The South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) has slammed former Joburg mayor Thapelo Amad for his public support of Hamas as well as his shocking images carrying a rifle.
On Tuesday, the SAJBD said it was shocked by social media images depicting Amad carrying a rifle while showing his public support for the Palestinian militant group.
“We stand with Hamas. Hamas stands with us. Together we are Palestine and Palestine will be free. With our souls, with our blood, we will conquer. Al AQSA,” Amad said on social media recently.
Amad’s social media post has coincided with the passing of a motion to shut down the Israeli embassy by MPs recently.
This move has paved the way for the cutting of diplomatic ties between the two countries.
Though the motion was supported by the majority of members in the 400-seat National Assembly on Tuesday, chairperson for committees Cedric Frolick warned that according to the law, the resolution passed is “politically persuasive rather than instructive” to the government
Following the emergence of these remarks, the SAJBD, through its chairperson Karen Milner, slammed Amad, a member of Al Jama-ah, for inciting violence.
“Today, shocking images were posted by former Johannesburg mayor and Al Jama-ah city councillor Thapelo Amad showing him posing with an assault rifle while declaring his unequivocal support for the Hamas terror organisation. This follows Amad’s having also incited violent attacks against anyone who supported Israel in a previous post reading, ‘Death to the Zionist Israeli and its supporters for killing innocent civilians, i.e., women and children’,” Milner said.
The SAJBD also described Amad as an extremist who is reflecting the views of his political party against Jewish people.
“This post tells you everything you need to know about this party and the outrageous extremes that the anti-Israel fanatics are prepared to go to. It should not be necessary to remind people of the horrific crimes of Hamas, including documented rape, torture and kidnap.
“These are the people that Al Jama-ah chose to align themselves with. The need to use a gun as a prop tells us all we need to know for the desire for peace. This pathetic posturing does nothing for the plight of innocent Palestinians in Gaza. Nor clearly is it in the interest of peace,” Milner said.
Milner said Amad’s divisive social media post is in contrast to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s recent declaration saying there was no place for violence in South Africa, adding that these sentiments “exacerbated an already dangerous situation on the Jewish people”.
“This kind of incitement is unacceptable for any South African, but it is all the more deplorable from a political leader. We call on President Ramaphosa to address this very serious issue and for councillor Amad to be strongly censured for his reprehensible conduct” she said.
Attempts to get comment from Amad were unsuccessful at the time of going to print.
The Star