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South Africa / Palestine: Applying the lessons


Progressive campaigners for Palestinian rights have increasingly used the term ‘Apartheid’ to characterise Israel’s approach to fragmenting and dominating the territories in which Palestinians have been corralled.


The murderous bombardment of Gaza over the last year has underlined the need to condemn oppressive Israeli policies.


Now a speaking tour organised by the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign provides an opportunity to revisit the worldwide struggle against South African apartheid and apply its lessons today.


As the SPSC say, ‘the struggle against Apartheid in South Africa is rightly seen as one of the most important political victories of the 20th century – a defeat of a Western-backed settler colonial project that entrenched racism in the country for over 40 years. Nelson Mandela was the figurehead of this anti-Apartheid movement, as well as an inspirational symbol for equality, freedom and justice. We are proud to host Zwelivelile “Mandla” Mandela, a tribal chief and the grandson of Nelson, who will be speaking on the parallels between apartheid in South Africa and Palestine, and the role of the international solidarity movement in dismantling it’.


The events are being held as follows: booking is required, and places can be booked through this link:


2pm, 12th October - Edinburgh – Augustine Church, George IV Bridge

7pm, 13th October – Dundee – Queens Hotel, Nethergate

7pm, 14th October – Aberdeen – King’s College, University of Aberdeen

7pm, 15th October – Glasgow – Renfield Centre, Bath Street


Using the term 'Apartheid' to describe some of the challenges and violences visited on the Palestinians identifies the similarities between forms of oppression used by the racist South African regime up until the late 1980s and still today by Israel; confirms the injustice of these; communicates the moral standing of the Palestinian cause; and implies its likely victory, in time.


Detailed reflections on some of the differences between the South African regime and the current situation in the Middle East are also important resources for effective action. The ending of Apartheid was of course the result of heroic and sustained opposition to injustice by South African people and the international solidarity movement which the African National Congress and its allies co-ordinated. Dynamics within the dominant social forces in South Africa and international determinants were also crucial: a growing split amongst the white capitalist class over the question of whether sustaining Apartheid was either possible or good business created a crucial opportunity; the changed balance of forces resulting from the collapse of the Soviet Union allowed western powers to tolerate South African communists coming into government; and the African National Congress, not least because of communist influence, was clear about the importance of applying democratic principles and alliance-building approaches in the political work of moving on from decades of racialised social division.


Recalling these factors underlines how challenging and multi-dimensional the task is which faces the Palestinian people, their representatives and their allies. Mandela’s speeches in the Scottish cities will provide an important stimulus to developing the campaign against Israel’s current genocidal campaign in Gaza and the reckless and dangerous actions in Lebanon, and for international action to confirm and establish the rights of Palestinian people.


Published 7 October 2024

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