This report was received via Mondoweiss - Palestine news network report 7 JULY 2011
South African ASA Ruling: Israel Can be Labelled an Apartheid State
Johannesburg - PNN - Earlier this week in a bold statement against Israel, South Africa’s media watchdog the 'Advertising Standards Agency’ (ASA), dismissed complaints relating to an advert of 5fm radio that called for a boycott of Israel while comparing Israel to Apartheid South Africa.
The advert aired in South Africa in February this year, starred Dave Randall, lead guitarist of the band Faithless, where he stated: ‘Twenty years ago I would not have played in apartheid South Africa; today I refuse to play in Israel. Be on the right side of history. Don’t entertain apartheid. Join the international boycott of Israel.’
As a result an official complaint was filed to ASA by the South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBOD), expressing that the adverts claim that Israel was an Apartheid State was ‘untrue, not supported by any evidence… and contains a lie which amounts to false propaganda.’
This week the ASA completely dismissed every complaint made by SAJBOD against the advert.
Reggae DJ ‘The Admiral’ and active member of South Africa Artists Against Apartheid – the advert was originally created in support of the organisation – said that: ‘The ASA decision is significant due to our own history of Apartheid. The decision sends a clear message to the Zionist lobby that the time has come for an end to the baseless accusations of “discrimination” and “hate speech” whenever criticism of Israel is voiced. Calling Israel an Apartheid state is legitimate because Israel practices Apartheid. The boycott of such an oppressive regime should be supported as it was in our own Anti-Apartheid freedom struggle.’
Palestinian solidarity groups in South Africa and across the globe have strongly supported this ruling. Many claim that this ruling shows there is a clear legal basis that evidence is available to legitimately claim Israel is practising Apartheid or/and policies that could be linked and associated with Apartheid.
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