Johnathan Paoli
The Al Jama-ah party has applauded Sports, Arts and Culture Deputy Minister Peace Mabe’s recent condemnation of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for allowing athletes from Israel to participate in the Olympic games, which is a stance against his principal – Minister Gayton McKenzie.
Spokesperson for the party, Sinazo Mtshengu, said on Tuesday, that in light of South Africa’s own experience of boycotts during the 1970s, it felt the need to defend Mabe from McKenzie’s criticism.
“Let us categorically say to Minister McKenzie: there is nothing anti-semitic in calling for the banning and expulsion of the Zionist Israel from these games, and nor is there anything wrong in condemning this pariah state’s distasteful acts of violence and genocide against Palestinians,” Mtshengu said.
The spokesperson said this call by Mabe joins many others, including nation states like Columbia and civil society organisations such as Jews for Justice to ban Israel from participating.
Mtshengu said many promising Palestinian athletes have been unable to participate due to the inability to train under harsh and cruel conditions.
“The Zionists have maimed and killed thousands of Palestinians including numerous athletes: they had barbarically blown off the limbs of many who stood a good chance to represent Palestine in the Olympic games,” the spokesperson said.
Over the weekend, McKenzie expressed his unhappiness with his deputy’s call and said he would respond once the games had been concluded.
“I don’t want politics to take centre stage now, this is the time for Team SA, let’s rally behind them,” he said.
Mabe issued a statement last week, in which she said allowing Israel to compete was indicative of the disregard for thousands of Palestinian lives lost as a result of the ongoing violence in the region.
“As was the case with apartheid South Africa, there can be no normal sport with an abnormal society and the genocidal state of Israel should not be allowed to participate as its conduct is in direct contravention of the Olympic values of excellence, respect and friendship,” Mabe said.
The Palestine Olympic Committee (POC) criticised the decision by the IOC, with Olympic head Jibril Rajoub demanding a boycott, and Olympics international head Thomas Bach rejecting the call.
“This confirms that there are international institutions that insist on applying double standards and not adhering to the Olympic Charter, laws and regulations, or morals,” Rajoub said.
The POC confirmed that approximately 400 Palestinian athletes have so far been killed, while others have been unable to train or travel due to Israeli bombing and restrictions.
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