In attack on South Africa, Israel’s Deputy FM Danny Ayalon trivializes apartheid

Ben White 23 August 2012

Following the decision by the South African government to label products coming from West Bank settlements as, well, coming from West Bank settlements, Israel’s Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon responded by saying that “South Africa remains an apartheid state”.

Aside from Israel’s current policies, which many observers think genuinely do qualify as apartheid, Ayalon’s remarks are particularly extraordinary coming from a man who has declared in public that the Negev and Galilee have too many Palestinians and not enough Jews. They are even more remarkable given the fact that for years Israel was one of the only and most important allies and arms suppliers of apartheid South Africa when it was internationally isolated.

In addition, Ayalon’s “apartheid” reference called to mind two tweets he sent me last year, in which he objected to the title of my first book.

Tags

Comments

picture

Nizaam Pasha replied on

I am a South African who normally is quite critical of my inept and often corrupt government. However, I fully support the decision to label all goods coming from the occupied territories.

picture

pipistro replied on

Sorry to think that, in reporting such dumb opinion, you're making this clown a favour. These words are destined to the waste of history.

picture

Patrick replied on

This ayalon creature still has the temerity to talk of apartheid!!! Gobsmacking!! but nothing one does not expect from an israeli-firster.

picture

Speedy replied on

Danny Ayalon needs to be told that pre-1994 South African apartheid was a pic-nic to what atrocities the Palestinians are facing at the hands of the Zionists today. Viva South Africa on its moral stand!

Ben White

Ben White's picture

Ben White is a freelance journalist, writer and activist, specialising in Palestine/Israel. His articles have been widely published in the likes of The Guardian‘s Comment is free, Al Jazeera, Electronic Intifada, New Statesman, and many others. He is the author of ‘Israeli Apartheid: A Beginner’s Guide’ (2009, Pluto Press) and ‘Palestinians in Israel: Segregation, Discrimination & Democracy’ (2012, Pluto Press). Ben is a researcher/writer for the Journal of Palestine Studies.