Palestine – Features

By Patrick  O’Connor

(source: Worl Socialist Website)

The reaction of governments around the world to the murder of Hamas member Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in Dubai last month underscores the extent to which basic precepts of international law have been torn up under the “war on terror”. As far as the US government and its allies are concerned, extra-judicial executions and so-called targeted killings now constitute a legitimate state activity and do not warrant comment, let alone condemnation.

While the Israeli government has refused to confirm or deny any involvement, its intelligence agency, Mossad, is widely understood to be directly responsible for the Dubai operation. The Obama administration has maintained a strict silence over the affair, while the governments of Britain, Australia, France, Germany and Ireland have merely issued pro forma protests over the doctoring of their passports. None has condemned Mabhouh’s murder.

Read More »The dubai assassination the war on terror

By Kim Hawkey

(source: Sunday Times – April 18,2010)

Row over bar mitzvah deepens after Achmat refuses to apologise. Activist Zackie Achmat has hit back at the country’s chief rabbi in the war of words over a 13-year-old boy’s bar mitzvah.

Yesterday, Achmat spoke out for the first time about chief rabbi Warren Goldstein’s plan to sue him over statements he made about his handling of Justice Richard Goldstone’s reported exclusion from his grandson’s bar mitzvah.

Achmat remained firm in his stance that the rabbi was a neo-conservative.

Read More »The activist the rabbi the judge

By Dr Firoz Osman

(source: BusinessDay,Published: 23/07/2010 Pg 10)

If Allister Sparks expects Rabbi Warren Goldstein to apologise to Judge Richard Goldstone for his damning report castigating Israel for committing atrocities against the Palestinians in its Gaza invasion, it will be a long wait indeed. (The chief rabbi owes Judge Goldstone an abject apology, July 21).

The rabbi’s primary function is to defend Israel, right or wrong. He does not see the Palestinians as a people who are occupied, oppressed, and dispossessed.

In a report in the Jewishjournal.com in 2003, “the selection committee, which included a diverse range of Jewish groups, recommended Rabbi Warren Goldstein from a short list of five. The decision by the Union of Orthodox Synagogues selected him over four other older and more experienced rabbi s”.

One criterion was that the appointee be South African-born or someone who had lived in SA during the transition from apartheid to democracy and who understood SA’s politics. Previous chief rabbis have all been born abroad.

A critical factor in the appointment was that the candidate also had to be a Zionist, which means defending Israel even when it commits war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Other appointments elected around the same time included Yehuda Kay, 28, national director of the South African Jewish Board of Deputies; Zev Krengel, 31, chairman of the board’s council in the Johannesburg area, where most South African Jews live; Mr Krengel’s brother, Avrom, 35, chairman of the South African Zionist Federation; all of whom joined Rabbi Goldstein in condemning Judge Goldstone.

One of Rabbi Goldstein’s main stated goals was “advocating for Israel in a country where most sympathies lie with the Palestinians”. This would include defending Israel for the … starvation of one-and-half million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, and the massacre of nine civilians on the Turkish ship Mavi Marmara in international waters, delivering humanitarian aid to the indigent.

The rabbi has long jettisoned “principles, truth and justice” when it comes to Israel, together with his integrity.

Read More »Job is to defend Isarael

The invitation extended to Tzipi Livni, Leader of the Kadima Party by the South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) to visit South Africa displays their callous insensitivity for the lives lost during Operation Cast Lead (OCL) in 26 December 2008 to 18 January 2009. 

This operation resulted in the loss of life and maiming of Gazans during air and land attacks on civilians in their homes, schools and hospitals.  We therefore fully support the Media Review Network and Palestine Solidarity Alliance with their legal process to have Livni arrested and prosecuted.  This is possible and necessary as South Africa is a signatory to the Rome Statute. South Africa cannot host an individual with a track record of aggression and violent subjugation on a nation already weakened by Israeli imposed sanctions.

As citizens of this country, we object to this invitation forwarded to Livni by the SAJBD as it portrays their disregard for the values and standards of human rights, dignity and respect which our democracy affords us. 

Further the SAJBD cannot be allowed to celebrate and hail an individual who led and justified an offensive condemned by international human rights groups eg. Human Rights Watch, Red Cross, UN Relief in Gaza whilst our honorable leaders of our community such as Emeritus Desmond Tutu, Judge Goldstone and the ever increasing international community continue to mobilize support for the people of Gaza.

MUSLIM JUDICIAL COUNCIL

Website: www.mjc.org.za

Read More »Mjc press statement arrest war criminal livni