Ben Turok was a South African politician, economist, and anti-apartheid activist. Turok was born to poor working-class Jewish parents in Byelorussia in 1927, who were radicalized by the secular Jewish socialist Bundist movement. He served as a long-time Member of Parliament for the African National Congress (ANC) and played a pivotal role in the drafting of the South African Freedom Charter.
As one of the iconic figures in the struggle against apartheid, Turok was famously among the accused in the 1956 Treason Trial alongside Nelson Mandela. He held key positions on the ANC’s economic policy committee and continued to provide theoretical guidance to the liberation movement during his exile. After South Africa’s transition to democracy, he dedicated himself to social and economic policy research, founding and editing the journal New Agenda. Throughout his life, he was a staunch advocate for integrity and justice, widely regarded as one of the “moral compasses” of South African politics.
Leveraging his influence within the ANC and international socialist movements, Turok was a lifelong supporter of Palestinian self-determination. He vehemently condemned Israeli occupation policies, arguing that after defeating apartheid, South Africa had a moral obligation to support other nations facing similar oppression. He once pointed out that the victory of democracy at home would be incomplete if human rights were not defended internationally. He signed a statement titled “We fought apartheid; we see no reason to celebrate it in Israel now!“, which read:
When we think of the Sharpeville massacre of 1960,
we also remember the Deir Yassin massacre of 1948.When we think of South Africa’s Bantustan policy,
we remember the bantustanisation of Palestine by the Israelis.When we think of our heroes who languished on Robben Island and elsewhere,
we remember the 11,000 Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli jails.When we think of the massive land theft perpetrated against the people of South Africa,
we remember that the theft of Palestinian land continues with the building of illegal Israeli settlements and the Apartheid Wall.When we think of the Group Areas Act and other such Apartheid legislation,
we remember that 93% of the land in Israel is reserved for Jewish use only.……Apartheid was a gross violation of human rights. It was so in South Africa and it is so with regard to Israel’s persecution of the Palestinians!