2005-11-23,+South+Africa,+Israel-Palestine,+Ron+Press


 * South Africa, Israel/Palestine.**

= The odious face of Imperialism. =


 * South Africa 1400++** **Middle East zero ++**

Bartholomew Dias “discovered” the tip of southern Africa in 1488, looking for a trade route to India.. By 1652 a white settlement had been established in what is now Cape Town. The rest of southern Africa was populated and controlled by various African groups such as the Zulu, Xhosa, San, and others.

In the “White” areas the black people were either expelled or controlled as subject people useful as servants and labourers. There was some unequal trade with neighboring areas for meat and food stuffs.


 * //Palestine has been invaded and controlled many times in the past, the Egyptians, Syrians, Greeks, and Romans. Britain and the other colonial powers never established full blown states run and controlled by themselves. One recalls Gordon of Khartoum, the Suez Canal debacle. They remained outsiders with influence but not full time residents. This only happened recently with the establishment of the State of Israel. (Not a colonial power in itself but a surrogate.). Jews had lived for thousands of years together with their Muslim, Christian, and other neighbours. Jews lived in other countries and were of different colours. (Eg. Falashers in Ethiopia).//**

The small white enclave expanded at the expense of the black areas. Colonial competition saw the whites of Dutch extraction being replaced by English settlers. The Dutch who became known as Boers trekked inland waging numerous wars against Black indigenous people. The basic issue was the competition between the two colonial powers England and Holland.

The whites having greater military technology gradually controlled the major part of the country.

Various groups such as the San and the Koi were almost exterminated. The Zulu and Xhosa people were defeated in a number of bloody wars. Only the Swazi and the Sotho managed to hold on to small enclaves.

African chiefs from time to time made treaties and cooperated with both the Boers and the English. It was always an uneasy relationship.


 * //A similar situation arose in the Middle East but eventually the dominant groupings were lead by the indigenous people//****//. There was no state in control of an imperial power. Will the Gaza strip become another Swaziland, or a Bantustan?//**

The struggle between the two major white groups, the Boers and the British, was exacerbated by the discovery of Diamonds and Gold. The “Boer war” broke out in 1899.


 * //Oil is the recent discovery, not in Palestine but in neighboring countries//**//.//

Britain established the worlds first “Concentration Camps” where over 26,000 Boer women and children died. The war was bloody and ruthless with the British using scorched earth policies and destroying farms, crops and livestock. The Boers adopted terrorist and guerilla tactics.


 * //The Nazis took concentration camps to extremes. But other examples abound. These genocidal episodes were based on various differences, religion, tribal, colour, and language. But all were based on the struggle for power, money, and the establishment of a dictatorship. The Jews have distorted the Nazi Holocaust saying that it was solely a religious matter. Gays, handicapped, gypsies, communists, trade unionists, were amongst the victims. The purpose was the defeat of the socialist and left opposition. The Jews were active in the left movements and thus were targeted. The taking over of Jewish businesses was an added bonus.//**

Britain won the Boer war. In the final settlement in 1910 the South African Union was established. An independent country but guided and controlled by England the major Colonial power. Blacks had been the allies of both sides but they were excludes from the rights of citizenship such as voting and being elected either at local or governmental level. Except in the Cape where for a limited period, they were allowed to vote for a representative who had to be a white.


 * //The foundation of the Israeli state parallels the struggle between the Boers and the English. Palestine was a British mandate; the idea of a Jewish state would decrease British influence.//** **//There were episodes on the impounding of ships with Jewish settlers. One should remember the terrorism of the Irgun, Stern Gang, King David Hotel. In early years of South Africa there was no United Nations to pass resolutions. In the end an Israeli state would be an imperialist surrogate in the region...//**

//**
 * //{The “Jews” are the only grouping to propose and having widely accepted by Imperialist circles the idea that, Jewish mother


 * //Jewish religion = Israeli Citizenship//**

Jewish race (Semite).Jewish race (Semite).


 * //This proposes that when a non-Jewish mother is converted to the Jewish religion her children are then Jews. (Inheritance comes from the genes! Are her eggs modified??) Is a Jewish mother who converts to Christianity still a Jew and her children Jews?//**


 * //Is a black Jew also a Semite together with White Jews?//**


 * //Is a citizen of any country automatically an Israeli?.}.//**

By the early 20th century South Africa was recognizably a country governed and controlled by whites. Blacks were used as cheap labour and taxes were imposed on them, which had to be paid in money forcing them to become migrants in their own land. (Bambata Rebellion). The white areas had all major cities, industry, mines, most fertile and productive land, power supplies, transport, infrastructure and control of water.


 * //The expansion of Israel, the settlements and the disassembling of Palestine into disparate pieces follows a similar pattern. The wall is but the latest episode.//**

Blacks had to carry passes to allow them to work in the white areas. They had to live in designated separate areas, fenced locations, or in remote isolated Bantustans. The smaller community of Indians, first brought in as indentured labourers, and the “Mixed race” were similarly discriminated against but in a lesser degree.

All power was in the control of the whites, the police, judiciary and courts, town councils, parliament, education, commerce, industry, art and cultural facilities.


 * //The developments in Palestinian areas today bear a great resemblance to what happened in South Africa years ago. Palestinian towns are “unrecognized” and are systematically deprived of health, education, resources, water, roads, lighting, etc. ... There is a difference between “Palestinian areas” within pre 1967 and more recent “borders” these borders change almost day by day.//**


 * //This situation is developing within “Israel”: permits, migrant labour, talk of disenfranchising those Palestinians who now vote. There is discrimination; in work, freedom to buy land, marry across the “border” social and racial discrimination army service, arbitrary imprisonment, racial taunts and the freedom to live with Jews.//**

Over the following years this white power was refined. The vote was taken away from those few blacks in the Cape. Coloureds and Indians had to live in defined areas under the Group Areas Act. Africans were designated certain disparate areas as so called homelands (Bantustans). Here there were few resources factories and little infrastructure. They had no independent trading or transport systems. In these areas they were allowed puppet governments. Later all opposition black and multiracial political organizations were banned.


 * //The developments in the Palestinian area today bears a great resemblance to what happened in South Africa years ago//**//.//

Political
With the founding of SA two trends developed. On the one hand the Afrikaners sought to consolidate their control (Broederbond. National Party) and on the other there was the slow consolidation of black opposition.

White SA politics saw the demise or emasculation of white political parties opposed to Apartheid. The Labour Party, the Liberals, United Party, gave way to the dominance of the Nationalist Party. Big business, the Mines, and manufacture by and large remained in the hands of English speakers but farming remained the power base for the Nationalists.

The Communist Party remained small and multiracial until it was made illegal and went underground. It was one of the earliest parties and was started by British white immigrants. Its philosophy based on the struggle between the working class and the bosses moulded its attitude to the black people. Coupled with influence from the C.P.S.U. and developments in the working class in South Africa the SACP became fully multiracial.


 * //The ideas of socialism and the growth of communist parties in the Middle East has been severely restricted. This is linked with the smallness of the working class in the area. There is little industry, no labour intensive mining, and few immigrants with communist party backgrounds. Israel has a CP but it remains small.//** **//Other Communist parties exist but all are emasculated and often illegal. Imperialist puppets like Sadam Hussein destroyed their Communist Parties.//**

The black people slowly consolidated under the leadership of the African National Congress. Smaller groups such as the ultra-left Unity Movement, the Pan Africanist Congress, and smaller groups continued to exist but became less and less effective.

Meanwhile the ANC formed an alliance with the progressive Trade Union Movement the SA Congress of Trade Unions, the Indian Congresses, and the Congress of Democrats (a small white group). Underground the Communists were active in these organisations. The churches split into the Dutch Reform Church, which supported Apartheid and the more progressive group, which eventually joined the fight against Apartheid (Trevor Huddleston, D.C. Thompson and from the Muslim and other groups). Jews played a prominent role in the SACP, the Trade Unions and in the Congress movement. There were a small minority who went along with Apartheid, mainly big business.

Eventually the ANC was illegalized and went underground. It established bases in neighboring states. This also happened to the Pan Africanist Congress.

The ANC continued the alliance but this developed into that of the ANC (which was now open to all races Indians, Coloureds, and Whites), SACTU, and the SACP. MK continued as the armed wing.

The Pan Africanists slowly disintegrated and became a spent force.


 * //There has been a similar growth of various Palestinian organisations in opposition to Israeli actions but no single organization seems to be a major player. There is an urgent need for the various organizations to get together under one umbrella encompassing the political, military, trade union, and various religious and social organisations. Religious differences never played a major role in South Africa.//**

The struggle had become a confrontation between all the people of South Africa and the powerful though minority group of whites under the control and leadership of the Nationalist Party. The Nationalists it should be noted supported the Nazis during the war, and so antagonized many Jews.

The solidarity and sacrifice of those whites who joined the movement against Apartheid played a significant role in helping to change the struggle from Black against white into one for democracy and human rights.


 * //A number of Jews in Israel have joined the opposition to the policies of Israel towards the Palestinians. So far their impact has been low key but growing//****//.//** **//There are Jews in the Palestine areas who live quite peacefully with their neighbors.//**

Military
From the early arrival of the whites the Africans engaged in various battles and wars of resistance. Many were bloody and a few successful. However they could not defeat the invaders and the Bambata rebellion in 1906 against the Poll tax was the last unsuccessful uprising.

In 1960 after the Sharpville massacre the underground ANC formed an armed wing, MK.


 * //Sabra and Shatilla//** **//are but two major atrocities helped and sanctified by Israel. Sharon was personally and directly implicated. He has continued this policy when now in government.//**

MK was formed by the ANC and the SACP, and was under their political direction. Its main thrust was against economic targets, SASOL, Koeberg, the atomic power facility, railways, electricity pylons and such like. There were also attacks against military targets, Voortrekkerhoogte, Air Force security in Pretoria, and similar targets. There was an occasional unauthorized attack on white civilians. Operatives thus engaged were withdrawn from operations and censured.

African countries such as Angola, Zambia, Tanzania, and others provided bases or helped in other ways. The socialist countries, Algeria and others assisted with food, arms, training and so on.


 * //Syria, Lebanon, and other states have accepted refugees from Palestine. Some have assisted the resistance to the Israeli military and political actions. Some states have been very repressive of Palestine refugees. There is now no Socialist group to help. The armed groupings in Palestine were not formed by the major political organizations and are not under their guidance. The political consequences of the armed actions of many of these groupings have not been clearly thought out//**//.//

MK also participated in a joint operation with Zapu against the white regime in Rhodesia.

There was an attack by Poqo was the on whites at the Johannesburg railway station. They were never very active and soon disappeared from the scene. Attacks on civilians occurred but were few in number and disapproved of by the ANC.


 * //This form of action has become a major factor in the Israeli Palestinian confrontation.//** **//While in SA industrial and economic sabotage has been far more important.//**

The Apartheid state engaged in assassination not only of ANC members and others (Steve Biko,) in SA but also in cross boarder raids, Matola, Namibia, and killed Samora Machel the president of Mozambique. A number of whites were killed, (Ruth First) and others maimed (Albie Sachs), They also massacred the men woman and children. (Sharpeville, Soweto). While manufacturing arms itself SA also received assistance from various western countries.


 * //Israel has engaged freely in assassinations and interventions in other countries worldwide.//**

South Africa invaded Angola but sustained a heavy defeat at the hands of the Angolans assisted by the Cubans. (Cuito Cuanavale).


 * //Israel attacked, Syria, Lebanon, Golan heights are still occupied! There have been some joint actions by the Palestinians and other countries eg. Lebanon//****//. The heavy defeat of the Palestinians and their Egyptian allies when Israel vastly expanded its borders was a severe blow to any military opposition to Israel.//**


 * //There was no military intervention by the socialist countries!//**

Whites and blacks served in MK. A group of whites refused to serve in the SA Defense Force. They were organised in COSAWR. (Committee of S.A. War Resisters).


 * //The Refusenicks are a similar group in Israel//**

International
In the early years South Africa was in the Commonwealth. SA traded with and had friendly diplomatic relations with most countries especially the UK and the USA. This did not apply to the newly formed USSR or in later years the other socialist countries.

The socialist and other countries gave political, financial, military, and moral support from the early years of the struggle against Apartheid.

The good relations internationally slowly deteriorated as the Nationalist Party gained more power and became even more brutal and oppressive. The international activities of the Anti- Apartheid Movement formed in 1959 in the UK played a significant role in mobilizing public opinion not only in the UK but worldwide as similar organizations were formed in many countries. The Canon Collins Defense and Aid Fund helped apartheid’s prisoners and their families


 * //Only recently have Palestine support organisations been established in various countries. There is no Socialist block to give support. The other nations in Africa, S America, and especially the Middle East are not as supportive as they could be. India and China for example play little role in opposition to Israel.//**

Eventually support by governments for SA became so unpopular that in face of the economic boycott and mass demonstrations SA was expelled from the Commonwealth and became a pariah. The UN passed resolutions and called for an end to Apartheid. Sanctions were imposed by a number of countries. The ANC became an internationally respected organization attending innumerable solidarity and state meetings.


 * //For the Palestinians resolutions yes, but support only weak as yet. The international political background to the conflict in Israel/Palestine is very different to that in the time the South African Struggle came to a head. There are now a number of organizations calling for academic, trade, and cultural boycotts of Israel but the “Jewish” lobby is very powerful and supported by the major imperialist powers. The Israeli actions have not been sufficiently branded as inhuman, and a contravention of human rights. The form of political and armed action by the Palestinians have not been sufficiently designed to take their effects on the western public into account.//**

The economy of SA was severely affected.

The economy
South Africa was and still is the most developed country in Africa south of the Sarah. Its economy relies on cheap black labour, mineral resources (Gold, Diamonds, coal, etc.), a developed infrastructure, and to a lesser extent agriculture.

Corporations such as Anglo American, rank amongst the world leaders.

At the beginning of the 20th century the working class began to flex its muscles. Both Black and white workers, mostly on the mines, conducted major strikes for better wages and conditions. Strikes by black workers were often crushed by force.

However there was a serious rift between the black and white workers. Smuts called out the troops to against white miners striking against the advancement of black workers under the slogan ”workers of the world unite for a white South Africa”, the so called Rand Revolt, in 1922.

The whites saw the lower paid blacks as a threat to their living conditions. The government played on these divisions and legalized the recognition of White trade unions (Coloured and Indian were classed as white for this purpose) and the non-recognition of African trade unions.

The trade union movement was first formed amongst the white workers. The black workers were first organised into the ICU, which was more a mass movement than a regular TU.

Later the trade union developed and consolidated into the Trades and Labour Council. Africans were excluded but were beginning to be organised. White Communists played a crucial role.

Eventually the trade union movement split into the registered unions, mostly white with some Coloured and Indian, and African Unions. This later developed into two federations. The white lead TUC and the multiracial Congress of SA Trade Unions.

Eventually the banning and exile of most activists decimated SACTU and it joined the congresses underground.

The African Trade Unions although not recognised and abandoned by the white trade unions, revived. A number of federations were formed. Eventually The Congress of SA Trade unions took over the role of SACTU. It lead a number of national strikes against Apartheid.


 * //The Israeli trade union movement, the Histadrut, has been lead by a reformist philosophy. They even run small economic establishments. They play little visible role in opposition to Israeli government actions against the Palestinians and no international role. The Arab workers in Israel or in Palestine have never been a serious organized force. One seldom hears of Palestinian trade union visits to the trade unions in the heart of Imperialist countries. .//**

COSATU is today the major federation and is together with the SACP and ANC in the alliance.


 * //Israel is not an economically viable entity. It survives due to massive military and financial aid from America and others.//** //**There is a vast Jewish Diaspora, which holds shares and supports Israel. It is also the most technically advanced country in the region. There is little industry although there are a number of high tech establishments, including a nuclear industry. The arms industry is well developed and trades with many other countries, including it seems with South Africa.**//

Religion
Religion never played a major role in South Africa. The African, and white population were largely Christian (of various sorts and political persuasion). Some priests took an active role in the Congress movement (one was even a communist) others supported apartheid. Jews were generally opposed to Apartheid. Muslims, and others played a minor role.


 * //Religion plays a major role in the Middle East conflict with Israel, playing the powerful Jew/Israel card, and the Holocaust as often as possible.//**


 * The New SA.**

The outcome of the struggle was not smooth. There were bloody battles between Inkata a mainly Zulu grouping, and the ANC. This was initiated and fostered by the old Apartheid masters. After the establishment of the new South Africa as a unitary state there were still moves to set up a Boer republic. This failed miserably.

Despite the chronic racial divisions in SA a single unitary state has been formed. It has been proved viable. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the new constitution, and the policies of the government have slowly established unity.


 * //In my opinion only a similar unified state will answer the problems of the Jews and the Palestinians//****//. The establishment of a unitary state will be a good step towards reconciliation and human rights.//**


 * //In Africa there have been occasions when white racism has been replaced by black racism. (Idi Amin in Uganda.) Eventually they have failed and been replaced by non-racial states. In Rwanda the problem was tribal. In Zimbabwe Mugabe is playing the race card but it is not the cause of the economic difficulties of the people. The real problems are now economic. These will be tackled only by socialist solutions.//**


 * //The Imperialist still play a major role in South Africa. The South African capitalists, Anglo American and others still control the economy and make vast profits, even the white workers have by and large maintained their privileged positions, and South Africa is still far from “Socialism”.//**


 * //But the spectre still haunts.//**


 * Ron Press.**

I hope this will serve as a stimulus to others more astute and qualified to take up and support the struggle of the Palestinians.