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BDS drops Khaled surprise – SA Government
ANT KATZ
Home Affairs minister and ANC NEC member Malusi Gigaba and Ahmed Kathrada are to welcome Palestine Icon Leila Khaled to SA, read the BDS’ Monday media invite. In Cape Town she will be met by deputy minister of Land Reform Mcebisi Skwatsha.
“Khaled will be joined on this tour at her various events,” says the BDS media release, by Kathrada, Gigaba, deputy minister and ANC NEC member Ayanda Dlodlo, head of ANC International Relations Obed Bapela, former minister Ronnie Kasrils and chair of the MKMVA and deputy minister, Kebby Maphatsoe.
RIGHT: Leila Khaled
Cabinet Ministers hosting Khaled would appear to contradict the government’s policy of supporting a negotiated two-state solution to the Middle East conflict, since Khaled and her organisation explicitly reject this, the South African Jewish Board of Deputies’ associate director David Saks told Jewish Report this week. Mentioning senior government ministers touring with Khaled may just be another BDS ruse, in light of previous false media claims made by the organisation, said Saks.
In addition, the Palestinian Embassy is fully supportive of Khaled’s visit. “Khaled is a Palestinian Icon, a freedom fighter and a symbol of the struggle for self-determination,” Tamer Al Massri, Media and Culture officer at the Palestinian Embassy in SA told Jewish Report on Wednesday.
LEFT: Tamer Al Massri
The Palestinian Embassy will be there to meet her at the airport on her arrival, he said, and be with her and assist her throughout her visit.
In a meeting with the leadership of the SAJBD on 18 September 2014, and again in his address to the 69th UN General Assembly in New York the following week, Zuma reiterated his government’s support for a negotiated, two-state solution to the conflict, based on the 1967 borders, with Palestine and Israel co-existing side by side in peace.
This position was again endorsed by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, President Jacob Zuma and Jewish communal leadership at the end of November 2014. Abbas had asked SA Jewry at the time to use any influence it may have on Israel to try and facilitate peaceful negotiations toward the goal of a two-state solution.
“Of all the people that BDS – who purport to be a peace-loving human rights organisation – could have chosen as a speaker,” said South Africa Jewish Board of Deputies’ national director Wendy Kahn, “they chose to bring a terrorist, a convicted plane hijacker.”
RIGHT: Wendy Kahn
While South African Jewry, the government and Israel are trying to facilitate dialogue and peace, said Kahn, BDS depict Khaled in their speaking tour promotional material waving an AK47.
Not helpful
“This is not about constructive solutions and it’s not going to help the situation at all,” said Kahn.
South Africa was able to achieve peace and democracy, she says, by peaceful negotiation. In contrast, says Wendy, the PLFP policy is one of “Armed resistance, no negotiations and one Palestinian State.”
Leila Khaled controversy rages on
The following is a verbatim report from Carlo Petersen ‘s story on IOL.co.za Tuesday. Users can read it here or CLICK FOR THE ORIGINAL
Palestinian activist Leila Khaled is set to arrive in South Africa on Friday. The controversy around Palestine freedom fighter Leila Khaled’s visit to South Africa continued on Tuesday, with the SA Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) lamenting the visit and Khaled’s hosts saluting her as a Struggle icon.
Khaled is expected in the country on Friday when she will be welcomed by Struggle stalwart Ahmed Kathrada and Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba at OR Tambo International Airport.
She will address fundraising gatherings arranged by anti-Israel lobby group Boycott Divestment and Sanctions SA during her stay. Her itinerary includes meetings in Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town and Port Elizabeth.
Deputy ambassador of the embassy of Israel Michael Freeman and SAJBD Cape Council executive director David Jacobson said they were vehemently opposed to Khaled’s visit.
“It’s remarkably simple. Leila Khaled by her own admission stands for violent resistance and when an organisation like BDS-SA, which claims to be non-violent, brings her here, the gesture makes them look dishonest.
He cited Khaled’s role in two incidents involving an aircraft hijacking in 1969 and an attempted hijacking in 1970.
Khaled is a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and currently lives in Amman, Jordan.
Regarding previous lobbying to have Khaled’s “visa” revoked, Home Affairs spokesman Mayihlome Tshwete clarified that she did not require a visa to visit the country as she is Jordanian.
He said Gigaba would welcome Khaled.
Follow the story on Jewish Report Online:
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07 JAN: LEILA KHALED IN SA SPEAKING TOUR NEXT MONTH BY ANT KATZ
10 JAN: SAIPAC TO GOV’T: DON’T LET LEILA INTO SA BY DAVIS HERSCH
12 JAN: BOARD SLAMS BDS FOR BRINGING TERRORIST KHALED BY ANT KATZ
14 JAN: UNDERSTANDING THE BDS BY HOWARD FELDMAN
14 JAN: JEWS MUST SEND CLEAR MESSAGE TO EXTREMISTS BY MARY KLUK
16 JAN: BROUHAHA OVER KHALED’S VISIT GROWS MORE INTENSE BY ANT KATZ
20 JAN: KHALED – A REAL PERSON OR A POSTER? BY GEOFF SIFRIN
21 JAN: BDS-SA COCKS A SNOOK AT OUTRAGE OVER KHALED OWN CORRESPONDENT
21 JAN: MIND BOGGLES OVER BDS-SA’S ‘POSTER GIRL’ BY MARY KLUK
22 JAN: TURNING APARTHEID WEEK INTO AWARENESS WEEK BY ANT KATZ
4 FEB: BDS DROPS KHALED SURPRISE – SA GOVERNMENT! BY ANT KATZ
Gary Selikow
Feb 4, 2015 at 3:45 pm
‘ANC regime in supporting PFLP terror shows they themselves are still terrorists’
nat cheiman
Feb 4, 2015 at 5:04 pm
‘BDS and Khaled and Malusi Gigaba, all devoid of decency and ethics.
Gigaba assisted with the bankruptcy of SAA last year and had the cheek to attend parliament in an SAA pilots uniform. Moreover, the end is close , for many oil rich arab nations who will not be able to sell their oil, soon because the USA is already producing 12 million barrels a day for export and even Israel has oil and gas. The arab nations will choke on their oil and our clever ministers perhaps will buy from them because the west already knows who are terrorist friendly. Eventually Palestine will seem like the garden of eden compared to SA the way our government is carrying on.Terror is all over the world and our dumbass politicians invite a convicted terrorist to come to SA. Figure that one out.’
Sonny Myerson
Feb 4, 2015 at 6:40 pm
‘It is up to us to make sure that she does not get a heroes welcome. We should be demonstrating against this Nazi with OUR welcome for her in the newspapers as well. If we make enough noise, people will take notice of us. Sending emails to the Minister as Likud suggests is laughable.’
Mordechai
Feb 5, 2015 at 12:27 am
‘why would any one be surprised ? The only surprise is how pasionate South African Jews are to call themselves proud South Africans’
Jill
Feb 6, 2015 at 7:41 am
‘Leila Khaled a freedom fighter? Don’t make me laugh, she’s a blatant murderer! Has our country fallen so low that they support this wickedness.
And lets face it, there is no \”peaceful two-state solution\” from the Palestinians’ side. Their aim is to destroy Israel, not peacefully co-exist alongside her. Take a look at Gaza.’
Mordechai
Feb 18, 2015 at 7:11 am
‘Dear Sonny, you have got it so wrong. The Jewish community must demonstrate against your openly Anti Israel government. It is your ‘wonderful’ government who gave this terrorist the visa to enter the country. No visa no visit. Remember it was your government who also gave a visa to the Israel, Jew and white hater Louis Farrakan to visit. Remember that your ‘wonderful’ past president Nelson Mandela officially welcomed Farrakan to his residence and had a meeting and tea with this man….so get all the proudly South African Jews to protest against your government ‘