The truth will out 

When a planeload of Palestinians arrived in Johannesburg last Thursday and were initially told they couldn’t disembark or enter the country, there was an outcry. The outcry and chaos continues, and there’s so much misinformation out there that it’s tough to find the strands of truth. (See page 4.) 

Immediately, no matter what the truth was, the anti-Israel antisemitic lobby found some way to blame Israel. To date, I cannot categorically tell you who is to blame – if anyone – but simply that it happened. Israel gets blamed for trying to rid Gaza of Gazans. But every one of those people on the plane wanted to get out of Gaza, so why is there blame? So many accusations, and so many yet unanswered questions. 

Interestingly, the sense I get from those who were on board is that it’s preferable to be in any country not ruled by Hamas. Whether or not they are able to find work or a roof over their heads, anywhere is still preferable to being under Hamas rule. 

Amazingly, though Palestinians may not love Israelis – perhaps that is an understatement – they appear to hate Hamas much more. The reason I am making this point is that those around the world who have condemned Israeli people as genocidal maniacs have put Hamas members on a pedestal as freedom fighters and the so-called government that fought for the Palestinians’ rights. 

However, most Palestinians are clear about the fact that Hamas is terror personified. Hamas treats Palestinians abominably. For Hamas, Palestinian lives are irrelevant, and useful in as much as they can do for the terror organisation. 

Obviously, their treatment of Palestinians is better than their desired treatment of Israelis or Jews. They make it clear by their actions that they don’t value Palestinian lives either. Hence, Palestinians en masse are doing what they can to get out of Gaza. And they don’t seem to care where they go. Simply, for them, anywhere is better than Gaza under Hamas rule. 

This seems to be lost on those who hate Israel and Jews. They insist that Hamas did what it needed to do on 7 October 2023 to Israel, seemingly to help Palestinians, and then it was fighting for the lives of all Palestinians against this demon, Israel. 

Hamas cares for no-one but Hamas, as was so evident after the ceasefire, when Hamas militants attacked and murdered Palestinians who had said or done something that didn’t support Hamas during the war. 

Unfortunately for Hamas, the truth will out, as it always does. 

And as Palestinians flee Gaza, which they seem to be doing with some help from Israel, they are making it known that Hamas is the biggest threat to them. Hamas is what they are most terrified of. 

Hamas has won the war on social media. It has managed to win hearts and minds with its misinformation. However, while so many people have turned on Jews around the world, the facts will ultimately speak for themselves. And as Palestinians find their way into South Africa and the rest of the world, the truth will eventually sink in. That is, if anyone is willing to listen to the truth. Or would they rather simply believe what fits their ugly antisemitic narrative? 

In terms of 7 October 2023, I have to say I was horrified that the United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women and Girls, Reem Alsalem, now claims that no independent investigation confirmed rapes during Hamas’s massacre in Israel. Seriously? What on earth is she thinking, and how dare she? 

Pramila Patten, the UN Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, led a mission to Israel to investigate the allegations of rape and other sexual violence on 7 October. Her report was published in March 2024, and concluded that there were definitely grounds to believe that rape en masse occurred in southern Israel on 7 October. 

Do the two UN women not speak to one another, or is it simply a case of if the women are Jewish, their rape didn’t happen or isn’t serious enough to acknowledge? How disgusting! 

It’s astonishing that two years after the most heinous crimes were committed against Israelis, this is still up for debate. There was footage taken by the perpetrators proving it. What more do they want? (See page 8.) 

Alsalem claims that Patten’s remarks were misrepresented. Really! I read the report. There was no room for misrepresentation. 

I have to say – and my son may call me sexist for this – but I find it far more horrifying when women are the ones going up against other women, disbelieving what is obviously rape. 

For this reason, the SA Jewish Report team, who are predominantly women, will be supporting the G20 Women’s Shutdown and protest movement in South Africa against gender-based violence on Friday, 21 November. (See page 8.) 

We feel strongly that we cannot turn our heads from the epidemic of rape happening in this country, much like the world dare not do so with regard to what happened to Israeli women on 7 October. 

There will never be a time when gender-based violence is acceptable, and while some may pooh-pooh attempts to raise awareness of this plight, something has to be done about it. 

In South Africa alone, an average of 15 women are raped a day. That is an outrage, and it continues unabated. 

So, when women like Alsalem allow rape to be weaponised as has been done at the UN, we need to hang our heads in shame. Instead of doing everything in her and the UN’s power to stop rape and gender-based violence around the world, she is actively aiding and abetting this scourge. 

I wish I knew what would bring the rape numbers down or exactly what we can do to bring this to an end. However, I will do whatever I can in my power to protect South African, Israeli, and any other women from this horror. 

And if stopping work on Friday, and lying down at midday is going to bring awareness to this plight, I’m all for it. So, there will be no Friday newsletter this week. 

Shabbat shalom! 

Peta Krost 

Editor