
‘And in case that’s not enough, here is a direct quote from Abbas in reference to the BDS-Woolworths boycott: “They (BDS) are the platform and glue with their single focus over this one issue.”
‘
ANT KATZ
Dec 2, 2014 at 4:41 am
‘My dear Simon,
\n
\n Read what I said yesterday and watch the notated section of the video in this article.
\nMedia releases are a PR exercise – weather penned by BDS, The Presidency or the SAJBD – they will always speak from their own point of view and show themselves in the most positive light possible. They will even include spin-doctoring to suit.
\n
\nNews reports (should) present the facts from all sides.
\n
\nBDS crossed the line when they LIED TWICE in their media release to achieve their aims and save face. And Janet Smith was hoodwinked by the lie and wrote from BDS’ fallacious media release while ignoring the one from Woolies. Some other journos were too. WW could insist that The Star publish a correction although they would possibly feel it to be beneath them.
\n
\nBDS told two lies told in this specific media release – and I don’t expect it to be their last – READ: BDS’ BIG LIE on this website – and read the FULL article.
\n
\nSo, now that we have established that, in this case, The Star definitely isn’t good enough for me when they get it wrong; that the State President states Abbas’ position clearly, live, in the video above; that BDS are known to lie when it suits their own ends, let me tackle your second issue.
\n
\n Did BDS discuss campaigns with Abbas? Most likely. Did Abbas state that BDS is the glue… – maybe, you don’t reference the full article or statement. Did that, too come from a BDS media release? Maybe.
\n
\nOnly properly sourced material in full context convinces me. Otherwise, I interview all parties (as I often have with BDS’ Muhammed Desai).
\n
\nAnd, in this case, what Abbas said last week is clear from what President Zuma says (if you care to listen to it). It is also consistent with what Abbas said last year – as shown in the above article by Peter Fabricious, a highly respected and impeccably trustworthy journo who heard it himself.
\n
\nAnd the FACT that BDS-SA is guilty of many past LIES – some of which are listed above in this rebuttal and yesterday’s.
\n
\nIn conclusion, let me say that you are welcome to post comments on this website within our comment rules. But if your comments are deceptive because your blinkers don’t allow you to see the truth, we owe it to our users to rebut them. You are also most welcome to communicate with me personally and privately at online.editor@sajr.co.za ‘
simon
Dec 2, 2014 at 4:10 pm
‘I very nearly stopped reading at \”my dear Simon\”. Half the time, I have no idea what you are talking about. My point is a very simple one – this supposed wedge between Abbas and BDS, which both us would like to exist, simply doesn’t. Willing it, saying it over and over, invoking a grand media conspiracy that only you seem privy to, even citing some vague comment (is there ever any other) from Zuma, won’t change the fact that the two parties are ideological brothers in arms, and as tight as a duck’s a**e.
\n
\n
\n
\nBDS and Abbas are best friends. Agreed. But you didn’t read and watch. The Lethhuli House politicians who try to run the country are in bed with BDS. I am saying that the ANC executive (who presume they are) in power, are not in favour of boycotting Israel. As said over and over – write to me privately and I’ll answer you privately. Publically I can only say what I can say in public. BDS & Co had another series of ‘untruths expose Tuesday – watch for that to be published today. ED
\n
\n
\n
\n
‘
BDS WORKS
Dec 3, 2014 at 8:17 am
‘see link from Jerusalem Post… http://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/South-African-Jewish-leaders-fete-Abbas-in-Pretoria-383107
Abbas subsequently met with leaders of the South African Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement.
Their discussions including upcoming campaigns to boycott Israel, with Abbas presenting members of the organization with a “Path to Freedom” gold medallion.
reported by Sam Sokol & Tovah Lazaroff who also contributed to the report.
‘
ANT KATZ
Dec 3, 2014 at 8:59 am
‘Hi \”BDS WORKS\” – What tou meant to say was that BDS said that… and J-Post quoted BDS as saying that…
If you want the truth, we have posted it FROM THE HORSE’S MOUTH today! Take off your blinkers!’
BDS Works
Dec 3, 2014 at 11:00 am
‘suggest you take it up with Sam Sokol & Tovah Lazaroff
‘