PSC Joins Calls to Silence Israel in SA

The Palestine Solidarity Committee has joined Zachie Achmat’s calls to stop Israeli IDF Legal Advisor David Banjamin’s participation at Limmud in South Africa next month. They have taken Achmat’s calls one step further and called on South Africa to arrest Benjamin as he steps foot into the country.

They have bemusingly described Limmud’s refusal to bow to the pressure of Zachie Achmat and rescind the invitation to Banjamin as an "arrogant refusal".

I’ve already covered what I think are the issues involved here (see Achmat calls on Jews to silence Israel’s voice) but I would hope that the press does some homework before covering the attempts by the PSC to censor Israel’s right to be heard. This isn’t the first time the PSC has pressured speakers from the Middle East into cancelling their visits South Africa and it won’t be the last.

In November 2006, the Mail and Guardian reported that veteran anti-Apartheid journalist and Israeli-Palestinian coexistence campaigner, Benjamin Pogrund, was forced to call off a speaking tour of South Africa in the wake of threats from the PSC.  Pogrund, together with Palestinian peace activist, Walid Salem, were scheduled to speak in South Africa to promote a joint initiative “called Shared histories, A Palestinian-Israeli dialogue”.

Walid Salem was imprisoned by Israel a number of times in the 1970s and 80s. But after the initiation of the Oslo process Walid joined Panorama, and has since conducted joint studies and activities with Israeli academics and peace groups. He also conducts training sessions in democracy, non-violence and civil-society building with Palestinians. He is a strong advocate of non-violence.

Who could imagine anyone having a problem with this tour ? The PSC, that’s who.

Salim Vally, at the time referred to as the spokesperson of the Palestinian Solidarity Committee, launched an intimidation campaign that resulted in the lecture tour being cancelled. The Mail and Guardian quoted an email sent by Vally to Salem

He further threatened :

This new PSC press release is signed by Salim. Although I’m not certain that it is Salim Vally, if it is it would be deeply ironic that a former head of the Freedom of Expression Institute in South Africa should again be caught up in attempts to prevent free speech in this country.