S.Africa's top judge ordered to apologize for pro-Israeli remarks

Judiciary panel says it found chief justice's remarks 'offending' and 'particularly aggravating' and called to 'unreservedly' retract statements after declaring his love and prayers for Israel
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South Africa's chief justice was Thursday ordered to apologize and retract comments he made last year seen as pledging support for Israel in a country that is pro-Palestine.
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  • Mogoeng Mogoeng, who is a devout Christian sparked an outcry in June last year declaring his love and prayers for Israel.
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    יום הנכבה מפגינים פרו פלסטינים נגד ישראל קייפטאון דרום אפריקה
    יום הנכבה מפגינים פרו פלסטינים נגד ישראל קייפטאון דרום אפריקה
    Pro-Palestinian protesters in Capetown
    (Photo: EPA)
    He said South Africa was depriving itself "a wonderful opportunity of being a game-changer in the Israeli-Palestinian situation,"
    South African openly supports the Palestinian cause and in 2019 it downgraded its embassy in Tel Aviv.
    The country's Judiciary Conduct Committee which probed the judge's comments following a complaint, found the remarks "offending" and "particularly aggravating".
    "It is important that... those utterances must be unreservedly retracted and withdrawn to return and maintain the public image of the judiciary to its rightful place," the committee said in its ruling.
    The committee drafted the apology they want him to tender within 10 days.
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    Chief justice Mogoeng Mogoeng
    Chief justice Mogoeng Mogoeng
    South African Chief justice Mogoeng Mogoeng
    (Photo: AFP)
    The controversial judge in December came under heavy criticism when he publicly prayed against "satanic" COVID-19 vaccines, asking God that they be "destroyed by fire".
    A local pro-Palestinian rights group #Africa4Palestine presented a formal complaint over his pro-Israel speech during a webinar co-organized by the Jerusalem Post and South Africa's chief rabbi, Warren Goldstein.
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    4.
    The Soviet and Post Soviet Propaganda at Work
    The SSSR has conducted a global war on Israel. It has recruited ordinary Palestinians to trrorize Israel. It has coerced all tyrants to smear Israel in the global forums. The African states were toys in these war on Israel. The South African leaders were willing partners, but I am glad that upright individuals fight back.
    Amo| 03.12.21
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    3.
    Judges reply
    f I curse Abraham and Israel, the almighty God will curse me too. I cannot do anything, as a Christian, other than love and pray for Israel because I know hatred for Israel by me and for my nation can only attract unprecedented curses,” he said at the time. However, in his decision, Mojapelo directed Mogoeng to read his unconditional apology and retraction for his pro-Israel comments in a meeting of all serving Constitutional Court justices and publicly release it. However, in his two responses to the complaints against him lodged by #Africa4Palestine, the South African BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) Coalition and the Women’s Cultural Group, Mogoeng appeared defiant, insisting that there was no constitutional value he undermined in his utterances. ”The Israeli-Palestine politics or issues are not an integral part of South African politics … They are peripheral and not inherently South African in character, although they deserve the attention of South Africa,” he responded to the complaints. Mogoeng told Mojapelo that the code did not forbid the involvement of a member of the judiciary in extra-judicial activities including those embodied in the rights as citizens subject to certain qualifications.
    03.06.21
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    what is your point? no idea what you are saying
    03.07.21
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