It is not often you see South African, pro-Palestinian, and First Nations activists all under the same roof, dancing to the same tune.
Yet, along with some labour unions, they were just some of the groups present at this weekend’s “South Africa to Palestine: Building an Anti-Apartheid Movement,” a controversial conference put on by the Coalition against Israeli Apartheid (CAIA).
The event aimed to highlight what some see as the “Apartheid nature of Israel,” and to drum up support for the Boycott Divestment Sanction (BDS) initiative, launched last year, which aims to isolate Israel economically, culturally, and academically.
These views are anathema to most of Canada’s Jewish community. Betar Tagar, for instance, a student-run pro-Israel organization, ran a sizable ad in the last issue of this newspaper denouncing CAIA’s claims and asserting that “democratic Israel” was completely distinct from Apartheid South Africa.
Before the conference kick-off on Friday evening, a group of people, members of the Jewish Defence League, according to CAIA activists, set up an informal picket outside the venue.
According to CAIA’s Navyun Gill, they shouted sexist, racist, and anti-Islamic slogans. One CAIA member had his glasses broken, while another individual had hot coffee spilled on him. The perpetrators had already left by the time security and police were called.
The conference kicked off with keynote addresses by Jamal Juma, Salim Vally and Rafeef Ziadah. All speakers condemned the so-called “Apartheid Wall,” the barrier that Israel is building along, and inside, its erstwhile border with the West Bank.
They also maintained that a viable solution for the Palestine-Israel conflict will not emerge until the dismantling of the wall and the severing of Zionism from Israel’s state policies.
The most provocative speech was one of the night was by Juma. He stressed that “racism under the Jewish state is both by law and practice.” This becomes apparent as forty Palestinian villages operate without infrastructure, he said. And especially after the building of the wall, the right of Palestinian children to get educated has become even more challenging, Juma’ said.
Vally, a former member of the South African Student’s Movement (an organization which played a crucial role in the Soweto Uprising of 1976) drew parallels with the white Apartheid government of South Africa and the current nature of the Israeli state.
He outlined that a two-state solution would not be a feasible idea both Muslims and Jews. Instead, he proposed the idea of Jews, Arabs and Christians living in a secular state. At frequent intervals, Vally also took the initiative into making the audience chant slogans such as “Free free Palestine.” Vally ended his speech by stating that the Palestinians need the support of the “other superpower, the citizens of the world.”
The final speaker of the night Rafeef Ziadah, said that Canadians must stop viewing their government as neutral and peace-loving. “Canada is not neutral,” Ziadah said.
Friday night’s speeches, however, left Hero Azar, a U of T student in the audience, somewhat non-plussed.
“While it was an inspirational event, what it did not do was tell you where to go next. As a student, citizen, or whatever, I would like some kind of direction. The event lacked a clear initiative in helping those who want direct action. If we want to hit ’em where it hurts, then guide us.”
