On the last day of the Tribunal in Cape Town (Sunday, 6 November 2011) "it came to our attention that at least one witness who has given evidence to the Tribunal this weekend has been subjected to reprisals because she has opposed apartheid. Haneen Zoabi, a Member of Knesset (Israeli Parliament) gave evidence to the Tribunal yesterday, Sunday 6th November 2011, and within hours of doing do so was reportedly the subject of a formal application to the Knesset's Ethics' Committee to strip her of her Israeli citizenship.
"Article 2 of the 1973 Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid (the ‘Apartheid Convention') provides as follows:
"For the purpose of the present Convention, the term ‘the crime of apartheid', which shall include similar
policies and practices of racial segregation and discrimination as practised in southern Africa, shall apply
to the following inhuman acts committed for the purpose of establishing and maintaining domination by
one racial group of persons over any other racial group of persons and systematically oppressing them:
(...) Persecution of organizations and persons, by depriving them of fundamental rights and freedoms,
because they oppose apartheid."
"We are concerned that the initiative taken openly against MK Zoabi may well not be an isolated act of persecution and that each and every witness who provided the Tribunal with their testimony will face measures seeking to deprive them of fundamental rights and freedoms.
"We are not prepared to accept the intimidation and harassment of witnesses at a legitimate tribunal."
The letter requested President Zuma to intervene with Israeli authorities.
Is this how the "democratic" state of Israel treats its citizen critics?? This is nothing short of OUTRAGEOUS !!
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