The Media Review Network (MRN) appeals to Tennis South Africa, TSA to terminate Israel’s participation in the Davis Cup due to be held on the 2nd-3rd February.
It is outrageous that a leading sporting code would ignore that Israel is indisputably an Apartheid entity. This fact is attested to by SA anti-Apartheid stalwarts, academics, diplomats and recently yet again confirmed at the UN. To dismiss calls for excluding Israel is to ignore the power of moral voices such as Arch Bishop Desmond Tutu.
The Media Review Network thus reminds TSA that the United Nations declared Apartheid a Crime against Humanity!
Israel is underpinned by Zionism, an inherently racist ideology, antithetical to and at variance with Judaism. Hence any claim of anti-Semitism is a diversionary ploy to silence critics of Israel’s oppressive occupation of Palestine.
We vividly recall the heroic achievements of HART, (Halt All Racist Tours) and SANROC (South African Non Racial Olympic Committee) who launched various campaigns that eventually led to the dismantling of Apartheid in SA.
To cancel this Davis Cup fixture with Apartheid Israel by South Africa will be an ethical act that will signal to the world that South Africa’s sporting bodies are fully cognizant of the enormity of human rights violations against Palestinians.
The MRN trusts that Tennis South Africa will urgently review its stance and by excluding Israel will send a powerful message of solidarity to the Palestinians.
More importantly, it will inform the Apartheid Israeli regime that it can no longer violate International Law with impunity.
Dr Firoz Osman
Exec Member of Media Review Network
Co-Author of Why Israel?
The Anatomy of Zionist Apartheid –
A South Africa Perspective.
