The Time Bomb in Jerusalem

Israel and Ishmael, sons of Abraham, it is time to acknowledge your brotherhood and bury your differences

Though my grandfather was a Jew and his father a rabbi no less, because my grandmother was a gentile, according to Jewish rabbinical law, I cannot claim any right to the Semite blood in my veins.

Since the dispersion of the Jews out of Babylon twenty seven centuries ago, and their subsequent migration into Europe and Asia and onwards to all points further south and west, except for the Sephardic Jews from Morocco (who are the lowest caste on the Israeli social totem pole) its is doubtful that after more than eight generations of exile, if there is one Jew in Israel today who is of pure Semite blood - certainly not among the white-skinned blue-eyed elite Sabras who boast of western European ancestral domicile, and who dominate the Knesset and dictate Israeli domestic and foreign policy. What I am driving at here is that, genetically speaking, just as I am told by any Jew with a kosher grandparent that I have no claim on the Holy Land (nor would dream of asking for it) so too should I be able to I retaliate by stating that neither do 90% of the Jews who currently live there.

After the endless persecutions suffered in innumerable East European pograms throughout the centuries and the ghastly action of the western European holocaust, one can deeply sympathize with the need for those who have traditionally placed great store in whatever Jewish blood and culture they have left, of seeking sanctuary in a land over which they have full political control. But at what expense to basic human rights?

After leaving South Africa thirty years ago, forced into self-exile because of my anti-apartheid TV programs, I traveled in the Middle East and sought sanctuary in Israel. When I got there, the atmosphere of racial hatred between native Arab and European Jew could be cut with a knife. I felt as though I had jumped out of the apartheid frying pan into the apartheid fire. Instead of some 18 millions blacks hating white political domination, here I was surrounded by one hundred and thirty million Arabs all hating white political domination. The zealous oath sworn by young Israeli sabras on top of Masada to continue that domination to the last drop of their blood, made my own blood run cold. Racism transcends politics and offends the very heart of human intercourse.

The racist marriage law in Israel that nobody but a Jew can have any political clout in the land Arabs call Palestine, has the potential to set off a nuclear Time Bomb in the Middle East. . The fall-out from such a race war has the potential to engulf the whole planet – for Jews continue to reside everywhere, and with their money and international clout, will insist that the whole world is involved.

The political and human rights solution in Israel is the same that was forced on South Africa. In a democracy the majority opinion rules. Three million expatriate Palestinians currently in refugee camps must be allowed to return home and open elections held in the country, irrespective of race or ethnic affiliations. If this is refused, sanctions and boycotts, especially on armaments, should be imposed against the current regime.