Palestinian solidarity groups call for ANC YL to take action against sanction busters
23 September 2016
The Palestine Solidarity Alliance, BDS South Africa, UCT Palestine Solidarity Forum, Wits University PSC, University of Johannesburg PSF, PSA Youth League and several other human rights and Palestine solidarity organisations have called for the ANC Youth League to enforce its policies on Palestine.
The Israeli lobby in South Africa is well known to be using old Apartheid-Day tricks to entice young South Africans and distract us from our solidarity with the Palestinian people and our progressive Israeli comrades. The Israeli lobby is known to throw free holiday propaganda trips and other gifts at young South Africans trying to undermine solidarity with the Palestinian people. The ANC and the ANC Youth League has clear resolutions against this which were reaffirmed at last year’s ANC NGC and repeated by President Jacob Zuma in January this year.
However, several ANC Youth League members have been attending pro-Israeli conferences and sanction busting Israeli propaganda junkets using, speaking and being quoted as ANCYL leaders. This is in direct violation of the policies of the ANC and in clear violation of ANCYL policies, resulting in confusion around the stance of the ANCYL on the Apartheid State of Israel.
When we from the Palestine solidarity movement participated in various mass protests along with the hundreds of thousands of South African protestors who marched for Palestine and were addressed by the then ANCYL we were confident that the ANCYL would resist Zionist imperialist forces from bribing membership. The ANC YL has strong and clear position on Palestine but we are well aware that some individual ANCYL members are travelling around the world at pro-Israeli events and using the name of the ANCYL to give other impressions of the organisation and solidarity with Palestine. In line with this we are calling for strong action to be taken by the ANC YL against these members who are misrepresenting the ANC YL’s solidarity expressed consistently through numerous press statements, policies, protests and solidarity events that have been organized by the ANCYL.
Those that have gone on the trips to Israel against ANC policies have shown no remorse and if anything have consolidated their pro-Israeli positions, which are at odds with the ANC and ANC YL, by continuing to participate (as ANC YL members) in pro-Israeli events as well as by giving interview and writing articles.
A docket with evidence and a list of names of those who have been putting the ANCYL’s name into disrepute have been submitted and we request urgent disciplinary action be taken. The list of names submitted have become mouth pieces and cheerleaders for the Israeli Apartheid regime and have been using the name of the ANCYL to get platforms and to confuse the public.
Furthermore it has become evident that they are being paid by the Israeli government and its sympathizers, we call for urgent action as the Israeli government is actively trying to penetrate South Africa, in particular the ruling party. The organisation has clear policies and external overseas agendas like that of Israel should be challenged!
We are confident that the matter will be correctly addressed internally within the ANCYL and look forward, without any delay, for bold and strong action.
ISSUED BY KWARA KEKANA ON BEHALF OF BDS SOUTH AFRICA
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