In the light of the article by Michael Warschawski on racism and Zionism (SO21) and in view of Socialist Organiser's known opínions on the Middle East, it may be useful to examine the connections be tween the Zionist state and South African apartheid.
During the period when South Africa was the object of western sanctions, Israel was conspicuous by its willingness to continue commercial and military relations.
For example, the R4 automatic rifle used by the South Alican Derence Torces Is a slightly modified version of the Isracli Galil assault rifle.
This is the sort of arms industry relationship which normally only exists between military and political allies.
There is also evidence of a connection between the proapartheid mentality and Zionism.
On March 9 this year, during the South African referendum, the Reuters news June 13, No. 23 Palestinians fighting a racist state agency reported that Andries Treurnicht, leader of the proapartheid Conservative Party, pid about Israel;
1 have great respect for you (Israeli) people, who do not want to share power with other groups in the Middle East. If you share power you lose it. If you were ever forced to share power with the Palestinians and the Arabs, you had better run for your life Reuters went on to report that Treurnicht held up Israel as 'an example of the kind of strong state he (Treurnicht) wanted to cre ate for minority whites! It is obvious that Zionism and the South African aparteid regime are quite ompatible and have much in common. 1 am sure even Socialist Organiser would call the apartteid regime and its mentality acist. What then of a Middle Bastern regime which clearly shares many features with apartheid?
Stephen Kaczynski, Reading