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Africa Everyday Antisemitism Facebook Featured Location Medium Online South Africa Twitter Verbal Abuse Ξ Channels Ξ E-mail Ξ Social Media

“Flurry” of antisemitic incidents in South Africa cause concern among communal leaders

The South African Jewish Board of Deputies has expressed its concern after a “flurry” of antisemitic incidents in the past days.

In one incident, a group of passengers waiting for their luggage from an El Al flight were called “wicked Jews” by a passer by who said “You people are wicked. Jews are wicked people, very wicked people”.

A mural with the German flag centred around a Swastika also appeared in Johannesburg.

SAJBD Chairman Shaun Zagnoev has also commented on a series of particularly virulent instances of online antisemitic abuse, saying: “The posts show how easily radical anti-Israel sentiment can spill over into hateful slurs and threats against Jewish people in general. We are being told that we are ‘scum’, ‘rats’, ‘bastards’, ‘pigs’, ‘swine’ and ‘fat-nosed f***ks. We are further being warned that “our time is coming” and that “the Holocaust will be a picnic after we are done with you””.

Zagnoev believes that the incidents are linked to a flare-up of tensions in South Africa surrounding Israel, after popular DJ Black Coffee was attacked by BDS for performing in Israel, leading supermodel Shashi Naidoo  to retaliate against BDS by branding Gaza a “sh*thole”, for which she received death threats before apologising.

 

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Africa Everyday Antisemitism Featured Location Medium Vandalism Ξ Channels Ξ E-mail Ξ Social Media

“Dozens” of Jewish graves destroyed in Eritrea

Vandals have attacked the Jewish cemetery in Asmara, the capital of Eritrea, destroying “dozens” of Jewish graves.

A Jewish community moved to the area at the turn of the 20th Century and lived a relatively peaceful life free from serious antisemitic incidents, though the Jewish community has since relocated, mainly to Israel. The cemetery and a local Synagogue are now out of use.

Danny Goldschmidt, of the Jewish heritage museum in Tel Aviv, commented that “the cemetery suffered vandalism and a large number of graves were defaced…the police have yet to make an arrest”. He also remarked that there was no known history of antisemitism in the City.

The damage to many of the graves is heavy, and the study stone structures would have required serious effort to damage, probably requiring the assistance of equipment, indicating that this is likely premeditated.

Last week we reported a firebomb attack at a Jewish school in Tunisia. Five people have since been arrested.

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Africa Arson Everyday Antisemitism Featured Location Medium Tunisia Vandalism Ξ Channels Ξ E-mail Ξ Social Media

Jewish school in Djerba, Tunisia firebombed in drive-by attack

A Jewish school in Djerba, Tunisia, was attacked with a firebomb late on Tuesday in what police suspect to be an antisemitic attack.

The attackers threw the firebomb from a moving vehicle. Whilst some damage was caused to the building, thankfully nobody was hurt.

Police suspect that the attack intentionally exploited reduced police presence, as police resources were diverted to securing anti-Government protests.

Djerba, an Island, is home to a small Jewish community that has been in the country for over two thousand years. The island is home to Africa’s oldest Synagogue.

Since 1948 the Jewish population of the country has shrunk from around 100,000 to barely over a thousand.

 

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Africa Everyday Antisemitism Featured Location Medium Sports Ξ Channels Ξ E-mail Ξ Social Media

Football fans in Sudan display banner of Hitler’s face with the word “Holocaust” in “gruesome first” for the country

In what has been described as a “gruesome first” for sub-Saharan Africa, football fans have engaged in a public display of blatant antisemitism.

Sudan’s Al-Hilal Omdurman, a Khartoum-based club, appear to have displayed a huge image of Hitler, as well as the word “Holocaust” at a match. Al-Hilal Omdurman are one of the country’s largest clubs.

Police reportedly secured the block of seating where the incident occurred, but failed to make any arrests.

Fare, an organisation that tackles discrimination in football, is investigating.

Recently we produced a substantial amount of commentary of antisemitism and far-right extremism in European football.

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Africa Everyday Antisemitism Featured Location Medium Politics South Africa Ξ Channels Ξ E-mail Ξ Social Media

Leader of left-leaning South African Party makes light of the Holocaust in disgusting tweet, calls Jewish people “evil”

Andile Mngxitama, the leader of the South African “Black First Land First” Party, a revolutionary Socialist and pan-African group, has drawn criticism for a disgusting tweet in which he makes light of the Holocaust.

In the tweet he says “for those claiming the legacy of the holocaust is ONLY negative think about the lampshades and Jewish soap”, referencing the fact that household products were manufactured from the remains of the murdered Jewish victims of the Holocaust.

https://twitter.com/Mngxitama/status/900558350131367937?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fantisemitism.org.il%2Farticle%2F116968%2Fjewish-board-slams-andile-mngxitama%25E2%2580%2599s-tweet-holocaust

Wendy Kahn, the Director of the South African Board of Jewish Deputies, released a statement criticising the tweet:

“With this ugly‚ jeering remark‚ Mngxitama has portrayed not just the deliberate murder of Jewish people but even the supposed reduction of their remains to everyday objects as something to be treated as a joke. “It is deeply distressing that anyone could so casually and publicly dehumanise an entire people in this way. How much more outrageous it is when emanating from a public figure who heads up a political voice.”

Dishearteningly, Mngxitama didn’t even bother to apologise for the tweet, instead stating that he was successful in his aim to expose the systematic anti-blackness of the white community, including the Jewish people. They don’t care for the oppression of black people and so they are deeply unethical and evil”.

What, if anything, such a tweet does to expose any racism other than Mngxitama’s own virulent antisemitism escapes us. Describing Jews collectively as “deeply unethical and evil” is so obviously antisemitic that it needs no further explanation. However, beyond this, the fact that he describes Jews as “white” is also distasteful. Whilst some Ashkenazim consider themselves white, to flat out describe Jews as white erases hundreds of years of Jewish suffering at the hands of white Europeans. What is perhaps even more inflammatory is the attempt to exploit the memory of the Holocaust in order to defame Jews as not caring about other forms of oppression. It appears that this left wing figure advocating for racial justice doesn’t believe that this racial justice should extend to Jews.

 

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Africa Arts Education Everyday Antisemitism Featured Location Medium South Africa Verbal Abuse Ξ Channels Ξ E-mail Ξ Social Media

Jewish school’s Holocaust play interrupted by shouts of “Heil Hitler” from audience

Children from the King David Victory Park School, Johannesburg, South Africa, had their performance of a play about the Holocaust interrupt by chants of “Heil Hitler” from students from another school.

Middle School students from the School were performing a one act version of The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, a story about a Jewish boy who died in a concentration camp, at a festival at Waterstone College.

One student told a local news source that “they were chanting ‘Heil Hitler, Heil Hitler.’ I was shocked and disgusted. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing”.

Not only did they interrupt the performance to shout this, but reportedly they did so as the scene depicting the child being led to the gas chamber was occurring. They also chanted “Bruno Bruno”, the name of the son of the concentration camp commandant.

The students apparently shouted other antisemitic abuse at the Jewish students as they packed up early to leave the festival. The main culprits are thought to be from Edenvale High School. King David School’s head of drama Renos Spanoudes has also claimed that a member of staff from Edenvale has played down the seriousness of the incident, but apparently some students from the school have expressed their shock at their peers’ behaviour.

Wendy Kahn,from the South African Jewish Board of Deputies, says that her organisation is seeking an audience with Edenvale to discuss the incident, commenting:

“From time to time antisemitic incidents of this nature occur during interschool events, both in the cultural and sporting arenas…We have in the past been involved in addressing these incidents. We do not believe that this is an indication of an upsurge in antisemitism”

The headmaster of Edenvale High School has refused to comment.

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Africa Bureaucracy Europe Everyday Antisemitism Facebook Featured France Location Medium Online Politics Tunisia Ξ Channels Ξ E-mail Ξ Social Media

French Embassy reinstates “Hitler didn’t finish the job” employee

The French embassy in Tunisia has allowed a worker to resume their duties after antisemitic comments were posted on their Facebook page.

Selim Dakhlaoui was suspended in August after comments surfaced that had been made in his name.

These comments included “Hitler didn’t finish the job”, said in the context of a discussion about Israel. He also allegedly posted “Soon it will be the end of Israel” with a missile emoji and “Go to hell, Israel”.

He later claimed that his account had been compromised. The JTA has just revealed that he was reinstated after an investigation.

Online antisemitism is absolutely rampant, and Dakhlaoui’s claim that his account has been compromised will seem like a get out of jail free card to Jewish communities in France, and the tiny number left in Tunisia, who are unlikely to be convinced by such a defence.

The CRIF, which represents Jewish communities in France, commented on the initial allegations: “This is a hateful comment, just like the ones we see too often on social media…except this one was authored by an employee of the embassy of France in Tunisia. We anxiously await their reaction!”

We cannot help but think that many Jewish communities will be saddened and disappointed, albeit not necessarily surprised by such a reaction. Employers and states must start to find ways to deal with online antisemitism of this sort, as unless they do so, almost anyone will be able to avoid disciplinary action simply by denying authorship of a post on their own account.

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Everyday Antisemitism South Africa Vandalism Ξ E-mail

Vandals spray Johannesburg wall with pro-Hezbollah message

Vandals sprayed “Hezbollah” in Arabic and “Death to Israel” in English on a wall in Johannesburg, South Africa, by the Zook lake.

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Everyday Antisemitism South Africa Verbal Abuse Ξ E-mail

Driver in Johannesburg shouts “F***ing Jews” and swerves towards Jewish men

As six Jewish men walked home in Johannesburg, South Africa, a passing driver made offensive hand gestures shouted “F***ing Jews”. The vehicle returned a few minutes later and swerved, as though to knock the Jewish men over.

Source: CFCA

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Everyday Antisemitism Facebook South Africa Ξ E-mail

South African singer songwriter exposed as prolific antisemite

Singer songwriter Loyiso Matana Ka-Zikhali, from Durban South Africa, has been exposed as a prolific antisemite by Spotlighting SA. According to the organisation, the musician, whose real name is Loyiso Fareed Matana, has been discovered posting a stream of antisemitic abuse on Facebook, including:

  • “Indeed Zionist Jews are a cancer to the world”.
  • “A law written by kike Jews judges) in South Africa supreme law”.
  • “Cost of living in Western Cape is very expensive the Jews own it”.
  • “Zionist Jews have mastered this art of (blackmagic)“.
  • “The native the agenda of the Jew is to control the currency and economy”.
  • “The agenda of Jews is ‘world domination’”.
  • “Jews had to make a plan for Jesus to vanish”.

Source: Spotlighting SA

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Algeria Everyday Antisemitism Hacking Hungary Ξ E-mail

Hungarian Jewish organisation’s website replaced with pro-Palestinian propaganda

A group claiming to be Algerian hackers hacked a Hungarian Jewish website and added pro-Palestinian messages. The page has been restored now. The Jewish organisation concerned prefers not to be identified.

Source: Fórum az antiszemitizmus ellen

 

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Everyday Antisemitism Sports Tunisia Ξ E-mail

Tunisian football club president calls referee “a Jewish dog”

The president of Club Sportif Sfaxien, which plays in Tunisian Football Federation’s first division, has been caught calling the referee at a match “a Jewish dog”, according to Oriental Express.

Lutfi Abd an-Nazar, the president of the club was outraged by decisions made by the referee, Sadik Halimi, which saw his club lose by a goal to Esperanto Sports de Tunis.

The local Jewish community has demanded that action be taken.

Source: CFCA/Oriental Express

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Everyday Antisemitism Facebook South Africa Ξ E-mail

South African education employee caught making antisemitic Facebook posts

According to Spotlighting South Africa, a government education employee from Pietermaritzburg is a prolific antisemite. A report by Spotlighting claimed that Cassim Mahomed Jasat has commented on other people’s Facebook posts saying: “Lies lies lies. U Jews are full of it. They one lot of herpes filled motherf***ers.”

Another comment, directed at a Jewish Facebook user allegedly said: “F*** u David. Necklacing is back. U no match for it.” Necklacing is a form of execution and torture which involves forcing a rubber tire filled with petrol around a victim’s chest and arms, and setting it alight. The victim can take up to twenty minutes to die, in excruciating pain. The practice is believed to have originated in South Africa.

A third comment attributed to Jasat threatened another Facebook user: “One night in a gas chamber for u.”

Source: Spotlighting, Wikipedia

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Everyday Antisemitism Facebook South Africa Ξ E-mail

South African lawyer calls for extermination of “all the ‘Jews’ everywhere who support Israel”

A South African lawyer has reportedly called for Jews to be exterminated in hate-filled, genocidal anti-Jewish social media posts.

Jansen is reported to have posted remarks including, “Bloody Israelis should be exterminated along with all the ‘Jews’ everywhere who support Israel by action or silence,” and, “I have a new hobby – Zio [Zionist] hunting. They are easy to track on the internet.”

Jansen’s alleged statements are in violation of South Africa’s Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act.

Source: Spotlighting

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Algeria Everyday Antisemitism Military Ξ E-mail

Algerian military marching song: “Turn your guns towards the Jews in order to kill them”

MEMRI has brought to light an Algerian military marching song which commands its soldiers to kill Jews. In a marching drill of the Algerian National Gendarmerie, the soldiers chant: “Turn your guns towards the Jews…in order to kill them…slaughter them…and skin them.” The video was posted online on 1st November 2015 to mark Algeria’s Revolution Day, but the post did not state when the video was filmed.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wbLIs0lren0

Source: MEMRI

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Everyday Antisemitism Hate Mail South Africa Ξ E-mail

South African antisemitic conspiracy theorist ordered to cease and desist

The Equality Court in Durban, South Africa has ordered Snowy Smith, a vehement antisemite to apologise and stop sending antisemitic e-mails. Magistrate Aletta Moolman issued an injunction requiring Smith to cease and desist at the request of the South African Jewish community. In issuing the injunction, Moolman remarked: “The e-mails distributed by Smith impinge adversely on the dignity of the Jewish people and constitute hate speech against people of the Jewish faith or belief and ethnic origin.”

Smith’s e-mails were deranged, and obsessed about a “New World Order” conspiracy led by world Jewry. Excerpts from the e-mails included:

  • “The enemy is Zionist Jew, freemasons, communism, fascist, military dictatorship new world order. Most Zionist Jews are freemasons.”
  • “The Zionist Jew NWO (new world order) orchestrated and systematically planned the downfall of every White Owned, White Run Country in Africa, including South Africa using communism.”
  • “The Zionist Jew NWO orchestrated and systematically planned the last World War and almost every war and or major revolution in history.”
  • “There is only one group of terrorists in the world today and they are Zionist Chabad Freemasons, Illuminati Jews and the Billionaire Wall Street Bankers. We know exactly where they are.”

Source: South African Jewish Report

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Everyday Antisemitism Malawi Politics Verbal Abuse Ξ E-mail

Jewish Malawian MP slams “half-hearted” apology after opposition MPs use antisemitic slurs

David Bisnowaty, a Jewish MP in Malawi has criticised the “half-hearted” apology for antisemitic slurs made by opposition MPs from the Malawi Congress Party (MCP). Lazarus Chakwera was apologising for antisemitic remarks made by MPs from MCP who branded Bisnowaty a “foreigner” and “Jew” after he remarked that there had been considerable hunger in Malawi during the MCP’s period as the only legally-permitted political party.

Bisnowaty said: “[My] grandmother was a Holocaust survivor and my mother was in a concentration camp for one year. I will not be intimidated by these antisemitic and racist remarks, especially from the MCP benches. They should know better that even Jesus Christ himself was a Jew.” He added though that he will now “forgive and carry on”.

The Speaker of the Malawian parliament roundly condemned the racist comments and ordered that they be struck from the official record.

Source: Nyasa Times

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Everyday Antisemitism Hacking London Tunisia Ξ E-mail

London Jewish school’s website hacked with message saying “Islam is the true religion”

London’s Jewish Free School’s website has been hacked by a group calling itself the “Tunisian Fallaga Team”. A spokesperson from the school told Jewish News: “We are grateful for the speedy response of our web support team in rectifying this and ensuring the site was back online within minutes. Unfortunately attempts such as this are commonplace for many Jewish organisations who are forced to employ actions to mitigate against such nuisances.”

Image and source: Jewish News

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Ethiopia Everyday Antisemitism Violence Ξ E-mail

Sudanese man tries to murder Jewish passenger on Ethiopian Airlines flight

A Sudanese man attempted to murder an Israeli communications contractor travelling on an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Chad to Ethiopia. The victim, identified only as Arik, aged 54, told Ynet that the Sudanese man sitting behind him identified him as a Jew about 20 minutes before the plane began its descent.

“He came up behind my seat and started to choke me with a lot of force, and at first I couldn’t get my voice out and call for help. He hit me over the head with a metal tray and shouted ‘Allah akbar’ and ‘I will slaughter the Jew.’ Only after a few seconds, just before I was about to lose consciousness, did I manage to call out and a flight attendant who saw what was happening summoned her colleagues.”

According to Arik, most passengers did not come to his aid, but one of the few who did was a Lebanese passenger. Arik says that even after his attacker had been restrained, the man tried to convince the other passengers to murder him.

Arik said that he thought he was going to die: “During the moments when I thought I was going to die, I’d already begun to separate from my family in my thoughts.”

Ethiopian Airlines said in a statement: “The attacker, who has been identified as Ahmed Mohamed, showed no signs of violence as he was boarding the flight….He is still in detention and is due to appear in court on Wednesday. The Israeli passenger was taken to a medical clinic in the airport and released shortly after.”

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Algeria Everyday Antisemitism Vandalism Ξ E-mail

Algerian Jewish cemetery destroyed by vandals

The Jewish cemetery in Azzafoun, Algeria, has been destroyed by vandals. The local Jewish community emigrated in the 1960s.

Photo: Tamurt

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Everyday Antisemitism Incitement Morocco Protests Ξ E-mail

Demonstration in Morocco exhorts children to murder Jews

Demonstrators in Casablanca, Morocco have marched calling for the murder of Jews. A video captured by MEMRI shows demonstrators dressed as orthodox Jews being paraded through the streets at gunpoint and children being called on to murder Jews.

Photo: MEMRI