Israel Matzav

Ron Lauder beats his head against a wall

Give World Jewish Congress leader Ron Lauder credit for trying. Lauder went to South Africa last week to urge South African President Jacob Zuma to take a stand against attempts to brand Israel an 'apartheid' state. After all, if anyone ought to know what apartheid is - and why Israel doesn't fit the description - it ought to be the black, South African President.

"The people in South Africa should know that Israel is not an apartheid state," Lauder said, and called on South African citizens to "speak out whenever such unfair and biased statements are made."

...

Lauder asked Zuma "to continue the fight against all forms of racism, intolerance and anti-Semitism in South Africa and in the region, and to pursue a balanced, fair and constructive policy with respect to the conflict in the Middle East."

Lauder, wary of South Africa's stance towards Israel's policies, told Zuma that "there are no simple solutions to this complex problem," but remained positive, stating that South Africa has the ability to help "forge policies that are fair and balanced towards both Israel and the Palestinian people."

But when Zuma spoke to the South African Jewish Board of Deputies on Saturday night, the word 'apartheid' apparently did not come up.

PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma told the opening of the national conference of the South African Jewish Board of Deputies on Saturday night that the only "viable" solution for the Israeli- Palestinian conflict was one that "ended the occupation that began in 1967", when Israel occupied Sinai, the Suez canal, West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem.

"It is a solution that fulfils the aspirations of both parties for independent homelands through two states for two peoples, Israel and an independent, adjoining, and viable state of Palestine," said Zuma.

Zuma said SA supported the United Nations position on the issue and "unequivocally" condemned "all forms of violence from whatever quarter, particularly where civilians are targeted".

In other words, Zuma supports a return to the Auschwitz borders and strikes a moral equivalence between Israel defending itself and 'Palestinian' terrorists blowing themselves up among Israeli civilians. He will also do nothing to defend Israel against charges of 'apartheid' despite the fact that of all world leaders, he is likely in the best position to do so.

Nice try, Ron.

If you want to see real apartheid look at the photo at top left. It's from a South African beach when there was real apartheid in effect. You won't find anything like it in Israel.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 12:10 PM