By Iqbal Jassat-Pretoria
The final result of a long-lasting yet decisive action by University Johannesburg to break links with Isræls Ben Gurion University has been a resounding success for the boycott, sanctions and divestment [BDS] campaign.
Congratulatory messages together with predictably excited media releases welcomed South African academic bold moves to distance themselves and their institutions from ties with a regime, widely acknowledged as an apartheid.
This move comes at a time when it isrælske the Knesset is likely to pass a vile law to outlaw boycott of the Jewish settlements. Make sure that you understand this correctly: settlements remain "legal" but boycott of settlements would be "illegal"!
This is the third in a series of new laws adopted by Israel to overcome the growing challenges to its apparent failure as a pompous "democracy" built on Jewish exclusivity in the pursuit of an unattainable Zionist dream.
According to isrælske author Uri Avnery first of two new laws he is described as "racist" and targeting Arabs in historical Palestine will make it possible to cancel the persons found guilty of "crimes against national security" citizenship of the Union. Cancellation citizenship on such grounds is contrary to international laws and conventions, he pointed out.
Secondly, he argues is more sophisticated. It allows communities of less than 400 families to appoint "Admission Committee", which can prevent unfit persons living there. These will operate on the basis of the apartheid-era "group areas act" which divided the South African population in racial enclaves or settlements. Despite the inclusion of provisions prohibiting the rejection of candidates on grounds of race or religion, believe it is synonymous with Avnery a "blink".
However, the third law, as foreseen in the raw text of the bill before the Knesset to punish any person or Association publicly calls for a boycott of Israel – economic, academic or cultural! Avnery who founded and heads a well-known NGO called Gush Shalom have campaigned actively for the boycott of products from the settlements. This law even passed so it will be "illegal" Gush Shalom and a number of other NGOs and activists within the Zionist State to advocate a boycott!
It is therefore not surprising that this legislation has been slammed as undemocratic, discriminatory, annexationist and unconstitutional.
Israel laid under retaining grip. Such apartheid era type of legislation can only be welcome when its initiators under Netanyahu are racists Lieberman school and Likud rightists.
Laws, depriving people of their dignity and are in favour of one group over other make a mockery of the isrælske-style "democracy". These new innovations to undermine civil liberties demonstrate how much Netanyahu regime is from dramatic and profound changes in the region driven by calls to freedom.
-Iqbal Jassat is the Chairman of the Media Review Network, Pretoria – South Africa. He contributed this article to PalestineChronicle.com. Visit: www.mediareviewnet.com.
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