By Kouthar Sambo

The South African Jews for Palestine (SAJFP) held their Shabbos in solidarity with the besieged Palestinians in Gaza outside the Muhammadiyah Mosque in Tennyson Street, Salt River today.

Themed “Shabbos against Genocide in Palestine,” SAJFP’s Julia Hope said Shabbos is regarded as a day of rest where families come together at the end of the week at sunset on a Friday night.

“We have been doing Shabbos for about ten weeks, especially during pro-Palestine protests. This is the time to show that Jews do not support Israel’s actions against Palestinians,” asserted Hope.

The representation of Jews as Zionists, said Hope, is predominantly reinforced by Zionists themselves.

According to Hope, the largest amount of anti-Semitism that does stereotype the Jewish population into a single group is coming from the “Zionist entity” as propaganda.

“The genocide in Palestine is not a matter of religion, but a matter of money, abuse of power, and colonialism. And to have a community come together for Palestine regardless of faith is extremely powerful and completely dismantles our narrative,” reiterated Hope.

Meanwhile, Healthcare Workers for Palestine’s (HCWP) Dr Fatima Zahra Khan told VOC News that they are advocating against the targeting of doctors, healthcare facilities, and patients as they must be protected under international law. She added that Israel has been “flouting this.”

“It is atrocious that we have to form this organisation, but here we are joining with other groups, saying that this needs to stop and we need to protect the vulnerable,” Khan maintained.

Photo: VOCfm