Faizel Patel – 06/07/2020

(Twitter: @FaizelPatel143)

Following Mogoeng Mogoeng’s remarks about his apparent support for Israel, the Chief Justice has told a Christian publication he will not retract or apologise for remarks that he made about Israel during a webinar.

Interviewed by the Jerusalem Post last month, Mogoeng lamented South Africa’s adoption of a lopsided attitude toward the Israel-Palestinian conflict and said that it would have greater influence if it displayed a more balanced approach.

Mogoeng’s remarks drew widespread criticism from many quarters including The Jamiatul Ulama South Africa, the ANC and the EFF that he retract his comments

The Chief Justice continued his disparaging remarks in a prayer meeting organised by Healing The Nation Of Africa Campaign on Saturday which he agreed to lead in order to bring the message of hope, healing and restoration.

During the prayer meeting Mogoeng said he faced similar attacks because of his Christian faith in 2009 when prominent people in SA and overseas opposed his nomination as a Constitutional Court judge.

Speaking to Radio Islam during the Palestine Report on Monday morning, Hafez Ebrahim Moosa says Mogoeng didn’t  mince his words when he was asked to apologise for his remarks.

“What he said in this virtual prayer conference that whatever has happened is kind of plotting against him and his faith because of his religious outlook and because he’s a devoted Christian.”

Moosa says Mogoeng claimed that whatever was expressed in the Jerusalem Post interview have been about love.

“To quote the relevant portions he says, ‘I love Israel, I love the Jews, I love the Palestinians. I love everybody and I don’t hate anybody.’ He says thereafter, ‘there’s nothing to apologise for, there is nothing to retract.’ A particular pointed statement here is, ‘even if fifty million people can march every day for the next ten years for me to retract and apologise for what I said, I will not do it.”

Moosa says Mogoeng’s latest comments will likely ignite another firestorm against the Chief Justice as Israel continues to go ahead with plans to annex parts of the West Bank, which has also caused massive global outage.

Watch the video where Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng says he will not apologise for comments on Israel. Video: Palestine Information Network (PIN)

Listen to the Palestine report with Hafez Ebrahim Moosa