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‘Today, I stand before you as Youmna El-Sayed, a survivor of one of the most brutal genocides in human history. I stand here as a journalist and as a person who has chosen Gaza as my nation.’
by NONTOBEKO AISHA MKHWANAZI
Imagine your neighbours and family members tortured and killed, dead bodies scattered everywhere, bombings at any moment, and buildings reduced to rubble. Your life and those of your loved ones constantly at risk, with colleagues killed and tortured for daring to speak out against genocide. In the face of all this, you vow to yourself that as long as you breathe, you will use your voice to tell the world what your people endure at the hands of their oppressors. Then, your 12-year-old, terrified for her life, begs you to stop speaking out, fearful that it will cost your family their lives. With tears in your eyes, you calm her, explaining that if mommy keeps silent, the oppressor will never stop, and every Palestinian will suffer the same fate as those she has already seen – piles of bodies left for birds to scavenge.
This is not a figment of imagination, a page from a novel, or a horror movie. It is the reality for Youmna El-Sayed, an award-winning Palestinian journalist. El-Sayed, on her tour to South Africa hosted by Salaamedia, visited Bo-Kaap in Cape Town on September 1, 2024.
The event drew a large crowd, including activists, community members and the general public, all showing their solidarity with the Palestinian cause.
When El-Sayed took the stage, she brimmed with resilience and a deep yearning for a free Palestine. She began:
‘Today, I stand before you as Youmna El-Sayed, a survivor of one of the most brutal genocides in human history. I stand here as a journalist and as a person who has chosen Gaza as my nation.’
Despite the horrific adversity she and her family have faced, El-Sayed remains steadfast and unwavering in her fight against Israeli Apartheid.
‘In three months, we were displaced six times. We were shot at in our home, forced out under sniper bullets and tank shells, and then our home was completely levelled to the ground. We kept moving from place to place, hoping it would be safer, but the bombardments were indiscriminate and relentless,’ El-Sayed recounted.
She highlighted the unbearable reality of living under constant bombings, where sleep is impossible either because of fear or because you know that you might not wake up the next morning.
‘This reality transformed our nighttime routines. Instead of telling bedtime stories, we spoke to our children about bombs and rockets. My 8-year-old daughter, Serene, was terrified of being the only survivor. Every night, she begged us to sleep together, so if we were bombed, we would all die together. Every night she asked, “Mommy, what will happen if I survive alone and you all die?”.’
Calling for action, she highlighted that more than 177 000 Palestinian children are now orphans. She urged people not to limit their solidarity to social media clicks.
‘When you watch videos online, I know your heart aches, and you shed tears. But your pain ends when the video ends. You scroll on and continue with your life. For the people in those videos –the injured child, the parent weeping for their dead child – that pain stays with them for life’.
El-Sayed reminded the audience that the Palestinian cause transcends borders and is a cause of humanity.
‘The occupation has tried to make us give up on our lands, but just like our grandparents 76 years ago, we will not surrender. Defending Palestine is about defending humanity. Silence is complicity in this genocide’.
Grateful for the overwhelming support from South Africans, she called on other countries to step up as well. She also noted that it has been almost a year since the Israeli government intensified the genocide on Palestinians and therefore no one should be silent in this struggle to this human rights violation.
To date, according to Al Jazeera, about 50 000 Palestinians have been killed and 94 454 wounded in Israel’s war on Gaza.
‘The situation continues in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem. This injustice must end, but we cannot do it alone. We need the world’s support.’
Yusuf Chikte, Coordinator of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, also addressed the crowd, saying:
‘When privileged classes want to act, they create myths and narratives to justify their actions. We are grateful to Salaamedia for bringing El-Sayed here to tell us firsthand what is happening in Palestine. We are at a turning point in our history, where we want to change the narrative.’
He praised South Africa’s efforts at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) but urged for the same vigour to be applied locally in holding Israel accountable.
Chikte declared:
‘What happened to the legislature’s motion that Israel must be kicked out of South Africa? We want to impose an arms boycott and halt all trade. We are tired of inaction. We are calling for a great march in Cape Town on October 5, 2024.’
Meagan Chortz from South African Jews for a Free Palestine stated that Zionism is anti-Jewish and stands against everything Judaism represents.
‘I am a South African, I am a Jew, and I am an anti-Zionist. I am safe in South Africa as a Jew, but I wouldn’t be safe in Palestine because Zionism is anti-Jew.’
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During his address, Reverend, Dr Allan Boesak, said:
‘After the 2024 elections, when we entered this so-called Government of National Unity, I feared our passion for the Palestinian cause might have waned. But today, I hope this event reignites that this fight is essential because Palestine today is the measure of the integrity of our politics and the authenticity of our faith.’
Boesak urged the audience to act, not just speak.
‘The International Court of Justice is important, but the real power lies in our hands.’
He passionately highlighted that that this power lies in South Africans embracing BDS, shutting down embassies, stopping all trade and cultural exchanges, and holding those who serve in the Israeli army accountable.
‘It is beyond us to remain silent. We must act.’
The event served as reminder that the struggle for Palestinian freedom is not just a regional issue but a global one, demanding solidarity, action and unwavering commitment.
