In late 1984 protests by South African
blacks against high rents turned into a
national uprising against Apartheid. The white
South African government responded with
brutal force, eventually declaring a state of
emergency. This did not quell the protests,
which continued for months and years.
Thousands of blacks were killed, injured and
imprisoned.
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ISRAEL AND SOUTH AFRICA IN THEIR OWN WORDS
by Ali Abunimah
October 25, 2000
In late 1984 protests by South African blacks against high rents turned
into a national uprising against Apartheid. The white South African
government responded with brutal force, eventually declaring a state of
emergency. This did not quell the protests, which continued for months
and years. Thousands of blacks were killed, injured and imprisoned. All
along, the South African government claimed it was engaged in a
"reform" process which would have given blacks some autonomy under
total white control. The program involved forcibly moving millions of
blacks off their land and into "homelands." Sound familiar? It did to me,
and so do the quotes from South African officials back in 1984-85,
when they are placed next to what we are hearing from Israel's
government today. I have organized them roughly by category.
INCITEMENT AND THE "CYNICAL USE OF CHILDREN"
From South Africa...
Los Angeles Times, June 3, 1985: "Senior [South African] police
officers have complained recently that their efforts to deal with unrest
are hampered by the rioters' tactics, including the use of women and
children as 1human shields,' the absence of suspected leaders from the
front lines of most protests and the increased attacks on police,
particularly the township homes of black policemen."
From Israel...
Capt. Natan Golan, IDF Spokesman --St. Petersburg Times, October
18, 2000 : "It's tragic to have a child fall in this violence, but there's
no
reason for the IDF to fire one shot
if there's no violence...All we're trying to say is stop this incessant
incitement to violence.
We are dealing with a situation in which kids are cynically being used
by
being put on the front lines where they may be killed, maimed or
injured...If a young boy falls, it gives the Palestinians a lot of
propaganda points."
From South Africa...
The Washington Post, July 21, 1985: "Botha said he was ordering the
move to combat "acts of violence and thuggery" that he said were
"mainly directed at the property and
person of law-abiding black people and take the form of incitement,
intimidation, arson, inhuman forms of assault and even murder.""
--President P.W. Botha explaining why he
was imposing a state of emergency.
BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY
*From South Africa...
Financial Times, September 11, 1985: Louis La Grange, Minister of
Law and Order, commenting on the violence which had at the time
claimed 660 black lives and 2,400 injured against 11 dead and 357
injured from the South African police and army: "Law and order has to
be restored with strong and singleminded action. The full power of the
state has to be employed to this end."
*From Israel...
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak --Scotland on Sunday, October 8,
2000: "If we do not see a change in the patterns of violence in the next
two days, we will regard this as a
cessation by Arafat of the peace process...and we will order the army
and security forces to use all means at their disposal to halt the
violence."- -
*From South Africa...
The New York Times, August 9, 1985: --President P.W. Botha,
speaking the day after sixteen black protestors had been killed by South
African forces. "If necessary, we can even take stronger steps than we
have taken so far."
The New York Times, August 24, 1985: Brig. Jan Coetzee, the Chief
of Police in Soweto Township explaining why the township was under
curfew. "We are not trying to oppress
people, but are doing this for their own benefit."
"STONES AND BOTTLES ARE WEAPONS TOO"
From South Africa...
The New York Times, November 23, 1985--South African response
to criticism about disproportionate force used by police, after thirteen
protestors had been killed in one
day in Mamelodi Township. "A police spokesman said riot-squad
patrols had been "confronted by particularly violent mobs" and were
"bombarded with petrol bombs, half
bricks and other objects."
From Israel...
Los Angeles Times, October 5, 2000--Israeli Internal Security Minister
Shlomo Ben-Ami defending Israel's use of lethal force against civilian
protestors. "What happened in recent days was not just a protest
demonstration, but rather a phenomenon of unprecedented degree...The
problem is the
character of the confrontation, the degree of confrontation between
protesters and the police, who are entitled, if there is real danger to
life,
to shoot."
THE RELENTLESS PURSUIT OF PEACE AND THE STRUGGLE
AGAINST EXTREMISTS
*From South Africa...
President P.W. Botha, touting his "reform" program which included the
creation of separate parliaments and bantustans for blacks, the day after
six black protestors were shot dead by South African forces. "We shall
not be stampeded into a situation of panic by irresponsible elements for
opportunistic reasons...We shall continue with the process
of peaceful deliberation and consultations to find solutions for our
unsolved problems."
The New York Times, August 24, 1985. President P.W. Botha talking
about "radical Communist forces" (i.e. the ANC) which he accused of
inciting violence. "We will fight and defeat them with all the lawful means
at our disposal."
From Israel...
Ehud Barak, CNN, October 12, 2000: "Israel is determined to defend
itself. We have no hostile intention against anyone around us. We were
ready to go further than any previous government in Israel, be it
Netanyahu or Shamir or even Rabin and Peres, in contemplating ideas
that will put an end to it. But if we won't find a partner with the same
determination and clarity of objective, we will fight to defend ourself
and
our right to live in freedom in this part of the world."
From South Africa...
The San Diego Union-Tribune, August 16, 1985--President P.W.
Botha: "I am not prepared to lead white South Africans and other
minority groups on a road to abdication and suicide."
From Israel...
CNN, October 12, 2000--Ehud Barak: "You cannot let your neck be
kind of cut as a good gesture for your neighbor, even if its a good
neighbor."
ON INTERNATIONAL INTERVENTION AND CRITICISM
From South Africa...
Los Angeles Times, September 10, 1985--President P.W. Botha:
"South Africa's decisions will be made by South Africa's leaders, and
the leaders of South Africa will themselves decide what is in our
interests," Botha said in Pretoria, the capital. "Reform can only be
retarded by outside attempts to interfere."
From Israel...
CNN, October 12, 2000--Ehud Barak: "Of course we say no [to a
UN investigation]. We say that it should be an American source of
authority, maybe with Israelis and Palestinians, of course, but not
international body. And we believe that this is an understandable
position bearing in mind our experience in this world in the last 52
years."
ON THE FUTURE
"Apartheid"--President P.W. Botha
"Us over here, Them over there"--Prime Minister Ehud Barak.
..And freedom too will come to Palestine.
--------------------------------
Quotations: On Israel and South Africa. from a book by Mona Younis
(2000), Liberation and Democratization: the South African and
Palestinian National Movements.
"I don't understand this comparison between us and South Africa. What
is similar here and there is that both they and we must prevent others
from taking us over. Anyone who says that the blacks are oppressed in
South Africa is a liar. The blacks there want to gain control of the white
minority just
like the Arabs here want to gain control over us. And we, too, like the
White minority in South Africa, must act to prevent them from taking us
over. I was in a gold mine there and I saw what excellent conditions the
black workers have. So there is separate elevators for Whites and
Blacks, so what? That's the way they like it."
--Raphael Eitan Chief of Staff of the Israeli army during the 1982
invasion of Lebanon, speaking in a guest lecture at the School of Law,
Tel Aviv University, 1987, quoted in Yediot Ahronot, december, 1987.
zmag.org/meastwatch/meastwat.htm
add your comments
Isreal South Africa: Comparison
by Ahmed Ajabiry 1:58am Fri Nov 17 '00
address: Newyork
It is misleading to compare Isreal to South Africa. Isreal's apartied is
rooted(with my respect )to religion.The arabs of the so called Isreal will
never enjoy the liberty and dignity of man. Black South Africans' hope
for a free demacratic society was and still a practical and achievable
hope.