Powell defiant in face of ‘Hamas-adjacent’ hatred

Member of Parliament and National Spokesperson for International Relations and Cooperation for the Democratic Alliance (DA), Emma Louise Powell, had to be escorted out of an event she was speaking at in Cape Town on 7 May, following anti-Israel extremists shouting profanities and hurling abuse at her.

Powell’s speech, however, had nothing to do with the Middle East. She was speaking about South Africa’s strategic goals within the G20 and its bilateral relations with the United States, the European Union, and BRICS+ (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) partners in a talk at the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) Western Cape branch.

Audience members attempted to stop the extremists and wanted Powell to continue her address. However, considering the potential threat to the safety of attendees, she was advised to leave the hall and sought refuge in an adjacent men’s bathroom while law-enforcement authorities made their way to the venue. She and her staff were evacuated from the premises via a back entrance.

While the extremists inside were disrupting the event, others surrounded the venue, screaming, “We don’t want no Zionists here!” They then attacked the car of a diplomat trying to get out of the premises. This was all because Powell recently visited Israel to understand the complex realities on the ground.

Powell told the SA Jewish Report that the outrage directed at her could be because the DA has highlighted the Department of International Relations and Cooperations’ (Dirco’s) “disgraceful foreign policy priorities and the fraternisation of ANC [African National Congress] leaders with regimes that don’t uphold the most basic tenets of our democracy”.

To add insult to injury, afterwards, SAIIA issued a statement blaming the incident on Powell, saying that her “position on the Israel-Palestine conflict is at odds with the deeply held convictions of many in South Africa and the global community”.

However, Powell’s publically-stated position on the conflict is in line with South Africa’s official position and that of other Western democracies: a peaceful, sustainable, negotiated two-state solution. She has also consistently condemned extremism on both sides, and called for a ceasefire.

“The extremists’ manufactured, selective outrage doesn’t represent the views of the vast majority of peace-loving, rational South Africans,” she said. She believes they are part of a “well-oiled, Hamas-adjacent propaganda campaign”.

In a statement, the South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) said it was “appalled” at SAIIA’s statement, which “acquiesced to the bullying and intimidation, blamed the victim, deflected responsibility, and sided with the perpetrators of this ambush against Powell”.

It noted that the SAIIA’s mission statement claimed to create platforms for debate and to host diverse speakers, which implies a commitment to free expression. “We’re alarmed that SAIIA’s statement failed to condemn those who attacked Powell. It’s diametrically opposed to SAIIA’s supposed ideals.”

The SAJBD said that the SAIIA “bore responsibility” for upholding Powell’s right to free expression, and should apologise to Powell, not the aggressors who tried to silence her.

While not discussing the Middle East conflict in her speech, Powell said, “I did, twice indicate to the protesters my willingness to answer their questions, but they chose not to engage in rational dialogue.”

Powell questions why there’s no outrage over the fact that South African Defence Minister Angie Motshekga just spent the weekend in Moscow, “fraternising with Putin’s acolytes after one of Russia’s deadliest ballistic missile strikes in Kyiv”, and there’s no outrage over South Africa’s engagements with Hamas and Iran.

“I visited a democracy that upholds civil liberties and democratic processes,” Powell said. “I made no comment, given that I was there in my private capacity, but it was my right to visit Israel, as it is the right of any South African.”

The difference, she said, was that “I didn’t vow on behalf of my country to strengthen ties in the way that [current and former DIRCO Ministers] Ronald Lamola and Dr Naledi Pandor vowed to strengthen ties with Iran.”

Cape SAJBD Chairperson Adrienne Jacobson said the incident was “emblematic of a broader agenda aimed at silencing dialogue and destabilising public forums. The Cape SAJBD firmly upholds the principles enshrined in our Constitution, including freedom of expression and the right to protest. However, such rights must be exercised lawfully, respectfully, and in a manner that allows for constructive engagement.”

Rather than engage meaningfully, Jacobson said, “These individuals chose to hijack the event using aggression and intimidation.” It was “disheartening” to see extremists “continue to prioritise their political agenda over the democratic values and social cohesion of South Africa.”

The Cape SAJBD calls on the relevant authorities “to take appropriate action to ensure that our elected representatives are able to carry out their duties without disruption or intimidation. Civic spaces must remain platforms for respectful discourse, not arenas for chaos and harassment.”

South African Zionist Federation (SAZF) spokesperson Rolene Marks said the SAZF condemns “the violent pro-Hamas mob” that attacked the event, “transforming what should have been civil discourse into a thuggish spectacle of intimidation”.

The incident “exposed these agitators for what they are: extremist bullies who weaponise violence when their ideology cannot withstand scrutiny”, said Marks. “Their tactics – drowning out dialogue with antisemitic vitriol – represent a calculated assault on democratic principles.”

What was particularly chilling, Marks said, is the “systematic targeting” of anyone who dares to engage with Israel directly. “These mobs don’t seek debate; they demand submission through force, employing the same intimidation tactics used by authoritarian movements throughout history.”

Writing in BizNews, commentator Tim Flack wrote that the extremists’ aim wasn’t to be heard as they were shouting over one another. Rather, it was to shut Powell down. Furthermore, “SAIIA has sent a message to every academic, speaker, or civil society figure in South Africa: if your views offend the tiny mob, we won’t protect you.”

“By deflecting responsibility, SAIIA has effectively greenlit future attacks on free expression,” Marks said. “Today they target those who visit Israel; tomorrow it will be anyone who challenges their narrative.”

The SAZF demands that South African institutions “stop appeasing violent mobs, and start defending fundamental democratic rights.”

Powell has been contacted by an “overwhelming number” of academics and civil society leaders expressing dismay at SAIIA’s conduct. “SAIIA needs to acknowledge that its actions are at the expense of open debate, and that this is the real threat to our democracy,” she said.

“We are witnessing the legitimisation of mob rule,” Flack warned. “What happened to Powell was a dress rehearsal for future silencing tactics aimed at anyone who dares to question the dominant narrative.”

However, Powell said she will continue to stand firm. “History will show our insistence that government upholds the values that so many people in our history sacrificed their lives for,” she said.