Cape Town - Hundreds of University of Cape Town (UCT) students on gathered on the steps in front of the Sarah Baartman Hall, expressing solidarity with the people of Palestine during Israeli Apartheid Week.
They intensified calls for the university to implement an academic boycott of Israel.
A handful of Jewish students gathered just metres away, calling for Israeli hostages in Gaza to be released. The two groups clashed, with several members of the Campus Protection Services acting as a buffer between them.
Israeli Apartheid Week comes on the heels of a UCT Senate vote on a motion to implement an academic boycott of Israeli-linked persons and institutions.
According to a Senate source, 60 votes were in favour of the motion, 75 against, and around 15 people abstained from voting.
A mass gathering was organised on Wednesday, with students told to wear black in protest against the failed motion. Calls were reiterated for an academic boycott, a ceasefire, and an end to the occupation of Palestine and the siege on Gaza.
Over 30 000 Palestinians have been killed and more than 70000 injured by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) since October 7 last year.
Those present in support of the around 300 pro-Palestine students included the Muslim Judicial Council, Al Jama-ah, People Against Gangsterism and Drugs (Pagad), and the South African Students Congress (Sasco).
Several speakers addressed the students during the creative and informative gathering, which also served as a protest.
Student Representative Council (SRC) secretary-general Babokile Rakhale said there was huge disappointment at the motion not having been passed.
“UCT academics, professors, decided in their majority to vote for business as usual in the face of genocide, multiple countless human rights violations and a court ruling – the ICJ’s ruling, and they still decided to vote for business as usual,” Rakhale said.
“So as for pro-Palestine students and as the SRC, we are very disappointed in the motion not passing through.”
Less than 50 Israeli supporters were present, calling for the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza.
Palestinian supporters held a form of protest called “die-ins” at the SA Union of Jewish Students (SAUJS) stand, while pro-Israeli students encircled them while chanting and dancing.
SAUJS vice-chair Ruby Kapeluschnik said: “Israeli Apartheid Week has been happening for years and every year we come and we put up our stand. It's basically to make sure that there is a space on campus where the Jews feel safe.”
Pro-Palestine supporters, however, said the university was a safe space for black and brown bodies, and that racism in the form of Zionism and fascism had no place on campus.
SA Jews for a Free Palestine, Cape Youth Collective member, and UCT Masters’ student Julia Hope said: “It's very hard to hear what the Zionists side is actually shouting for and actually demanding. Firstly, in the wake of hasbara propaganda, but also because they’re here calling for the release of hostages and honestly we don’t see the release of hostages at odds with a demands for a ceasefire and end to the siege and an end to the genocide.
“In our opinion, the only thing in the way of the release of the hostages is Israel itself, is Benjamin Netanyahu, and they both have their own interests to continue this war going on and quite frankly we don’t see any concern for the hostages on the part of Israel.”
shakirah.thebus@inl.co.za