The Gauteng ANC Women's League spokesperson, Gabriella “Gabi” Farber - who is a Jewish South African - has resigned from the African National Congress in protest, terminating her membership and accusing the party of supporting Hamas.
In a statement on X, Farber accused the ANC of supporting Hamas and said she felt there was no space for acceptance for her in the ANC, "No matter how hard I tried”.
Her resignation comes after she, for several times, tried to engage with the party leaders on why they did not condemn Hamas for the atrocities they committed against the Jewish people on the October 7 attacks which claimed 1,300 lives.
In his weekly newsletter, President Cyril Ramaphosa said Pretoria hoped that the Israeli and Palestinian people could come together, reconcile and choose the path of just peace.
“We stand firm against violence directed at civilians; against the killing of children, the elderly, the infirm and non-combatants; against the targeting of critical infrastructure such as hospitals; and against the collective punishment of civilian populations.
"The wanton attack on civilians in Israel and the siege of Gaza and the decision to forcibly expel a population of over one million people from Gaza, together with the indiscriminate use of force, lays the basis for further suffering and death on a huge scale.
"Acts of collective punishment like cutting electricity, food, water, medical and other essential supplies to civilian populations are abhorrent, as is the deliberate destruction of people’s homes.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of both Palestine and Israel as they go through these difficult times,” said Ramaphosa.
In the letter, Farber said her decision to leave the ANC was confirmed when the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Naledi Pandor, admitted to communicating with Hamas.
Farber says Pandor supports Hamas, but this has been denied.
“Following my previous letter, it has become starkly clear that the organisation is unable to stand with the Jewish people during this time, engage faithfully and fairly with both parties or see my, the Jewish, side of the story.
"Thus, it has been made clear to me that there is no space for a proud Jew to belong in the ANC, no matter how hard I tried,” she said.
Pandor has clarified that she did not support Hamas, but she did take a call from a Hamas leader, Ismail Haniyeh, where they spoke about the humanitarian corridors in the besieged Gaza Strip following the persistent bombing and cutting off of food, electricity, and water supplies by the Israeli government.
In another letter dated October 16, Farber said she hoped that the ANC would show compassion to the Jewish community and condemn those responsible.
"The final nail in the coffin for me, was coming out of my holy Sabbath to hear my party's leader Cyril Ramaphosa tacitly justifying the way Hamas took up this issue and waged war.
"As for the mass murder of 1,300 Jews, this was dismissed with an empty comment stating, ‘we send condolences to Israel’,” the letter reads.
She added that it was not enough for the ANC which stands for human rights to just send condolences.
“I will continue to serve the People of South Africa however I will no longer serve the country under the banner of this organisation,” she said.
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