Cape Town - Palestinian activist Muna El-Kurd wrapped up a South African tour with a visit to the St George’s Cathedral for the Eucharist.
El-Kurd arrived in Cape Town on October 20, and took part in several programmes, as a guest of Friends of Mezaan, with the visit supported by the Muslim Judicial Council, Youth for Al Quds SA, the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), Palestinian Solidarity Alliance, and the Palestinian Student Front.
St George’s Cathedral Dean Michael Weeder said the talk would be a reminder of who we were in relation to the people of Palestine and the Holy lands.
Weeder requested El-Kurd to address congregants for the Sunday service, while at the “From District Six to Sheikh Jarrah” programme last week in Salt River, joined by Judge Siraj Desai and ANC MP Mandla Nkosi Mandela.
El-Kurd became a symbol of resistance when faced with threatened evictions along with other families in Sheikh Jarrah. Mandela called for a boycott of the Miss Universe 2021 pageant to be held in December in Eilat, Israel.
World Beyond War South Africa co-ordinator and PSC member Terry Crawford-Browne, visited the region for three months in 2009 and again in 2010.
“We were at the checkpoints but also in particular when the settlers were invading Sheikh Jarrah. The settlers, if they could successfully expel the families from Sheikh Jarrah then they would be driven out, and it would be redeveloped for flats.
“They would get a free flat; that’s what drove them. But bit by bit, there was more and more resistance from civil society and I am quite honestly amazed that 12 years later, they are still living in that house.
“They (the settlers) would invade at 2am and just barge into the house and then they would wave Israeli flags and so forth and harass the children,” said Crawford-Browne.
Addressing the congregants, El-Kurd said: “Palestine belongs to us and to you. Palestine belongs to Muslims, Christians, Jews and all those who love freedom and justice. It doesn’t belong to only one group.
“We have lots of Christian friends who are fighting with us in Gaza, on the ground in Palestine and for that reason, whenever an Israeli settler wants to beat us up, he doesn’t ask us what religion we belong to.
“These settlers, they attack us just because we are Palestinian and in their eyes, we are a threat to their injustice. When they beat me and my Christian friend, they’re only beating us because we belong and they don’t.”
She urged attendees to continue to play a role in defence of Palestine and its people, through prayers but importantly through actions.
