It's Almost Supernatural

From the Horses Mouth, But No One Listens

I wish all the fools who support the 'democratically elected' murderers in Gaza would listen to what they actually say. All the talk of a secular democratic state, led by these 'democratically elected' Islamic terrorists makes me puke.

Today, on the anniversary of the UN decision to partition the British Palestine Mandate into two states (after 80% of it had already been lopped off and turned into Transjordan in 1922), Hamas has issued a childish call to revoke the partition.

Now, listen to what they say and think again before you advocate a South African style single state solution. Think again before you tell me that Hamas has problems with Israelis; not Jews.

Hamas on Thursday called on the UN to rescind the 1947 decision to partition Palestine into two states, one for Jews and one for Arabs. The group said in a statement, released on the 60th anniversary of the UN vote, that "Palestine is Arab Islamic land, from the river to the sea, including Jerusalem... there is no room in it for the Jews."

Missing Headlines

Yesterday the Palestinians fired 20 mortars and two Kassams from Gaza into Israel. Israel responded by firing on a Hamas base in Gaza.

The headline in The Times:"Israeli Jet Strikes Hamas Stronghold".

I couldn't find a single local newspaper headline mentioning the Palestinian attacks.

A Failed Diplomacy?

Here's a not-so-warm-and-fuzzy but probably accurate take by Brett Stephens on why the Annapolis conference is going ahead: The Annapolis Fiasco

Henry Kissinger once observed that "when enough prestige has been invested in a policy it is easier to see it fail than abandon it." At the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., next week, the current secretary of state will illustrate her predecessor's point.

Message from Palestinian and Israeli Civil Society to the International Conference on the Middle Eastern Conflict

I have been reading the latest issue of Islamic Focus and came across what I think is a cleverly worded message from Palestinian and Israeli civil society to the International Conference set to start in Annapolis tomorrow.

I think it’s a great starting point for negotiations and gives both sides something on the refugees, Jerusalem, and the settlements/territory. It allows

• A solution to the refugee problem that does not involve a blanket ‘right of return’ into Israel
• An end to the occupation whilst still allowing Israel to retain major settlement blocs (it says ‘the evacuation of all Jewish settlements from within the final borders of the State of Palestine’)
• Jerusalem can remain united whilst also assuming the role of a shared capital of the two states

Whilst I still remain a believer in the unilateral approach (am I the only one left?) I also remain a pragmatist. The Annapolis conference will take place. And since it is taking place I can’t help but praise this statement as an effective joint statement to open the talks.

Yes, the statement does not address the key final status item of security, but to be honest security is the one issue where civil society members won't have the ability to make any positive contributions.

The statement was issued by Palestinian peace activist Walid Saliem. Regular readers may remember that Saliem was forced to cancel his 'coexistence' speaking tour to South Africa last year following an intimidation campaign launched by the Palestine Solidarity Committee (PSC).

Message from Palestinian and Israeli Civil Society to the International Conference on the Middle Eastern Conflict The people of Palestine and Israel call upon President Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to begin immediately intensified negotiations to conclude, by the end of 2008, a genuine peace agreement based upon: the Arab Peace Initiative and the previous agreements signed between the two sides; the implementation of UN Security Council Resolutions 242, 338 and 1397; a fair agreed-upon solution to the Palestinian refugees problem in consideration of General Assembly Resolution 194; the end of the Israeli occupation; the evacuation of all Jewish settlements from within the final borders of the State of Palestine; and a solution for Jerusalem based upon keeping it as one city but establishing it as the capital of the two states: Palestine and Israel. Such an agreement should have a timetable and a mechanism for implementation, and be conducive to the establishment of an Independent, sovereign Palestinian state within the borders of the 4th of June 1967, with limited mutually agreed-upon 1:1 swaps to meet the vital needs of the two states. This agreement should be implemented immediately and be completed by the establishment of the Palestinian state no later than the end of 2009. And with its implementation, both sides will declare an end to the conflict, opening the door to a comprehensive peace settlement to the Arab-Israeli conflict. In setting out to achieve this goal, we call upon the two leaders to work out a results-based implementation plan with clear benchmarks that will concretely reflect positive changes in the life of the Palestinian and Israeli people, and to provide peace, respect for human rights and security to the two peoples. For communication and adding more signatures: Please contact Walid Salem: Email: walid - at - panoramacenter.org fax: 00972-2-6283351

Update

Islamic Focus is an Islamic newspaper that continues to surprise. Take a look at this week’s issue featuring an article on “The Other Right of Return” by Khaleb Diab. Diab writes about the 750 000 Jews who were forced out of their Arab homes after the establishment of the State of Israel.

Palestinians have not been the Middle East’s only victims. We Arabs should recall the many Jews who paid the price for the Arab-Israeli conflict.

Here’s the link from where you can download issue 13 of this progressive Islamic monthly.

Unhelpful South Africa Off to Annapolis

It seems that the US has sent a belated invite to South Africa to attend the Israeli-Arab conference in Annapolic scheduled to start tomorrow.

Peter Fabricius reports in the Sunday Independent

After long uncertainty, the United States has invited South Africa to participate in the Middle East peace conference, which starts tomorrow in Annapolis, near Washington DC. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the foreign minister, will represent South Africa, the department of foreign affairs announced on Friday. Palestine Authority President Mahmoud Abbas had asked South Africa to attend the summit some time ago, but South Africa did not receive an invitation from the US until a few days ago, sources said. The department said that representatives of the Middle East "quartet" (the European Union, the United Nations, the US and Russia), the Arab League, the UN security council, the G8 and the Organisation of the Islamic Conference were among those expected to attend.

South Africa has time and again demonstrated their inability to play any meaningful role as a peace mediator between Israel and the Palestinians. I'm sad to say that I would prefer it if my country rather didn't show up.

And it is sad, because South Africa really should be in a position to share lessons in two crucial areas - the ineffectiveness of violence and the roots of compromise.

I wrote about this a while ago in Lessons from Apartheid South Africa.

Is Zapiro Crazy?

Yesterday on Talk Radio 702 I heard that the local Muslim community are furious about a recent Zapiro cartoon. I was shocked. Apart from his 2 or 3 cartoons skinning Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for his Holocaust denial conference (where one of Zapiro's own cartoons would probably have won!), he never singles out Muslims the way he does Jews.

It all made sense when I saw the cartoon. Zapiro was not singling out Muslims or Arabs. He was having ago at all overly sensitive "believers".

But he drew a picture of Allah. Is he crazy?

Click here to see the cartoon.

Note: Despite my issues with Zapiro, I have to admit that he is one of the most talented cartoonists in South Africa and perhaps beyond.

ACDP Calls for Greater African Israel Ties

The President of the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP), Reverent Kenneth Meshoe, in his address to his party’s annual conference condemned most African states for not defending Israel at the United Nations. Citing Genesis 12:3 “those who bless you (Israel), I will bless, and those who curse you (Israel) I will curse”, Reverent Meshoe called for embracing Israel to be part of Africa’s renaissance strategy.

Almost a third of the speech was dedicated to strengthening Israel-African relations. Using Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as case studies, Reverent Meshoe demonstrated the modern political manifestations of Geniss 12:3’s biblical prophecy. During the 50’s and 60’s Israel enjoyed strong relations with many newly independent African states. Zionism and African nationalism were in many ways seen as twin ideologies. The Jewish state although not particularly wealthy, nevertheless made a significant contribution to sustainable development on the continent. It ran numerous training programs particularly in agriculture, and was also responsible for building hospitals and schools through sub-Saharan Africa.

But following the 1973 Yom Kippur war and the Arab oil embargo, its relationships with many African states were shattered. The lure of Arab petrodollar resulted in many African leaders breaking diplomatic ties with the Jewish state. As Reverent Meshoe explained in the case of Zambia, Jews were chased from the country. Their property and businesses were confiscated by the government. In time, the agricultural projects that the Israelis had helped develop collapsed and the Zambian economy suffered. So while President Kaunda receive a lavish state house from his new Arab friends, it was the Zambian people that had to bear the brunt of this policy. The lesson Reverent Meshoe draws from this experience is that support for Israel is not only morally right but is in fact also in Africans best interest.

While common in Western countries, such unashamed support for Israel from leading politicians is extremely rare in South Africa. Reverent Meshoe and the ACDP deserve much praise for this brave stand. But this is not a once off occurrence. ACDP members regularly picket outside parliament calling on the South African government to be more even handed in its Middle East policy. Moreover, their parliamentarians have never shied away from opposing one sided ANC resolutions denouncing the Jewish state.

We so often focus our energy on trying to counter or curry favour with those who are against Israel, that we sometimes lose sight of and neglect our friends. The South African Jewish community owes a great debt of gratitude to Reverend Meshoe and his ACDP. I personally would like to thank them for their work and extend a hand of co-operation and friendship. Perhaps on a micro level, a strong alliance between the ACDP and ourselves could serve as a blue-print for Reverend Meshoe’s vision of greater Africa-Israel relations.

Is Anyone Listening?

Al-Jazeera reports - Saudi Court Punishes Rape Victim

A friend sent me the following e-mail about this sad injustice which I thought I'd share.

I was told by someone to take a thin branch off a Jacaranda tree, and strip it of its foliage. This, I was told, is similar to a bamboo strip, the weapon used to whip a raped woman 200 times, because the rape was of her own doing.

I challenge you all to pluck a thin branch of a Jacaranda, strip its foliage as I did, and whip your upper arm just once.

I did.

I screamed in pain.

Can you then imagine this same pain inflicted 200 times on your back? No, I don't think you can. Another culture believes this kind of cruelty is a part of their law and rightly so. Saudi Arabia wishes its women to live a kind of life no South African of sound mind would even consider. If she is raped, SHE has 'asked for it' . She has gone out without a male family escort therefore she is guilty of procuring her own rape. This woman was raped 5 times by a group of men, all of whom recieved some mild form of punishment. She however is physically tortured, and imprisoned for the crime of visiting a friend.

The world watches, and UNESCO pretends to watch.

It then proudly names Israel as a #1 abuser of human rights.

What?

Gill

Egypt Islamic Jihad Founder Rethinking Violence and Jihad

Here's an interesting story that I saw on Al-Jazeera today. (I can't find the link on Al-Jazeera.Net but I did find the story on Islamonline - Egypts Jihad Rethinks Militancy)

The founder and top ideologist of Egypts' Islamic Jihad, Dr. Sayed Imam, says he was wrong about the use of violence in Jihad.

Sayed Imam is the author of a book that helped mould many militant group ideologies, including Al-Qaedia. In the 1990s Al-Qaeda's second in command, Ayman El-Zawahiri, was Dr. Sayed Imam's right-hand man. Al-Jazeera reported that El-Zawahiri is furious with Sayed's calls to limit violence.

His document calling for a review of the interpretation of Jihad focuses particularly on Muslim-on-Muslim violence in Muslim countries but it could go as far as calling for an end to the slaying of civilians in 'occupied countries'.

I won't get too excited about this, nevertheless I do believe it is a story worth following. (Perhaps messrs Chomsky, Fisk and Finkelstein will convince Imam to drop the calls for change?)

Did You Know

According to the imam of the famous Al-Aksa mosque in Jerusalem, Sheik Abu Sneina, “you must follow the last prophet” whom God has sent. If you do not then you will be killed, under God’s blowtorch, just as God sanctioned the death of millions of Jews who were grilled alive by Hitler.

So be careful ye of no faith.

(Taken from “The Trouble with Islam Today” by Irshad Manji)