Sunday's BDS rally against Israel outside the South African Zionist Federation near Johannesburg. Photo: YouTube screenshot.

JNS.org – The South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) released a statement expressing concern that the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel is creating a climate of increased antisemitism in South Africa.

“The SAJBD has repeatedly expressed concern that the BDS, by importing the Middle East conflict into South Africa, is creating a climate that encourages antisemitism while shutting down any possible and rational debate on Israeli—Palestinian issues,” the group said on its website.

On Sunday, BDS supporters threatened to slaughter Jews at a rally outside of the South African Zionist Federation near Johannesburg, which was holding a South Africa-Israeli expo at the time.

“You think this is Israel, we are going to kill you,” one of the BDS protesters said. Other protestors shouted, “You Jews do not belong in South Africa” and “no Zionist conference be held on our soil.”

“The BDS is fueling the flames of a fire that it cannot control,” said the SAJBD. “They base their hatred on the fact that the South African Jewish community and lovers of Israel generally, do not share the BDS’s narrow and skewed view on Israel.”