Children’s book on Palestine gets blowback:

Illustrated by South African artist Nathi Ngubane, From the River to the Sea: A Colouring Book has sparked controversy, drawing sharp criticism from Zionist groups who have labelled it “anti-Semitic”. 

The colouring book, designed to be both educational and engaging for children, aims to introduce young readers to Palestine’s history, culture and notable figures through an interactive format.

Ngubane explained to the Mail & Guardian that the inspiration for it came after South African lawyers brought charges against Israel for genocide at the International Court of Justice early this year. 

Following these events, his publisher approached him with the idea of creating a book focused on Palestine, particularly in light of its work on Covid-related publications.

“Social Bandit Media steps in during critical moments,”  Ngubane said. “In 2020, we addressed Covid, and now we are responding to the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Our goal was to create an accessible activity book for children that also educates them about Palestine’s struggle for freedom.” 

Ngubane and his team drew inspiration from global solidarity movements, including the widespread protests supporting Palestinian rights. 

As an activist, Ngubane sees the book as a tool for political education, raising awareness about the Palestinian cause.

The book’s title, From The River To The Sea, has been particularly contentious. Pro-Israel lobbyists claim the slogan calls for ethnic cleansing against Israeli Jews.

Ngubane acknowledges its controversial nature but clarifies his intentions. 

“To me, From the River to the Sea is an inspirational chant for freedom, coexistence and human rights. 

“It signifies hope and the pursuit of justice.”

Despite this, the book has faced severe backlash. Exclusive Books, a major chain, has removed it from its shelves. Attempts to reach Batya Bricker, the general manager of books and brand, for comments on the removal and the store’s definition of “controversial” content, were unsuccessful.

Ngubane expresses his dismay at the negative reactions and the hateful messages he has received. 

The Cape Town branch of the South African Jewish Board of Deputies alleged on Facebook the book promoted “the obliteration of Jews from our historical and rightful homeland — Israel”.

“The pushback highlights a stark double standard,” said Ngubane. “On one hand, we see children being burnt alongside their parents in Gaza, suffering unimaginable horrors, with over 26?000 Palestinians killed since 7 October. On the other hand, people are outraged by a colouring book.” 

Ngubane asserts his belief in the Palestinian quest for freedom and refuses to succumb to censorship, echoing Nelson Mandela’s words, “We are not free until the people of Palestine are free.”

Funds from the book’s sales will be used to support humanitarian relief in Gaza where Israel’s insurgency continues.

– The Mail & Guardian

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– The Mail & Guardian

Those who hold the values of humanity and the rule of law should reject the Hamas narrative:

There are clearly different narratives on what is happening with the Hamas-Israel war. And while many celebrate Israel’s apparent increasing isolation, others are wondering how we arrived here.

Nonobeko Hlela, in her opinion piece in the Mail & Guardian, “Israel’s war on Gaza shows the ‘civilised’ can be the biggest liars and killers”, uses factual gymnastics, half-truths and blatant unchecked lies as she tries to paint Israel as a barbaric war criminal. 

Her arguments are characteristic of a parallel universe that floats next to our own.

In this universe, Israel and the Jews use claims of anti-Semitism as a weapon against legitimate criticism of the Israeli state.?

To this we say that we will speak in our own name. According to the Kaplan Centre of Jewish Studies at the University of Cape Town, 96% of South African Jewry have some connection to Israel, the vast majority of the population identifies as Zionist. How dare they, without a smidgen of knowledge about our peopledom, language, religion, or history, decide in our name that we are wrong in our understanding of their Jew-hatred? We are proud to be Zionists. We are, however, bemused by the tokenism of a few “good” Jews, who do not speak in our name. 

The events on 7 October evoked memories of the Holocaust, pogroms and a long, sad history of persecution. 

Contrary to what some pontificate, Jews don’t weaponise the Holocaust, but continue to reference it because it still weighs heavily on our psyche. It is still part of our living memory. 

It is especially poignant and repugnant to us that Hamas even chose to brutally inflame so many of our brethren in their homes, pointedly accessing our most deeply ingrained fears. Israel was specifically created so that atrocities against Jews for being Jews never happened again. And it did. And while Jews are processing the extent of the barbarity, others are denying that it occurred at all.  

Hlela goes to great lengths to try to disprove reports of the extent of Hamas atrocities on 7 October. Why? Why turn away from the facts of Hamas’s barbarity, details that we know about because they so proudly broadcast it themselves? Hamas wanted the world to witness as they sexually assaulted, murdered, pillaged and destroyed the lives of so many innocents.

Why would one whitewash, or worse, ignore this? What is it about the Israeli narrative that is so hard to believe, when it is placed against a terrorist recollection and blatant lies, especially as Hamas has threatened to do so over and over again? 

Surely, this whitewashing harms Hamas’s efforts to drive home their stated aims. Or could it rather be out of a deep hatred for Western ideals and the Jewish people upholding them? 

Spreading the Hamas narrative because of the reactive need to attach to a struggle is akin to becoming the propaganda arm of a recognised terrorist network. It is aiding and abetting terror by supporting the efforts of a racist, murderous and rapist organisation.

Israel is a country fraught with problems and limitations. It is, however, a liberal Western democracy, protecting minorities, as well as the sexual and religious rights of all its citizens. This is a fact that should not be overlooked, particularly by many who claim to be fighting for liberal values but seem so determined to side with the terrorist entity openly opposed to those values. 

In our universe, Israel has a right to exist and to defend her citizens, following a brutal attack on civilians, which was a declaration of war. 

In the parallel universe Hamas is a peace-loving, human rights-endorsing organisation that has been unfairly and brutally targeted by a blood-thirsty Zionist (read Jewish) regime. 

In our universe there should be outrage at a militant organisation that can be so evil as to use schools and hospitals as a cover for their activities, and refuse to release innocent hostages, including babies and women held captive in tunnels. 

In our universe Israel is still fighting its war of independence. 

In the other universe, it still has no right to exist. 

No matter which universe in which you exist, war is horrific. Every loss of life is a tragedy. The deaths of innocent civilians, especially women, children and older people are heartbreaking. Those who wish to hold on to the values of?humanity and the rule of law should be beside themselves with grief to see the promotion of the Hamas narrative. Israel is at the front of fighting terrorism. If Israel is allowed to fail, the West will fail. 

Charisse Zeifert is the deputy director and Adam Charnas an analyst at the South African Jewish Board of Deputies.

– The Mail & Guardian

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