Muslim council employee spews antisemitism

“I always used to wonder what it was about Jews that made people throughout history despise them.” This introduction to a Facebook post justifying antisemitism wasn’t shared online by a fringe fanatic, but by Nabeweya Lukie, the head of media and communications at the Muslim Judicial Council (MJC) of South Africa, in her personal capacity.

The MJC is the leading umbrella body of the Muslim community in South Africa and often takes part in interfaith forums. However, Lukie’s naked hatred for Jews brings into question if the MJC supports her views, and if it’s possible for Muslim and Jewish communities to continue to engage on interfaith platforms.

Lukie shares endless antisemitic content on her own Facebook page and on other forums on social media. She shared the post justifying antisemitism on 21 December 2023, quoting one Jayne Gardener: “I suddenly recognised that if Hitler had developed a Final Solution to the Jewish question, then there had to be a Jewish problem,” she quoted. It went on to say that “Jewish claims about the Holocaust were in fact fraudulent.”

Daniel Bloch, the executive director of the Cape South African Jewish Board of Deputies, says, “We have written to the MJC recording our concerns, requesting a full investigation into Ms Lukie’s conduct, and we are awaiting its response. We are exploring all options to protect our rights as South Africans and as Jews. Hatred of this kind cannot be allowed to go unchecked.”

In April, Lukie wrote that “Israhell [Israel] and the Jews are behind assassination of world leaders; manipulation of media creation of lobby groups that control countries; and [is] the safest country for paedophiles. The list of evil by a small group of protected people is mindboggling. Amongst their projects are the assassinations of the Kennedys; 9/11 [the September 11th terrorist attacks]; weapons of mass destruction; and ISIS [Islamic State]. A truly sick and murderous people.

“Their crimes currently being witnessed – not heresy or propaganda – is evidence of their cold-hearted and demonic nature,” she said, “which they are proud of and clout about. Has the world witnessed any nation more evil?”

The SA Jewish Report asked the MJC if Lukie’s views aligned with those of the organisation and if she would face disciplinary action for her statements. The MJC didn’t respond, but Lukie removed her job title from her Facebook profile in late August. She also “locked” her profile after members of the South African Jewish community began to question the content she shares on social media. This means that social media users can no longer see her content unless they are Facebook friends with her.

In another post in September 2024, Lukie wondered, “If the Nazis did not kill Jews, would Zionists have killed the Nazis, like they kill the Palestinians?” She believes that Europe, the United States, and Germany are “all guilty because of their own need to find a solution to the Jewish problem”.

Lukie recently posted an image of an Orthodox Jewish man saying, “I do something evil, but you’re guilty because you found out, and that makes you an antisemite.” On 10 October 2024, she stated, “Jewish terrorism is at the core of global war and conflict.”

Another image she shared in July showed images of a white, Orthodox Jewish man alongside a black man. The Orthodox white man is labelled a “converted Jew” who is “Jew-ish”, while the black man is labelled an “actual Jew”.

In November 2023, Lukie wrote a post stating, “If the world wants to witness how human animals behave, look at what Israeli soldiers do to the corpses of Palestinians. I would like all the rabbis to answer for the killing of every single innocent baby and woman. Shame on you Israel with your Jewish blood money and financial support! Shame on you for calling out Hitler for his crimes while you commit worse. Did Hitler horrify you? Well, you horrify us. You shameful nation.”

In August 2024 she stated that the “Jewish ‘holy’ [Lukie’s inverted commas] scriptures promote killing and advocate for genocide. While they kill, their forked tongues accuse others of hate speech that could potentially lead to them being harmed. Hypocrites, Nazionists [Nazi Zionists] hiding behind the cloak of piety.”

In February she posted that Israel “boasts about their inhumanity while Hitler kept it a secret. They are the height of evil.”

In May she wrote that Jews “have ruined their reputation with their lies. They have ruined their humanity with their mass killing and genocide. They have ruined their faith with their immoral behaviour, lies, propaganda, and occupation of another’s land. They have ruined the sympathy we once had for those killed by Hitler. They are a doomed people, destined for the punishment that is due to them.”

Milton Shain, antisemitism expert and emeritus professor of history at the University of Cape Town, says, “The optics of Gaza have shocked many observers. This isn’t altogether surprising. But there are appropriate ways to express one’s feelings. Much of what Lukie expresses is simply perverted history. But red lines are crossed from time to time, and simple Jew-hatred is unveiled.”

For example, “To suggest that Zionists are paedophiles; that Jewish scriptures support killing and genocide; and to introduce the notion of ‘Jewish blood money’ – a well-worn trope – is crude, ugly and antisemitic. Not surprisingly, this all emerges from a head filled with fantasies.”

For Shain, “The proof of what really motivates Lukie is her endorsement of Jayne Gardener, who presents herself as a ‘new-born’ Jew-hater. Gardener dresses her feeling up as someone who has given much thought to the issue and has now had the veil lifted, to arrive at Holocaust denial. And Lukie presumably agrees. Need one say more?”

Bloch says that in her range of posts, “Lukie describes Jews murdered by Hitler as ‘immoral liars’; accuses Jews of assassinating world leaders; labels ‘Jewish terrorism’ – in capital letters – as the cause of global wars; and circulates classic antisemitic tropes, including images of religious Jews portrayed as inherently evil.”

In some instances, “she is explicitly antisemitic. In others, she disguises antisemitism under the guise of anti-Zionism, something we have repeatedly seen used to mask hatred of Jews”, says Bloch. “Anti-Israel organisations often insist that though they oppose Zionism and the state of Israel, they harbour no ill-feelings toward Jewish people.”

If that is indeed the case, Bloch says, “then the MJC and the broader Muslim community must condemn Ms Lukie’s words unequivocally and recognise them for what they are: antisemitic, hate-filled lies aimed at inciting violence against Jews”.