A broad church: Groote Kerk hosts Albanese

by Ann Paton and Nic Paton

On Sunday 26th October, Dominee Riaan de Villiers of Groote Kerk, Cape Town, curated a solemn yet celebratory, open yet resolute, safe and dignified welcome to Francesca Albanese, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories.

Riaan was but one of many outstanding leaders and organisations at the forefront of standing for justice, and peace, interfaith unity, and grounded resistance to the State of Israel’s genocide against Palestinians. Amongst those facilitating and speaking out were Sheik Ismail Keraan of Al Azhar Mosque, Dr. Imtiaz Sooliman of Gift of the Givers foundation, Rev. René August, Rev. Allan Boesak, music by Tina Schouw, Dr. Bonita Bennett, and Megan Choritz and Mitchel Joffe Hunter of SA Jews for a Free Palestine. The Mandela Foundation, Desmond Tutu Centre and BDS SA (Boycott Divest Sanctions) were also key participants.

Benvenuta, Signora Albanese

But the main focus was Ms Albanese, who received a rapturous welcome. She has become a star in her own right as a straight talking, expert legal and moral voice with a fresh and vigorous youthful take on activism, connecting the high offices of world governance with grassroots frankness and directness. An online system of question submission meant a direct interaction with those present.

Groote Kerk as many know was at the centre of the Apartheid ideology, and under Riaan’s leadership has committed itself to be a place of peace, justice and reconciliation. In a few short years, it has forged relations with other faiths in the City, and the inclusion of Jewish and Islamic messages from the pulpit was remarkable.

“The further a society moves from the truth, the more they persecute those who protest”

George Orwell, quoted by Sheik Ismail Keraan.

“Whatever is harmful to you, do not do to others”.

Rabbi Hillel, quoted by Mitch Hunter

So many issues

As an international legal expert, Francesca outlined and clarified many of the basic issues at play, too many to fully explore here.

• An historical backstory of settler colonialism. The lesser known genocides starting with the Nama in South West Africa in 1905.
• The pattern: Remove people – replace them – dominate – separate – erase them.
• The ICJ (in 2004) concluded that Israel cannot invoke self-defence in respect of acts originating from a territory it occupies.
• Economic and financial interests’ rule; this war is profitable. The slave trade stopped when it became unprofitable. The power of the consumer.
• She thanked South Africa SA government for its principled stance going beyond symbolism by alone, taking Israel to the ICJ and naming it a genocide in December 2023, setting an example for the world.
• But both her and Boesak mentioned SA’s continued export of coal to Israel.
• All the weapons being perfected on Palestine will be used eventually on us. When we resist for them, we are also resisting for ourselves.
• We didn’t have such global and immediate awareness with Rwanda in 1993, but now our consciousness is awakened and this genocide must be disrupted.

“The inhumanity of what has been done to the Palestinians is more brutal and sadistic, not like any other in modern history.”

Francesca Albanese

What to do?

• Stay small and concrete. Make specific achievements rather than mere expansion.
• Cut economic ties. Follow the BDS guidelines for strategy.
• Comply with international law. If a South African serves in the IDF, they are a suspect. If evidence of crime against civilians is found, convict them.

A call from an occupied territory

After questions, Rene announced an “outsourced” thank you – Rev Munther Isaac of the Lutheran Church Bethlehem, joined us online. He “appeared” projected on the Church wall above the painting of the last supper, faint in the bright spring light. Munther spoke with gravitas and gratitude from the heart of the occupied West Bank, a stalwart presence with a direct relationship with South Africans who he has got to know.

We came away from the meeting greatly uplifted by the level of insight and moral clarity of the messages, an identity as South Africans with those suffering new and worse forms of Apartheid, and the warmth and human respect of the multi-faith congregation. While safety is an important concern, no signs of violence or of anti-Semitism were apparent. (A huge thanks to the organisers, who struck a balance between visibility and a sure security presence).

We came away with a glimmer of hope as ordinary people that we are involved, that the peace we love will not come without justice, and that while that justice is born from our own hearts and communities, it is entwined with international systems of law that have been hard won through the ages.

“This should be the last genocide of human history”

Francesca Albanese