Today, the 21/12/2023, I release this episode of Love and Insubordination in solidarity with the Palestinian people and for our humanity. On the 75th day of Israel’s ruthless bombing of Gaza, Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor estimates that Israel has now murdered over 26, 600 Palestinian people (including those whose bodies remain buried under bombed buildings). The world's third-largest nuclear and military power has now killed over 10,000 babies and children - with military, economic, political and ideological support from the US, the UK and most European governments.
On the 75th anniversary of Apartheid Israel’s colonial occupation of Palestine, its primary economic partners have used their undemocratic veto in the UN Security Council, to oppose a ceasefire. The majority of the world’s governments must use their power now to fully sanction Israel as was done to Apartheid SA, when it was killing Black people, and those white people who stood with us.
The UN Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel, chaired by SA feminist Navi Pillay, immediately condemned the reported atrocities of October 7th, including those of rape. Rape is a crime that must be investigated and punished The UN Commission wanted to go to Israel to do this but Netanyahu’s government refused them entry, despite the fact that October 7th is part of the Commissions brief.
Unlike colonial feminists, feminists in SA’s government, like Minister of International Relations, Naledi Pandor, have called for Israel to cease its genocide now; and for its genocidal leadership to be arrested and tried for war crimes. SA’s Government will arrest SA citizens fighting in Israel’s army. Across the world people of conscience and humanity, across religious, cultural and organisational affiliations, are undertaking action to honour the courage of the Palestinian people. Today, South Africans like Father Michael Weeder, have arrived in Bethlehem on pilgrimage to Palestine for Christmas.
This episode reflects on history, the global war economy and feminist solidarity. I’m in conversation with African feminist Yaliwe Clarke and we end with prescient lines from Episode 1, ‘What do I do with my heart?’ ; a short extract from Sipho Mthathi’s poem Geography; and the Palestinian Feminist Collective’s Sarah Ihmoud, reading Mosab Abu Toha’s poem ‘We love what we have’. May the power of love inspire our insubordination to injustice.
Pregs Govender is the author of Love and Courage, A Story of Insubordination, used to teach the power of love and insubordination against injustice (https://www.pregsgovender.com) . A member of the SA Human Rights Delegation, Pregs directly witnessed Israel's Apartheid system against Palestinian people. A Senior Affiliate at the African Gender Institute (AGI), she is creating this podcast, to invoke critical and creative thinking and action. It draws on archival material, insights and experience as a writer, teacher, trade union educator and feminist organiser against the patriarchal, capitalist Apartheid state. In SA's first Democracy, as a member of parliament (MP) and Chair of Parliament's Committee on Women, Pregs initiated South Africa's globally influential gender-responsive budgets and legislative changes for women. Pregs was the only MP to register opposition to South Africa's arms deal in Parliament's Defence Budget Vote before she resigned as an MP. She was later elected as Commissioner and Deputy Chair of South Africa's Human Rights Commission and authored the SAHRC’s influential report on water and sanitation, while advocating that the global war economy be replaced with one that values life, the earth and humanity.
Fatima Seedat and Yaliwe Clarke, African Gender Institute, University of Cape Town (UCT)
Fatimah Oriola, Student Intern, AGI
Seredeal Scheepers, Sound Engineer; Audio Studio
