A stark Contrast in Responses too the Gaza Conflict
The recent attempt to โขsail a flotilla towards Gaza, spearheaded by Mandla Mandela, grandson of Nelson Mandela, has sparked controversy, particularly given the cynical nature of the โคpublicity surrounding it. Mandela initially engaged in actions that prompted accusations of misconduct – details of which remain unspecified in available reports – and subsequently claimed to have been “abducted” and in need of rescue. The swift acceptanceโข of this narrativeโค by some media outlets was striking,with Google searches for “Mandla Mandela” evenโข suggesting “kidnapped” as anโ autofill option.
This incident drew criticism โคnot only for its manipulative intent but also for the insensitive comparison drawn between Mandela’s staged situation โคand the genuine trauma experienced by Israeli โขhostages abducted on October 7th. The suffering endured by those โhostages, and their families, is immeasurable.
However, amidst this controversy, a different narrative emerged from within the Mandela family. While Mandla Mandela sought attention โขthrough a questionable stunt,โค his cousins, Zaziwe Dlamini-Manaway and Zamaswazi (Swati) Dlamini-Mandela, quietly โฃembarked โon a mission of direct aidโ and understanding.
Arriving in Israel on September 27th, theโ sisters dedicated five days to learning firsthand about the situation in Gaza and actively participating in humanitarian efforts. they distributed aid to over 10,000 women and children inโข Gaza, alongside โฃthe gaza Humanitarian Fund. Their itinerary included meetings with israeli President Isaacโ Herzog,โฃ visits to the Old City of Jerusalem, and conversations with diverse groups including women’s organizations, Palestinian artists, and Ethiopian-Israelis.
Crucially, they also visited sites directly impacted by the October 7th attacks โค- Nir Oz and the Nova Festival site – and met with โfamilies of โvictims and hostages, including Rachel Goldberg-Polin, whose son Hersh was tragically killedโ by Hamas after beingโ taken hostage.
The sisters’ experience offered aโ nuanced perspective, contrasting sharply with the โsimplified narratives โขfrequently โขenough presented inโ the media. They โขobserved a significant flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza, contradicting reports of โwidespread starvation.โข โขAs they shared with the Jewish Report, “Reports in the media have led us to believe that there was โฃlittle or no aid going into Gaza. This couldn’t be further from the truthโฆwe also saw that tonnes of aid were being delivered โdaily by humanitarian โคorganisations.”
They concluded that “the suffering is โฃon both sides,” witnessing “painโฃ everywhere,but also people refusing to give up onโฃ peace.” Their approach, rootedโข in direct engagement and a commitment to understanding all perspectives, embodies theโ spirit of their grandfather, Nelson Mandela, a legacy seemingly absent from the actions of Mandla Mandela and his flotilla. The sisters’ work demonstrates a tangible impact on the lives of Palestinians, exceeding the potential ofโข symbolic gestures like the flotilla itself.
