The SA BDS Coalition is, for once, in agreement with the editor of the SA Jewish Report (SAJR). We too, as Peta Krost says in the latest issue of the SAJR “believe in the need for an independent ombud who wouldn’t be swayed by politics and racial hatred.” That is precisely what we have in South Africa through the Press Council, which as it’s Chairperson, Judge Phillip Levinsohn, states is “a voluntary, co-regulatory, public-dominated body which, inter alia, mediates and adjudicates complaints against its members in terms of the Press Code”.

The SAJR labelled the SA BDS Coalition anti-Semitic for publishing a cartoon on social media depicting a wealthy capitalist stuffing his mouth with money. The cartoon was produced by the General Industrial Workers Union (GIWUSA).

The Coalition proudly stands side by side with the trade unions at Clover as they battle against the devastating repercussions for workers of the company’s take-over by Milco, a subsidiary of the Israeli Central Bottling Company, complicit in perpetuating the inhuman system of Israeli apartheid. The SAJR belied its own anti-Semitism by assuming that the figure in the cartoon was Jewish and attacking us for replicating an anti-Semitic trope. Further, if the cartoon really was so offensive, why did they republish it to accompany their story?

Thankfully we have a Press Council and a process through which we can lodge complaints against such slander. After much consideration of all the facts, the Press Council found in our favour and sanctioned the SAJR. A frivolous attempt to take the matter on appeal also found in our favour. Slander and hate speech is a criminal offence. The Press Council’s ruling is in line with its own code and the South Africa Constitution.

The SAJR however had no intention of abiding by due process, refusing to publish the judgement and issue an apology to us. In order to avoid taking the proscribed remedial action the SAJR claimed they were going to leave the Press Council. However the ruling was made when the SAJR membership was intact. The SAJR’s attempt to abscond from its obligation is cowardly, irresponsible and displays bad faith. Their tricks to evade compliance are comparable to a fugitive from justice.

The Press Council was thus driven to take the unprecedented step of expelling the SAJR. Threatening to flounce out because they think they are above fair process is reminiscent of apartheid Israel’s disregard for international law which it flouts with impunity in implementing its settler colonial occupation, segregation and discrimination of the Palestinian people.

This is not the first time that the SAJR failed to acknowledge basic media ethics. The paper presumes to speak for the entire Jewish community yet has previously refused to publish right of replies from prominent anti-Zionist South African Jews. But what can we expect from a rag that acts as the mouthpiece of the Zionist federation and whole heartedly defends Israel, an apartheid state which has murdered two journalists, Shireen Abu Akleh and Ghufran Warasneh in the last few weeks, and at least 45 media workers since the year 2000.

Making false claims of anti-Semitism is a tired strategy used by pro-Israeli organisations, such as the SAJR, to demonise any criticism of Israel. The Constitutional Court recently made a judgement in the case of accusations of anti-Semitism made against Bongani Masuku, the former International Secretary of COSATU. Our apex court ruled that anti-Zionism is not anti-Semitism. For the SAJR to continue to conflate the two and attempt to label all criticism of Israel as anti-Semitic has been shown up as a blunt weapon by the ruling of the Press Council.

Roshan Dadoo

Coordinator

SA BDS Coalition