Dear Ambassador Arthur Lenk: "The art of being a good guest is to know when to leave"

Mr Lenk, I have no doubt that you have enjoyed South Africa, it must have been a truly unique experience, and certainly you are very lucky to have visited this wonderful, proud, peaceful, blessed and diverse country. South Africa is certainly a blessed country; we to believe that we are God's chosen people. That our people, all South African people, like other people across the world are God's people. 

In South Africa black, white and all races, as well as people of all religions, are accepted as equals; here we believe that through the eyes of God all are equal. We are also very fortunate to have incredibly mature leaders, leaders in parliament, in government and in civil society who understand the importance of peace, stability and unity. South Africa is blessed to have religious leaders such as the leadership of the Muslim Judicial Council (MJC), the Methodist church, Kairos Southern Africa and many others who have gone out of their way to unite our country and not to abuse religion as a divisive weapon. That is why, despite great frustration and anger among our people, when tens of thousands of people protested for your expulsion, the gatherings were extremely peaceful and leaders where very careful how they conducted themselves. 

Unfortunately your country is not the same; your government does not promote equality, unity, diversity and peace. Instead, the Israeli government is violent, racist, xenophobic and Islamaphobic. Your government has no moral compass. Fortunately we are reassured that some Israelis haven't lost theirs. The mass gathering of thousands of Israeli citizens against your massacre of Gaza in Tel Aviv last week gave us hope. Our militant calls, as members of various organisations, are not against your people, or any particular race of religious grouping, we do not accept your government that is why you have seen our majority rise to show their support for the Palestinians in Gaza.

Your government does not respect our people; in fact your prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu is one of the few people in the world who snubbed Tata Mandela's funeral. It's also clear to South Africans that your government did not respect or listen to our democratically elected President when he called for an end to the attack on Gaza; instead your government increased its assault. The truth is clear, to us South Africans, that your government is as arrogant as it is murderous. We have to make our condemnation and frustration clear to your leadership, that in South Africa we do not accept the Israeli government's war on civilians - that is why you will be told to leave.

The Israeli government acts with impunity. Despite global outrage your government continues to murder, occupy and oppress Palestinians. I do not know of anywhere in the world where a group of people are policed and restricted in their movement to a small space, and then bombed in it. In any other country refugees would streaming across the borders, but with the US funded Egyptian army on one side and your government on the other side the people of Gaza are contained in a death camp.

Our masses are extremely unhappy, they have gathered with clear and unapologetic calls for you to leave. It is clear that, in South Africa, we do not accept you and your government's manipulative and dishonest story telling. Many believe that you should be arrested and account for your government's mass murder, but instead the majority has settled on the simple demand that you leave. 

I put it to you Mr Lenk, that the high levels of respect for human-rights, peacefulness and high levels of dignity protest organizers have conducted themselves is coming to an end. It must already be evident to you that South Africans are getting increasingly frustrated, that your presence has led to an escalation of anger and that you are increasingly testing the patience of millions of people. Mr Lenk you have overstayed your welcome, have some self-respect and leave before things escalate. 

Mr Lenk must you really wait until you are thrown out? The principal of "the art of being a good guest is to know when to leave" should be applied.

Mr Lenk we have a problem with the oppressive and abusive government you represent. If you really want to stay in South Africa renounce the oppressive government you represent, apply for asylum and you will be welcome to stay in our democratic country.

Mr Lenk we have received many generous offers, people have even offered to fly you home on a charter plane. Considering the millions your government, and the US government, are spending on killing machines and the murder of children this is a very generous offer.I encourage you to consider these kind, noble and generous offers. I will even undertake to host you at a festive goodbye party, please, Mr Lenk, consider our offers.

Bram Hanekom is a member of the ANCYL National Task Team and YCLSA National Committee.

Click here to sign up to receive our free daily headline email newsletter