JULY 2017

TO: African National Congress (ANC)

FROM: Israeli citizens, Members of Boycott from Within

 

Dear friends, 

We write to you as Israeli citizens and activists. 

 

We identify with the Palestinian struggle, and we try to follow in the footsteps of those white South Africans (some of whom were Jewish and from your movement) like Bram Fisher, Beyers Naude, Joe Slovo, Ruth First, Helen Joseph and others. These brave dissidents who broke away from the Apartheid regime and identified with the oppressed masses of South Africa. We, as a group of citizens of Israel, identify with the Palestinian struggle against the Israeli government's Apartheid policies,

 

After many years of trying to change our society from within, we have come to the conclusion that an international campaign, such as the boycott against apartheid South Africa, is necessary to change the situation here. Boycotting Apartheid South Africa was not anti-white and likewise, boycotting Israel today is not anti-Semitic.

 

We know that in South Africa, we, as Israeli citizens and activists, find friends in the struggle for a better world. We believe that the time has come for further measures. Governments including the South African government should be downgrading diplomatic relations and their embassies in Israel, to send a clear message to Israel that its violations of international law are unacceptable. Ultimately we call on the ANC to strengthen its support for the BDS movement and Palestinian struggle.

 

We wish the ANC well in its upcoming deliberations.

 

Sincerely

 

Boycott from Within