Two apartheid states: Israel and South Africa

PROFESSOR YASIEN MOHAMED asserts that labelling Israel’s policies as apartheid is not only appropriate but also necessary in order to dismantle the existing system and pave the way for a just and equitable resolution.

NOAM Chomsky, a prominent Jewish-born intellectual, argues that Israel’s discriminatory practices and aggression towards Palestinians surpass those of Afrikaners in South Africa during the apartheid era.

While I agree with Chomsky on the severity of Israeli violence, I differ in my perspective on using the term ‘apartheid’ for Israel.

Defining apartheid

The term ‘apartheid’ originated in South Africa but has broader implications under international law, defined by the 1998 Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court as a crime against humanity.

It involves inhumane acts, institutionalised racial discrimination, and the intention to perpetuate racial domination.

Similarities in apartheid systems

Both South Africa and Israel since 1948 have been identified as apartheid states, characterised by colonial settler structures fostering separate but unequal development along ethnic and racial lines.

Both nations displaced local populations, reducing them to second-class citizens without autonomy, sovereignty, or political rights.

Divergence in methods

While South African apartheid involved white racial domination over the black population, Israeli apartheid entailed Jewish ethnic domination over Palestinians.

Both systems subjected dispossessed populations to permits, checkpoints, house arrests, and detention without trial.

However, the root problem in the Israel-Palestine conflict lies in Israel’s expansionist policies, especially since 1967, backed by the US.

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Expansion and occupation

Israel’s pursuit of a greater Israel through the occupation of Palestine, Gaza, the West Bank, and Jerusalem, coupled with US military backing, has led to brutal consequences.

Unlike South Africa, Israel committed genocide against Palestinians, with large communities forced into a diaspora and denied the right of return.

Amnesty International has labelled Israel’s actions as a crime against humanity and a violation of international criminal law.

Genocide in Gaza

The expansionist policy of Apartheid Israel involved ethnic cleansing and genocide against the Palestinian population, particularly in Gaza.

The deliberate extermination of a race is currently unfolding in Gaza, where homes, hospitals, and schools have been bombed and basic necessities cut off, resulting in unprecedented casualties, mainly women and children.

Conclusion

Although I share Chomsky’s recognition of the gravity of Israeli aggression when compared to Apartheid South Africa, I diverge from his reluctance to characterise Israel’s actions as ‘apartheid.’

Given the clear alignment with the definition of apartheid, I assert that labelling Israel’s policies as such is not only appropriate but necessary.

The actions taken by Israel represent a morally bankrupt manifestation of apartheid, underscoring the urgency of dismantling the existing system to pave the way for a just and equitable resolution.

Yasien Mohamed is professor emeritus of Arabic and Islamic Studies, Department of Foreign Languages at the University of the Western Cape.

Two apartheid states: Israel and South Africa

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September 2026

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