UN envoy says workers and consumers can help end the genocide in Gaza

The United Nations Special Rapporteur for Palestine, Francesca Albanese, has urged South Africans to use their consumer power to intensify their actions in support of the broader campaign for boycotting, disinvestment and sanctions directed at Israel and companies that support the state of Israel. Albanese was speaking at an event organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign held at the Groot Kerk in Cape Town on Sunday. The Italian legal scholar delivered the 23rd Nelson Mandela annual lecture on Saturday in Sandton, Johannesburg.

“Governments are not in control of countries but the multinationals are. And let me ask you a question: are you still drinking Coke? are you still using Air BnB? We need to be serious because wherever I go people drink Coca-Cola in this country. So stop drinking Coca-Cola and then blame the government. But I’m not here to defend the government, I am upset because they still provide coal to Israel. The governments are also under pressure from those who call the shots because of the financial and economic system we live under. Remember settler colonialism has always been enabled by private interests,” she said.

The Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) includes Air BnB on their boycott list “due to its former and present listings in illegal Israeli settlements”. Coca-Cola, on the other hand is on the list “due to its operations in occupied Palestinian territory and its Israeli franchisee’s support for the Israeli military”.

“We have power as consumers. It is important to keep note of what we put in our grocery bags at the supermarkets. Check your banks, make sure you make ethical choices where you put your savings, if you have them. These are concrete steps you can take,” said Albanese.

She called for citizens to take the protests to the ports as well. “The masses need to move from the streets to the ports because this is not something that can be left to the dockers alone. Look at what is happening in my own country. Its fantastic, it is beautiful to see how they are organising the dockers with the support of the trade unions. You need to close ports not just to prevent weapons transit, but also goods that come from Israel. We cannot buy anything that comes from an apartheid state,” she said.

Albanese said that the workers have a big role to play and their actions could force the genocide to end. “Dr Naledi Pandor said about 2 years ago that if all workers were to go on strike for a month, the genocide would be over immediately. Lets see if we are up to this challenge,” she said.

Dirco issues then retracts subpoena for Albanese

While in Johannesburg, Albanese was served with a subpoena. A press release by the Nelson Mandela Foundation says that the court papers were served on behalf of Christian Friends of Israeli Communities, Christians for Israel, USA. According to the Justice and Constitutional Development ministry, the court papers were “unauthorized and the Minister has instructed that the irregular service of process be withdrawn because they were effected without the knowledge or approval of either the Minister of Justice or the Director General, who serves as the Head of the Central Authority.”

Rev René August from SA Christians for Free Palestine apologised to Albanese for being served and called out the groups that that were behind it. “To the Christian Friends of Israeli Communities and Christians for Israel, USA; your Christianity is incompatiable with Jesus. Your words are incompatible with Jesus but also with the word of Torah. Love your neigbour as you love yourself. We stand between your papers, your legal wording and we say no, not on our watch,” she said.

Albanese is expected to give a lecture at the University of Cape Town on Monday.