Hi friends, 

After signing this petition, I wanted to share with you the steps you can take to urge your Representative to apply pressure to have South Africa's special trade privileges with the US revoked (you can also make a copy of this Google Doc here, edit the letter and then send as well):

1. Enter your zip code in here to find your representative: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
2. Then enter your address, and you’ll find your representative.
3. Click the email icon under your representative’s picture, and you’ll be taken to your representative’s contact page.
4. You’ll probably have to re-enter your address on their contact page to ensure you are one of their constituents. Then you can submit a letter like the one below (please edit as you see fit):

Dear Representative [Last Name],

As a [Jewish American who has lost whole sections of my ancestry to genocide in Auschwitz / friend of Jewish Americans who have lost whole sections of their ancestry to genocide in Auschwitz], I find it deeply offensive that South Africa is accusing Israel of such an atrocity. The inflammatory language used by South Africa to describe Israel's actions against Hamas - an organization known for its violent crimes including rape, murder and abduction - is not only inappropriate but also misleading. Why hasn't South Africa levied similar charges against the likes of Russia or Bashar al-Assad in Syria? Additionally, South Africa hypocritically tried to block UN censure of Burma, Sudan, and Zimbabwe for their gross human rights abuses.

Israel has been fighting against Hamas, which continues to hold many innocent individuals hostage underground. If Israel had intended to commit genocide against Gazans as alleged by South Africa, they could have done so already. On the contrary, if Hamas were given free rein in Israel, we have seen what their genocidal ambitions look like.

South Africa's government makes no attempts to hide its anti-Israel bias. Within one week of Hamas' brutal murder and abduction of 1,400 people from Israel, South Africa's President and ruling party, the African National Congress (ANC), led a march waving Palestinian flags while wearing the traditional keffiyeh. Jews in South Africa feel abandoned by their government and see this as a slap in the face, especially since Jewish South Africans were notably involved in anti-apartheid political activities.

Currently, South Africa enjoys preferential trade access to the US, which is due to expire in 2025, through the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). AGOA gives more than 30 African nations duty-free access to the US. South Africa is desperate to extend and further strengthen this agreement. According to Bloomberg, "US lawmakers have separately pushed the Biden administration to review South Africa’s access to AGOA amid frustration over the country’s non-aligned position toward Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, its stance on the Israel-Hamas war and because they deem it too developed to qualify."

Therefore, I am asking my representative, Congressman Jefferson Van Drew to apply pressure on Capitol Hill for the US to withdraw South Africa's preferential trade access under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) until the South African government reverses its stance against Israel. While I recognize and support the continuation and enhancement of AGOA, due to its substantial economic benefits for participating African countries, I assert that South Africa should be excluded from the list of AGOA-eligible nations until it amends its position.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]