South Africa – Breaking News

What Kind of State?

by Nadia Hijab

Israelis fear that Obama will make them recognize Palestinian rights and force them to give up the Palestinian and Syrian territory they have been busy colonizing since 1967, notes Nadia Hijab.

Arab and Israeli commentators have pretty much outlined the speech Barack Obama will deliver in Egypt during his June visit, even though he is still meeting with the region’s leaders in Washington. While some are optimistic, many are fearful. Israelis fear that Obama will make them recognize Palestinian rights and force them to give up the Palestinian and Syrian territory they have been busy colonizing since 1967. Arabs fear Obama will announce that their leaders plan further concessions in the form of expanded normalization with Israel in the Arab and Islamic worlds before a full withdrawal and comprehensive peace. They also fear his speech will nix the Palestinian right of return, which is both an individual and a collective right under international law, and support Israel as a “Jewish state” instead of the state of all its citizens. There is agreement on one thing: The Obama administration wants to see a comprehensive peace centered on a two-state solution in its lifetime. If this is indeed the case, Palestinians and Israelis face an existential question: What kind of state will each have?

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Cops leave airport empty-handed

Saturady Star – March 06, 2010 Edition 1

By Bianca Capazorio

Claims that OR Tambo International Airport was used as an escape route for Mossad assassins could reignite old tensions between the South African security establishment and Israeli airline El Al, which has close links to the Israeli government.

The airline had already missed a February 28 deadline to clean up its act at South African airports when it became known that at least two of the alleged killers of a Palestinian arms smuggler in Dubai last month had left the Arab emirate on a flight for Joburg. Once there, they caught an El Al aircraft for Tel Aviv.

All 26 suspects left Dubai within 12 hours of the killing of Mahmoud Mabhouh on January 20. Mabhouh, believed to be running guns into Gaza for Hamas, was found dead in the five-star Al Bustan Rotana Hotel. It is believed that he was stunned before being suffocated.

Read More »Diplomatic row brews in hunt for assassins

Letter to Mercedes Benz

The CEO

 Mercedes Benz SA

  Sir

 The Media Review Network (MRN) is in possession of an email (see Attachment) being circulated by your Tax Manager Mr. Frank Booyzen. The letter accompanying the photographs and written in Afrikaans, smacks of 42and hate speech.

 At the outset, let me reiterate that the MRN denounces and condemns this most barbaric act in the strongest possible terms. What we also condemn is the failure of  Mr. Booyzen to verify the authenticity of the information provided by the caption of the photographs, that the act was  committed in the name of Islam and by Muslims in Iran. Nowhere in his article does he provide evidence that authenticates these assumptions.

 The Media Review Network is appalled that Mercedes Benz –SA, a company of repute, allows a senior staff member to abuse company time and resources to disseminate such unsubstantiated and distorted information.

  We therefore urge you to conduct an internal inquiry regarding this matter followed by appropriate disciplinary action.

 We expect too an apology from Mr. Booyzen to the Muslim Community of SA for this most insensitive Islamophobic conduct.

 Awaiting your urgent response,

  Yours Sincerely

 Ibrahim Vawda

 Snr Researcher

 Media Review Network

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My talk with Hamas about peace with Israel

By Helena Cobban

Washington – Since his first days in office, President Obama has defined winning a final peace between Israel and the Palestinians as an urgent US interest.

On Jan. 21 he named former Senate majority leader George Mitchell his envoy to achieve that peace, and Mr. Mitchell has since made four fact-finding trips to the Middle East. But neither has yet said how the administration will grapple with one of the biggest challenges that peace diplomacy faces: the continuing strength of the Palestinian Islamist movement, Hamas.

Hamas has been on the State Department’s "terrorism list" since its founding in 1987. It has steadfastly refused to recognize Israel. But it has also won – and kept – considerable popular support among Palestinians.

Read More »My talk with hamas about peace with Isarael