Repent! Gayton McKenzie tells government after showing support for Palestine

Patriotic Alliance leader Gayton McKenzie on Sunday urged the government to pick the “right” side in the war unfolding in the Middle East. 

McKenzie joined scores of Jewish people who gathered in Johannesburg on Sunday in memory of those killed in the weeklong attacks. 

Addressing the crowd, McKenzie said: “To the SA government, turn back ... There is always repentance. Hamas will never be a friend of Israel because they solely exist to see the elimination of Jews.”

He said President Cyril Ramaphosa was wrong to stand with Hamas, “a terrorist” organisation.

Ramaphosa and the ANC had on Saturday reaffirmed support for Palestinians, saying they face“the most tragic and dangerous situation” and that South Africa stands ready with humanitarian aid. 

Speaking on the sidelines of the party's national executive committee meeting in Boksburg, Ramaphosa said his party has always supported Palestine’s cause for justice.

“We have always made our position clear. We have always been in alliance with the people of Palestine, and we support their cause unashamedly. But at the same time, we have also expressed our condolences to the Israelis who have died in this, particularly civilians, because even in our own struggle, the issue of civilians was a clear-cut exclusion. So we stand firm on those principles because they are inscribed in international law,” he said. 

On Sunday, the Jewish community showed outrage at Ramaphosa and the ANC's stance. 

One of those people was SA Jewish Board of Deputies national director Wendy Kahn, who shared she has had sleepless nights wondering if Vivian Silver, a friend who was abducted from her home in kibbutz Be’eri, Israel, is still alive.

Her 75-year old friend was taken right after the Simchat Torah holiday. The last text message she sent was: “I hear them coming.”

“I cannot sleep at night thinking of her in the hands of these people, who I have seen what they are capable of. I lie awake thinking of Vivian and the other children,” she said.

Speaking to TimesLIVE Premium, Kahn said she clings on to the hope that her friend is still alive.

“We don't know if she is alive or dead. We don't know what they are doing to her. Based on the stories that we heard and the stories that are being filmed the level of cruelty is unbelievable,” said Kahn.

“Cutting babies out of pregnant women's bellies and taking babies as hostages from their dead parents. We have seen pictures, and international communities have seen the 40 dead babies, some of whom were beheaded. The festival concert — some women were raped ... others were taken naked to the streets of Gaza, and this is the kind of cruelty that Silver is in the hands of.

“For me it's a very real thing. Our community knows of other people, but for me it's personal.”

This war is not about revenge or retribution, it is not a retaliation and not directed against Gaza civilians, it is a war against terror, continuation of the war against Isis.

—  Eliav Belotsercovsky, Israeli ambassador to SA

Kahn said she was hurt, bewildered and alienated by the government's support for Palestine.

“Is our government or president not watching the same images? Or do they just absolutely not care? Our government has sided with the people who have abducted Vivian and are now holding her and the people who have perpetrated this horrific cruelty and the massacre of Jewish people and my government is standing with them.”

Hundreds dressed in blue and white, some carrying Israeli flags and others South African flags, met on Sunday in memory of the slain and to “condemn the acts of violence and terrorism that have been perpetrated against Israeli Arabs, Christians and Jews” in the Middle East.

The crowd denounced the government's stance and said Ramaphosa and the ANC have crossed a red line by supporting “terrorists”.

Meanwhile, Rowan Polovin, national chairperson of the South African Zionist Federation, has also condemned the government’s position.

“We condemn the atrocious statements of the SA government, of Ramaphosa, who wears the Palestinian scarf and takes the side of terrorism against the side of peace. We think this is deplorable. It is against the SA constitution or values of democracy of freedom of belief and religion, and we call upon the SA government to stop spiritual division and promote peace and tolerance,” he said.

As Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein prayed, he said the battle was between good and evil.

“Their blood spilt like water,” he prayed.

Others who gathered in support of Israel were Bishop Phakama Shembe, the leader of the Shembe church, which has more than 8-million members. City of Johannesburg transport MMC Kenny Kunene and COPE's Mosioua Lekota was also present.  

Ambassador of Israeli to South Africa Eliav Belotsercovsky said there were hardly any families in Israel that were not affected by the heinous attacks.

“Our people were battered, slaughtered, families were killed. Communities were destroyed and terrorised. More that 1,300 Jewish people were murdered — the biggest number since the holocaust. More than 100 were kidnapped into Gaza. Hamas continues to target cities and villages by firing of rockets and targeting our people,” he said.

Belotsercovsky said the war was imposed on Israel, adding that support for Hamas condones terror and oppression.

“This war is not about revenge or retribution, it is not a retaliation and not directed against Gaza civilians. It is a war against terror, continuation of the war against Isis.

“Hamas can easily stop this suffering of the population of Gaza, it can free the hostages, it can stop the missile attacks, invest in peaceful co-existence — but Hamas is not interested in any of this.”