Over the next few days, South Africans are going to be bombarded with anti-Israel rhetoric with the “Russell Tribunal on Palestine” focusing on Israel’s so-called apartheid policies.

I don’t think we should allow an obvious and ugly propaganda campaign aimed at maligning Israel by those who wish it harm to get in the way of the facts.

The “tribunal” has no legal status whatsoever.

The principal participants in this charade have a long history of anti-Israel, anti-Zionist, and in some cases anti-Semitic, conduct and philosophies.

Israel, like every other nation, has many faults, but it is the only state in the Middle East that does not practice any form of apartheid.

Every one of its neighbours has legislation against women, gay people, Jews or Christians. Israel does not stone, imprison or deface women for kissing in public, or other such trivial acts.

Every citizen may vote, and there are no racial or religious exclusions regarding property rights, as there are in most Arab countries.

Arabs have equal legal rights under Israeli law, but Jews have no legal rights in most Arab countries. That is what apartheid was all about.

Were this an investigation of Israel’s settlement policies, or its alleged occupation of Palestinian territory, there would certainly be some cause for censure. But it is none of these things. By investigating Israeli “apartheid”, the tribunal shows its true colours as a kangaroo court.

D Wolpert

Joburg