Pick ‘n Pay’s 2003 calendar

By Naseema Mall, IOL South Africa correspondent

DURBAN, October 17 (IslamOnline) - A major South African supermarket chain, Pick ‘n Pay, is currently embroiled in a controversy over the distribution of a calendar depicting the planned construction of a temple on the site of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem. 

The 2003 calendar portrays the temple in Jerusalem with the slogan “may the temple be speedily rebuilt in our days.”

Raymond Ackerman, the Chief Executive Officer of Pick ‘n Pay has been condemned by the South African Muslim community for his company’s unfailing support for Zionist Israel. 

Dr Iqbal Jassat, chairman of the Media Review Network - a media monitoring group based in South Africa - said that the calendar has reiterated Pick ‘n Pay’s ongoing moral and financial support for Israeli NGOs as well as the South African Jewish Board of Deputies. 

A letter to Ackerman from Jassat expressed discontentment within the South African Muslim community. 

“South African Muslims are fully cognizant of the fact that fundamentalist Jewish NGO’s operating in occupied Jerusalem, of which Temple Institute is one, are committed to build the Temple on the site of al-Haram al-Sharif with the view to perform Jewish sacrificial rituals there.”

The letter goes on to say, “support for the building of the Temple implies support for the destruction of Al-Aqsa. 

“Since the illegal occupation of Jerusalem by Israel in 1967, numerous incidents have been documented which record various attempts by Zionist zealots to destroy Al-Aqsa.”

A national campaign to boycott Pick ‘n Pay for its support for Israel was initiated prior to the distribution of the calendar and is gaining momentum, especially within the Muslim community which makes up a large component of Pick ‘n Pay’s clientele.

Jassat further laid emphasis on the resentment of the Muslim community saying, “we view Pick ‘n Pay’s association with the Temple Mount project as an affront to Muslims and as a hostile challenge to the integrity of Islam’s third holiest site.” 

The calendar has since been withdrawn, though the marketing director of Pick ‘n Pay, Jonathan Ackerman, responded to the letter saying, “among its many other community initiatives… the company sponsors an annual calendar for the Jewish community.

“The 2002/2003 calendar has inadvertently and most regrettably caused offence to certain sections of the Muslim community and, as a result, was withdrawn.” 

Lubna Nadvi, an academic and executive member of the Palestine Support Committee in Durban, said that Pick ‘n Pay has made a political statement.

“Pick ‘n Pay has acted irresponsibly and the PRO should have anticipated an outcry from not only the Muslim community, but all human rights activists,” she said. 

She also said that despite issuing an apology they have created antagonism and have to reexamine the position they are taking.

“As a company the concept they subscribe to shows a political bias.”

World Wide War Invasion into Gaza Arafat HQ Destroyed… In Pictures Homeless in Minutes War on Iraq.. World Reaction Palestine: Sharon To Meet Bush To Discuss U.S. Attack on Iraq Peres Defends Oslo, Says Far-Right's Blindness to Bring Catastrophe Hezbollah to Retaliate "Within Minutes" If Israel Hits Water Project Five Israelis Injured In A Bus Shooting Israel Abducts, Then Releases, Top Palestinian Muslim Official, Ekrima Sabri Iraq: Chirac Against One U.N. Resolution, Denies Iraq’s Link to Al-Qaeda All Iraqis Vote For Saddam, Opposition Cries Foul Play Bush’s Campaign Against Iraq May Lead to His Impeachment On Wheelchairs, Iraqi Handicaps Vote for Saddam Kuwaiti Teen With 10 Molotov Cocktails Arrested Near U.S. Military Complex Turkey’s Erdogan Resigns Top Party Post Saddam Did Not Threaten to Attack Qatar, Says FM Lynching 5 Dalits in Police Presence Exposes India’s Inhuman Caste System Churchmen Urge Arabs to Defend Iraq Against New War Bali C4 Standard Military Explosive Manufactured in U.S. Israeli Tanks Kill 8 Palestinians, Including 2 Children “Temple of Solomon” Calendar Causes Uproar in South Africa Bangladesh Blasts Time Magazine Story Yemen Admits “Terrorist Act” Behind Tanker Blast Second Australian Mosque Bombed, Threats of More Attacks Indonesian Police to Name Two Suspects in Bali Blast At Least 5 Killed, 144 Wounded in Philippine Blasts Hindu Extremist Calls For Suicide Squads to Fight “Islamic Terrorism” Egypt Celebrates Rebirth of Ancient Alexandria Library Bali Blast Heinous, Terrorist Crime, Say Al-Azhar Grand Imam, IWL Lebanon Inaugurates Wazzani Project Despite Israeli Threats India To Cut Troops From Pakistan Borders U.S. Army Set To Join Washington Sniper Hunt U.S. Boycotts Lebanon’s Water Project Opposed By Israel CIA Trapped in Its Own Game in Indonesia: Analysts Jordanian Officials: Committees Against Normalizing With Israel “Illegal” Pakistani Islamic Alliance To Nominate Scholar For PM Post Yesterday's News Advanced Search     News Archive : Day: 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31     Month: 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12   Year: 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999