Johannesburg City Parks does u-turn, now allows Jewish Palestine solidarity event
BDS South Africa has been informed by comrades from the SA Jews for Palestine that the Johannesburg City Parks has done a u-turn on its withdrawal of permission and will now allow the SAJFP Palestine tree planting ceremony to proceed at Savoy Estate in Johannesburg.
There is however one proviso that no plaque is installed at Savoy estate. Hence, trees will also be planted, with the appropriate plaque and ceremony, at Constitution Hill.
See the SAJFP statement below.
ISSUED BY KWARA KEKANA ON BEHALF OF BDS SOUTH AFRICA
BOYCOTT, DIVESTMENT AND SANCTIONS AGAINST ISRAEL IN SOUTH AFRICA (BDS SOUTH AFRICA)
5th Floor | Mishumo House | 77 De Korte Street | Braamfontein | Johannesburg
PO Box 2318 | Houghton | 2041 | Johannesburg
T: +27 (0) 11 403 2097 | M: +27 (0) 74 054 3826 | F: +27 (0) 86 650 4836
BDS South Africa is a registered Non-Profit Organization. NPO NUMBER: 084 306 NPO
BDS South Africa is a registered Public Benefit Organisation with Section 18A status. PBO NUMBER: 930 037 446
MEDIA INVITE
Spring Day: South African Jews for a Free Palestine hold symbolic tree planting with Palestinian delegation
South African Jews for a Free Palestine (SAJFP) will be holding two symbolic tree planting ceremonies - on Spring Day- with representatives of Palestinian civil society who are in South Africa for a historic visit.
DATE: Thursday 01 September 2016
TIME: 11 AM
VENUE: Weinberg Family Park, Cnr Grenville and Hastings Ave, Savoy Estate, Johannesburg
And
DATE: Thursday 01 September 2016
TIME: 1:30 PM
VENUE: Constitution Hill, Braamfontein, Johannesburg
Former Minister of Intelligence and anti-apartheid stalwart Ronnie Kasrils will be showing guests from Palestine around the Weinberg Park and planting trees in the park. Anti-apartheid stalwart Ahmed Kathrada has sent his personal support. On Monday permission was withdrawn to plant the trees and Wednesday permission was reinstated, with the proviso that no plaque is installed. Hence, trees will also be planted, with the appropriate plaque and ceremony, at Constitution Hill.
Background
South African Jews for Free Palestine (SAJFP) is currently hosting four representatives of Palestinian society in Johannesburg and Cape Town. Their visit stems from a trip undertaken by a South African group, including SAJFP members in May 2015 to the South Africa Forest in Galilee, in present day Israel. The forest- which was planted through donations to the Jewish National Fund (JNF) - covers the Palestinian village of Lubya. Many of us donated to the JNF as children, not knowing the organization was using our monies to try cover evidence of Palestinian life.
The trees in the South Africa Forest which we unwittingly paid for, are the reason for today’s symbolic tree planting in Johannesburg, South Africa, which is fittingly on Spring Day. Through this, we commit to working with representatives of Palestinian civil society and Lubyans, to relate our unwitting complicity in trying to deny the Nakba in Israel-Palestine. We acknowledge the wrongs that were done in the past and work together on ways to forge justice and restitution.
The Weinberg Family Park in Savoy was chosen as the family, with a strong history of anti-Apartheid activism, completely supports the significance of planting trees in this venue. This Park was chosen both to honour their history and to raise awareness of the Nakba (Palestinian catastrophe) in this predominantly Jewish area. Both the history and current effects of the Nakba are ongoing and by planting trees in this area we contribute to the reassertion of the need for justice in Palestine.
For more information please contact:
Allan Horwitz 082 5128188
*South African Jews for a Free Palestine (SAJFP) is an organisation of South African Jews wishing to see a just resolution to the conflict in Historic Palestine. We strongly believe in the Jewish concept of Tikkun Olam, “Repairing the World” which embodies social action and the pursuit of social justice. Historically Jews have been involved struggles to achieve social justice and we are proud to continue this tradition. Furthermore, as Jews, we feel obliged to speak out against injustice purportedly carried out in our name.
