Note: This article provides footnotes. Each number in the article matches the number of a footnote. Don’t miss them out. The URL links in the footnotes not just support statements in the article but on their own contain facts and analysis to fascinate and inform the reader.
Dennis Davis, among his many weighty attainments in law, is an honorary professor and a retired judge. (1) They came to him, the attainments, every one of them, from two political ‘qualifications’ quite removed from his practice and teaching of law. In a full article on Davis (one of several on lawfare activists) I alluded to what the extracurricular acts and beliefs of his might be. (2)
That was a sniff, now for the meal. Davis as well as being a lawyer, happens to:
a) Be a radical Communist and,
b) Have ‘Commie’ comrades in high places inside the crime-ridden and anti-Jew ruling political party.
“Here you are,” said his interviewer admiringly, “a radical Marxist who accepts that the law can be used to progressive ends.”
“True” said Davis....“I was grappling with the question of how I would apply a Marxist paradigm to my legal teaching.” (3)
And as he spoke so he did: Davis has applied a Marxist paradigm to the Israel-Zionist problem.
At the time Davis was a sitting judge he put a stop to world renowned Professor Allan Dershowitz speaking at the University of Cape Town (4) Horses for courses. Davis, this time in his faculty gown, did nothing about Hezbollah speaking at his University of Cape Town. (5) On a different occasion Davis, in good Jewish company, was prepared to pay dearly for a big ad in the Sunday Times which, to give Hamas a breather and live to fight another war, called for a permanent cease fire. (6)
So much for the preamble: what about the ‘communal gaffs” and “losing the plot.” Who lost it committing what gaffs?
While Davis the Red is with us let’s make use of him. After the ICJ ruling on the genocide application brought by his corrupt and Jew-averse comrades in high places, Davis called for prosecutions....of Israelis. Yes he did. (7) The Jewish Board of Deputies, preternaturally gaff-prone, thereupon invited Davis to “unpack” the court decision for a distraught community.
But there’s more to it than meets the eye. Who did Davis succeed as Director at the Wits Centre for applied law? Professor John Dugard. Where has the name lately cropped up? At the ICJ. Dugard was the legal driving force behind the ANC application accusing Israel of genocide. And Dugard was nominated by the ANC to be their ad hoc judge for the ICJ hearing.
Members of the jury: birds of a feather? Davis was selected by the Wits centre which had selected Dugard.
Choosing Davis to “unpack” the ICJ decision must rank near the top of the Jewish Board’s record of gaffes. How would we rank the following gaffe? At one time the Board invited Jacob Zuma, if you don’t know, the past President of SA, to give the keynote address at an annual conference. That is what the Board did, knowing that Zuma was (a) a crook and (b) had threatened to expel any member of the ANC party that put down his or her Prada footwear on Israeli soil.
And Zuma’s next in line? How wise was communal wisdom there? Jews and their representative orgs embraced Cyril Ramaphosa like the knight on white steed. It had no justification for doing so. As well as I knew, communal reps knew that Rama as Vice President to Zuma for years and years, had peered over Zuma’s conniving shoulder as he flogged national assets (those not purloined and poached by the ANC) to Indian brothers who treated Zuma and sons as puppy dog blacks. True. The brothers Gupta did not like blacks. At a family wedding (cost borne by taxpayers) black waiters were not allowed to serve the Indian guests.
So Rama’s reception by the community was ecstatic. Jews in business, Jews in medicine and law, Jews in IT and advertising – Jews learnt nothing. In the SA Jewish Report, a paper with the unfailing knack of getting the wrong end of the stick, we read:
“A consummate politician and businessman, Ramaphosa is arguably one of the few politicians with an intrinsic understanding of the local Jewish community’s deep connection to the State of Israel. He has shown himself to be open to engagement on the complex nature of the conflict in the Middle East and has openly called for dialogue on the issue.” (8)
I wrote at the time to the Chief Rabbi that if Rama were a ‘mench’ it was actually a disqualification. He is not the man the community should be banking on, I wrote. Nonetheless there were photo ops for all and sundry, even on Sea Point’s board walk.
Staying with funders and value for money, kindly page up to where I wrote about Davis
“in good Jewish company, paid dearly for a big ad in the Sunday Times which, to give Hamas a breather and live to fight another war, called for a permanent cease fire.” Boy, was that a great investment. The gimmick spread over the anti-Israel media like a rash.
Now compare: prospect of a big ad not against Israel but for Israel, in the Sunday Times.
Follow this thread and see.
From: Trudy Gefen <mailto:trudy_gefen@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: 2012/06/07 09:43:18 AM
To: Markus E BRAJTMAN <mailto:meb1@telkomsa.net>
Subject: Submission on Proposed Labelling Order. Concerned Christians & Jews to Dep. of Trade & Industry
Mark, this is excellent. Every point is so clearly made. Please send my thanks and congratulations to Steve Apfel who drew this 'Submission' up so accurately.
May I send it everywhere, to everyone who needs to read it, INCLUDING PM Netanyahu and most of our Knesset Members? To foreign leaders, media, etc?
Warmest,
Trudy
From: Sheila Raviv [mailto:sheerav@gmail.com]
Sent: 9 June 2012 р. 7:28
To: smacc@mweb.co.za
Subject: Fwd: Submission. Products from occupied territory
Sir, THIS IS BRILLIANT. As an Israeli I thank you. You presented this petition in such a professional manner without any hyperbole or inapt emotion, simply facts. I repeat BRILLIANT.
I have taken the liberty of forwarding this to the Chairperson of the US Congress House Committee, Congresswoman Ileana Ros Lehtinen and to our own Israeli Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Danny Ayalon
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU
Sheila Raviv, Jerusalem
From: Motty Sacks [mailto:mottysacks@yahoo.com]
Sent: Tuesday, May 22, 2012 12:07 PM
To: David Abel
Subject: Re: SA Jewish leaders thrown chance of a lifetme
Hi David,
A brilliant piece and well done for making it rapidly available to the SAZF and SABD leadership. Jewish leadership should take the initiative and publish the full text in the Sunday Times. If they get consent to publish from Mr. Apfel I am sure there will be money to pay for it. Members of The IUA Board of Trustees would be willing to do a special fund raise.
Regards,
Motty.
From: Motty Sacks [mailto:mottysacks@yahoo.com]
Sent: Tuesday, May 22, 2012 5:57 PM
To: Steve apfel
Cc: David Abel
Subject: Re: SA Jewish leaders thrown chance of a lifetime
Pursuant to our exchange of e mails, I spoke to Ben Swartz about a pre-funded Sunday Times (or any national newspaper, for that matter) release of Steve's superb written effort. Without going into Ben's reasoning, he was not supportive of my idea. Given the IUA Board of Trustees' institutional affiliation to the SAZF, I have no interest in breaking ranks.
I will however circulate Steve's article as far and as wide as possible.
Keep up the great work.
Motty Sacks
______________________________________________________________________
Members of the jury: keep some pointers in mind.
- The SAZF and SAJBD communicate with one another.
- Zev Krengel gave the following ultimatum to a delegation going to a Jewish Board presentation: Either remove S Apfel from your delegation or don’t attend. The delegation deliberated then chose, “don’t attend.”
Members of the jury! Consider your verdict:
- Communal capital is going to overlapping orgs
- The Jewish Board is going to pay someone a monthly salary to reinvent the wheel. Research? I have a database, built it up for 20 years, and it keeps growing by the day. I have access to many sources that normally charge a subscription. And how will the “senior professional” process raw info that he/she will research and turn into analysis and conclusions that enable the Board to protect Jewish civil rights?
- Two overlapping orgs have shown a predilection to protect their ‘turf from outriders like myself and win the kudos. The Board and Fed have long waged a personal vendetta at a cost they let donors, and ultimately the community, carry.
Notes
(1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_Davis_(judge)
(2) Judging from a bubble: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/366975
(3) https://academic.oup.com/lril/article/9/1/137/6310433?login=false
(4) https://www.jpost.com/magazine/features/south-african-charge-of-israeli-apartheid-rings-hollow
(5) https://www.sajr.co.za/uct-allows-third-terrorism-engagement-in-one-year/
(6) SA Jews stand up against Israel (IOL)
(7) https://youtu.be/ArpmW7R9EHs?t=14
(8) https://www.sajr.co.za/a-future-sa-under-cyril-ramaphosa/
Steve Apfel is a veteran authority on anti-Zionism and a prolific author in general. His works have appeared in many journals and sites. After “Hadrian’s Echo: The why’s and wherefores of Israel’s critics,” a new book, “Hitlers at Heart: anti-Zionism and its Believers” is with publishers. A selection of Steve’s works can be accessed at https://steveapfel.substack.com and https://enemiesofzion.wordpress.com/