Nelson Mandela’s Rivonia Trial co-accused and Jewish anti-apartheid stalwart Denis Goldberg has came out slamming the Israeli lobby’s use of propaganda holiday trips to try to entice and buy-off South African students, young people and enterpreneurs.

“The pro-Israeli lobby, the SA Jewish Board of Deputies and SA Zionist Federation try to say that it [the Palestinian Israeli issue] is not a simple matter, [they say that] it’s complicated therefore come [to Israel and] tell the world how well we Israelis are doing,” said Goldberg, speaking at a BDS South Africa and ANC Youth League hosted event hosted this week.

“It’s not complicated! It’s very simple…the simplicity is that a dominant group [Jewish Israelis] exclude the indigenous Palestinian people from equal rights”.
Goldberg said succumbing to the Israeli offer of free trips to Israel is to do harm to the cause of the Palestinian people, “just as people who visited [Apartheid] South Africa broke the boycott during the sanctions against Aparthied South Africa did harm to our movement.”

“And so I think it’s important not to go. I think it’s important to refuse to go…and not get bought and lose your moral compass by going because it’s just a free trip. What nonsense is this? One [should] have moral principles.”

Goldberg also explained that he has carefully studied and analysed Israel’s policies, laws and practices and finds them similar to that of the former Apartheid regime.
Goldberg said: “Having lived through apartheid in South Africa. There’s no doubt in my mind that this [Israel] is an apartheid state. I cannot allow in my name, the same kind of oppression to go on against the Palestinians. I have to speak out against it. And I have to try and speak out against it in a rational and calm voice when really I’m very angry about it…when people say, well, you South Africans, you’re biased against us. We’re not. We’re talking international law”.

Goldberg also spoke to his Jewish identity saying: “As a Jewish person, I oppose not Jews…it is the Zionist [Israeli] policies that I oppose. Of course there are Zionists [Israeli] supporters who call me a ‘self-hating Jew’. I have to be an opponent of the exclusivist, exclusionist policies of Zionism.”

Responding to the ANC Youth League Provincial Deputy Chairperson Vuyo Mhaga’s strong statement that the ANC Youth League should march on parliament demanding the expulsion of the Israeli Ambassador in South Africa and for the closure of South Africa’s Embassy in Israel, Goldberg provided the suggestion that South Africa withdraws its ambassador but still have the option of maintaining some presence in Tel Aviv.
Goldberg provided the example of Cuba and the USA: “The United States closed its embassy in Cuba but it had an ‘interest section’. They always had some diplomats in

Cuba even if it is to exchange prisoners…I think it was in the Swiss Embassy or something, somebody neutral, but they always had some diplomats there.” Goldberg said that this would “send a strong signal of disapproval.”

In closing Goldberg reaffirmed his support for the #BoycottWoolworths campaign saying that although “it’s very tempting” to shop at Woolworths he has made “his position very clear and will not renegade” until Woolworths ends its Israeli trade.

Goldberg ended his speech to the mostly young audience saying: “I’m pleased to hear the ‘viva’ and the ‘long live’ [slogans] but I want action, comrades. I want action. I want action.”