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Goldstein’s “Counter-Terrorism Task Force” Intrudes South Africa’s Sovereignty 

Until and unless video footage and pictures of the unidentified object are released in the public domain, sceptism and doubt will prevail about Zionist allegations of a “terror attack”

By Iqbal Jassat 

The mystery of a so-called “terror attack” in Cape Town raises suspicion about whether the yet to be publicly identified “object” was really a bomb or not.

That there has not been any official announcement by the authorities to confirm its identity, nor sealing of the premises as a “crime scene”, fuels questions about whether claims of a “terror attack” by Rabbi Warren Goldstein and the Zionist establishment are being deliberately exaggerated.

Nicola Miltz in her latest article in the SA Jewish Report appears to be puzzled that despite close to two months “since an explosive device was thrown into the precinct of the Jewish communal offices in Gardens, Cape Town, and in spite of the Hawks being brought into the investigation, there has been no significant developments”.

Indeed it is both puzzling and questionable especially given the fact that Cape Town’s security under the control of the Democratic Alliance (DA) is known to be extensively equipped with CCTV cameras and supposedly heavily fortified.

Yet apart from alarmist cries of “terror attack” emanating from apartheid Israel’s local lobby, there is to date no evidence of it – at least in the public domain – nor has anyone been apprehended.

The allegation made by Zionist sources that the object was an improvised explosive device (IED) has yet to be confirmed by officials within South Africa’s security cluster.

Hawks spokesperson Siyabulela Vukubi is quoted in the SA Jewish Report as saying, “The matter is still under investigation and there are no new developments.”

Going by Vukubi’s remarks, could one be faulted to interpret them as meaning that either it was a “false flag” or something resembling a “joke” – not worthy of pursuing as a “terror attack”?

Surely if it was as serious as alleged by Cape South African Jewish Board of Deputies (Cape SAJBD) Executive Director Daniel Bloch, the Hawks would have wrapped up its investigation and apprehended the perpetrators within days, if not within hours.

Also if SAJBD has its own internal private security units possessing capacity including intelligence, why has it failed to release the CCTV footage – it claims to have –  into the public domain to initiate a hunt for the perpetrators?

If two months later no evidence has emerged of an alleged “terror attack”, nor has any public information been released providing at the minimum an indentikit of the alleged perpetrators, sceptics will justifiably raise doubts about what’s at play.

The clue about what’s likely at play is in fact found in a controversial video clip released by Goldstein on YouTube this week, wherein he lets the proverbial cat out of the bag.

In it he brazenly makes known that he has invited what he describes as a “counter-terrorism task force” to assist with the investigation into the “terror attack”.

According to Goldstein, the task force has already been assembled and will be led by former associate of the disbanded Directorate of Special Operations, known as the Scorpions, Andre Pienaar.

The rest of the team includes Major General David Tsur, a former commander of Yamam, a counter-terrorism unit in the Israel; Dean Haydon, a former senior national co-ordinator for counter-terrorism in the United Kingdom and former deputy commissioner of the Metropolitan Police; and Admiral Mike Hewitt, former deputy director for global operations, joint chiefs of staff, United States Defense Department.

While the jury is out on whether this unprecedented move to “invite” an external “counter terror” group to poke their noses in a case being handled by the Hawks will be construed as interference by the Ministry of Justice, it nevertheless is extremely unwarranted.

The inclusion of an Israeli tainted by association with a ruthless army committing horrendous war crimes for which the regime’s leader Benjamin Netanyahu and the former Minister of Defence Yoav Gallant are indicted and face arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), smacks of bias, prejudice and arrogance.

Israeli David Tsur’s association as a commander of Yamam, ought to raise alarm in South Africa, due to the unit’s role in Gaza’s genocide in addition to its violent and aggressive military raids in the Occupied West Bank. 

Pic Courtesy: Jerusalem Press Club

Though much of Yamam’s battle exploits are secret, according to Agilite – “a premium Israeli manufacturer of battle-proven tactical gear” – during the Second Intifada, Yamam forces arrested and killed many Palestinians whom they described as “terrorists”.

“Several high-profile militants were neutralised by Yamam operators.” And that “According to the records, YAMAM killed 179 terrorists during 2000 – 2005”, reported Agilite. 

The Israel Intelligence Heritage and Commemoration Center (ICC) website records that Tsur had a long career in Israel’s Defense Force (IDF) spanning three decades.

To be associated with Israel’s  army of terrorists correctly known as an Occupying Force as well as with the notorious Yamam unit perpetrating horrendous war crimes in Gaza and the Occupied West Bank as documented by UNHRC, Amnesty International as well as the Israeli NGO Bet’selem among a host of human rights organisations, does not cover Tsur in glory.

Goldstein of course will think differently for he had distributed more than a thousand letters from South African kids to Netanyahu’s army of child killers expressing their love and support for the “brave Israeli soldiers” and hoping that “they’ll win the war”.

Pic from Goldstein’s Instagram account

Pic from Goldstein’s Instagram account

Much to his dismay though, Israel has lost the war as is evident in the terms of the ceasefire deal after fifteen months of relentless bombings, drone strikes and invasions. None of Netanyahu’s military and political goals have been attained except the slaughter of innocent Palestinians, majority women and children.

The other character is Admiral Mike Hewitt whose association with the US Navy and the Pentagon should raise alarm bells given America’s discredited reputation of illegal wars, especially the “War On Terror” which led to massive loss of innocent lives across Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and elsewhere.

Admiral Mike Hewitt
Pic Courtesy: Navy.mil

Undoubtedly the horrors of war, its long legacy, and its lost lives and heritage continue to haunt Iraq until today – two decades after the US invasion.

Instead of the false promise of “bringing democracy” and ridding Iraq of “weapons of mass destruction”, the US war and its destruction scarred the country, its people and culture.

Given such questionable characters it will be absolutely necessary for all state institutions – Police, Justice and State Security – to halt and reject Goldstein’s “counter-terrorism task force” with the contempt it deserves.

South Africa’s sovereignty must not be allowed to be sacrificed at the altar of Zionism’s hideous ideology by allowing an ex-Yamam commander access to the country’s security and intelligence apparatus.

I am reminded of a recent 60 Minutes clip on the Biden administration’s shameful support and complicity in Israel’s genocidal assault on Gaza.

It began with a scene of Palestinian children playing with ammunition casings while standing on the rubble of their destroyed homes.

“A close look reveals where they come from — printed on the side: USA…DOD for the Department of Defense,” reporter Cecilia Vega tells viewers. “Across this now decimated 25-mile-long strip of land…America’s stamp is everywhere.”

Until and unless video footage and pictures of the unidentified object are released in the public domain, sceptism and doubt will prevail about Zionist allegations of a “terror attack”.

Iqbal Jassat

Executive Member

Media Review Network

Johannesburg

South Africa

Iqbal Jassat
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