BDS invites Hijacker while world condemns terror

With the world still reeling from the horrific terrorist attacks carried out in Africa, Asia, Europe and Australia, the Boycott, Disinvestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement has announced that it will be bringing notorious plane hijacker Leila Khaled to South Africa as its guest next month.

In its pre-publicity campaign, BDS depicts Khaled holding an AK-47 and represents her past hijacking of a US airliner from Rome to Athens, and an attempted hijacking of an Israeli airliner, as something to be admired.    

Terrorism, whether carried out for political, religious or any other reasons, is both a crime against humanity and a deadly threat to world peace. The SA Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) is therefore appalled that any organisation, especially one purporting to be a human rights movement, intends bringing a known perpetrator of these acts to this country.

By depicting Leila Khaled as a heroic figure whom South Africans should look up to and identify with, BDS is sending out the worst possible message at a time when South Africa needs to stand with the global community in confronting the scourge of terrorism.

BDS-SA is notorious for activities that foster hatred and division between South Africans so as to further its vendetta against anyone and anything associated with the State of Israel. Amongst other things, its supporters have sung "Shoot the Jew" at anti-Israel rallies, threatened and intimidated Woolworths employees and deposited a pig's head in a Woolworths store as a way of ‘sending a message' to South African Jewry.

By inviting Leila Khaled to this country, BDS-SA has conclusively demonstrated yet again that it has no interest in promoting peace, dialogue, reconciliation or understanding. On the contrary, it is a movement quite prepared to market even a known terrorist in order to further its extremist, hate-filled agenda. South Africans, particularly in these fraught and dangerous times, should make it clear that they want nothing whatever to do with such offensive tactics.     

The SAJBD is committed to any constructive initiative in bringing about peace to the Middle East. 

Statement issued by Mary Kluk, South African Jewish Board of Deputies, January 12 2015

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