Paradigm Shift Your Life

Is there anything worse than the Zionists blind support of Israel?

2014-08-15T08:43:00.002+02:00

Zionists, and supporters of the State of Israel, have long been accused of blindly supporting Israel. Around the world, Zionists have long been accused of supporting Israel, blindly.

In South Africa, COSATU has accused Israel’s supporters and governments of the world who “turn a blind eye to these injustices”. The BDS movement in South Africa has rallying calls against “right wing groups’ blind support for Israel”. There are even some Jews, and people of Jewish descent, who proudly declare that they distance themselves from South African Jewish organisations and their “blind support for Israel's disproportionate actions” when Israel addresses the threat from Hamas.

I am a Zionist. I support Israel. And, to COSATU, BDS, a handful of Jews, and many people around the world, I am considered a “blind supporter of Israel”.

When I consider the term “blind”, I think of an individual who cannot see, or of someone whose eyes are closed. I think of someone who cannot discriminate between two, or more, options. I think of someone who is unable to evaluate options and consider alternatives.

When I think of the word “blind”, images of someone blindfolded are conjured up in my mind. “Blind” reminds me of someone driving in the dark, with no street lights or car lights. When I think of the word “blind” I imagine someone who is directionless, who cannot deliberately turn in a direction they wish to go, since they really cannot see which way is best to turn.

When I consider my support for Israel, I would never have thought that my support was a “blind” support. I always thought that my support for Israel was deliberate and intentional. I did not ever think that my support was blind, as some people would have me think. I would never have thought that I was blind when I read Israel’s declaration of independence that states that the State of Israel:

“...will be based on freedom, justice and peace as envisaged by the prophets of Israel; it will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex; it will guarantee freedom of religion, conscience, language, education and culture; it will safeguard the Holy Places of all religions”.

I have never considered myself “blind” when on all my visits to Israel, I see churches, mosques and synagogues, all standing, and operational, within Israel’s main cities.

I have never thought of myself as being “blind” when I researched the history of Jerusalem. I did not consider myself as being blind to the fact that between 1948 and 1967, 57 ancient synagogues, libraries and Jewish religious centres were ransacked and destroyed. I did not think I was “blind” for being proud of Israel’s capturing of Jerusalem in 1967, and granting access to all holy sites for members of all religions.

I have never considered myself as being “blind” to Israel’s social issues, and the way she deals with those issues. I have never thought of myself as being “blind” when I see Israel prosecuting individuals who violate people’s human rights. I have not been “blind” to the widespread condemnation from the Israeli government, and within Israeli society, to the murder of Mohammad Abu Khieder, an Arab teenager.

I have never thought of myself as being “blind” when I acknowledge the social dysfunction that exists in some of Israel’s communities. I have never considered myself as being “blind” when I sympathise with the suffering of Israelis and Palestinians, and long for a peaceful coexistence between the two people’s.

When Israel defends itself against an existential threat, I did not think I was “blind” when I read the Hamas charter attitude towards Jews that states:

“The time will not come until Muslims will fight the Jews (and kill them); until the Jews hide behind rocks and trees, which will cry: O Muslim! There is a Jew hiding behind me, come on and kill him!”

I was not “blind” when I saw Israel’s call to all people of all religions to help build the nation. I also did not consider myself “blind”, when reading, in the Hamas charter, that peace with Israel is not an option:

“Peace initiatives, the so-called peaceful solutions, and the international conferences to resolve the Palestinian problem, are all contrary to the beliefs of the Islamic Resistance Movement. For renouncing any part of Palestine means renouncing part of the religion”

I am, as a Zionist, referred to as "blind". People who accuse me of being blind, can, as opposed to me, clearly see. And I call on you to use that facility of sight and indeed see.

I expect people to continue calling me “blind”. But I want you to see that it’s easier to accuse me of being “blind”, than to possibly consider that my support for Israel is deliberate and well thought through. You see, it’s difficult for Israel’s detractors to acknowledge that Zionists support Israel because Israel, despite its social and political issues, is a country and society that is founded on pluralism, equality before the law and respect for all religions. Israel’s detractors expect me to abandon Israel when a racist attack takes place on an Arab teenager. But, you see, I refuse to abandon Israel simply because of some perverted racists, in the same way I refuse to abandon South Africa when some perverted South African attacks an Afrikaner farming family, or some other perverted South African attacks a Malawian shop-owner.

I am not “blind” to Israel’s dark lights and sad flaws, and am certainly not “blind” to the brilliance and brightness of what Israel stands for.

You see, I am willing to forgive you, people who accuse me of “blindly’ supporting Israel. I forgive you for your deeply offensive suggestion, that my support for Israel is not thought through, or deliberate. I forgive you for your proposition that my support for Israel is not based on my belief in mutual respect and pluralism and my appreciation of Israel as a fascinating, and flawed, beautiful country. I forgive you for your derogatory assumption, that my support for Israel is not based on reason and fairness. I forgive you for your baseless hypothesis that my intellectual brain and my sympathising heart are not fully engaged when I consider my support for Israel, and when I acknowledge the suffering of Palestinians.

You see, there is one thing that is far worse than the Zionists blind support of Israel...

And that is people’s blind hatred of Zionists

Hamas tells the BDS movement to F-Off

2014-08-07T13:30:00.001+02:00

(Important Note: All quotes below, from the Hamas Charter, are REAL)

Zionist Propaganda

The Zionist regime has presented a one-sided, propaganda filled narrative of the Hamas movement and its intentions.

Zionists claim that Hamas wants Israel destroyed

The Zionists claim that Hamas wants to destroy the State of Israel. To this end, the Zionists quote the following from the Hamas charter (click on quote to see more Hamas charter details):

"Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it."

The Zionists claim that Hamas wants all Jews to be killed

The Zionists also claim that Hamas wants all Jews dead. They support this absurd claim, by citing another passage from the Hamas charter:

"The Day of Judgment will not come about until Moslems fight Jews and kill them. Then, the Jews will hide behind rocks and trees, and the rocks and trees will cry out: 'O Moslem, there is a Jew hiding behind me, come and kill him"

The Zionists claim that Hamas is not interested in a peaceful, negotiated 2 State solution

While the world believes Israel is being oversensitive, and encourages Israel to negotiate with Hamas, the Zionists claim that Hamas are not interested in negotiation. To support this claim, the Zionists cite the following passage from the Hamas charter:

"Peace initiatives, and so-called peaceful solutions and international conferences are in contradiction to the principles of the Islamic Resistance Movement... Those conferences are no more than a means to appoint the infidels as arbitrators in the lands of Islam... There is no solution for the Palestinian problem except by Jihad. Initiatives, proposals and international conferences are but a waste of time, an exercise in futility."

Zionists claim the tunnels are aimed at committing terror attacks

The Zionists also claim that the Hamas tunnels are aimed at committing widespread terror attacks. The Zionists go on to say that Hamas has used the tunnels, and still intends to use the tunnels, to murder civilian Israeli children

The Zionist propaganda machine

The Zionist propaganda machine continues to mislead the world. The Hamas charter appears to be anti anti-Israel, anti-peace and anti-Jew. But the world must not be misled by the Zionists. When Hamas calls for the end of Israel, the murder of Jews and the terminating of any peace initiatives or negotiations, Hamas really mean it allegorically. The simple-minded, hate-filled Zionists, take all these Hamas charter statements far too literally.

What about the tunnels?

The Zionists are concerned about the tunnels. They are extremely paranoid and believe that the tunnels will be used to conduct terror raids on Israeli towns and villages. Contrary to the propaganda (spewing from the mouths of Netanyahu, Regev and Lerner) the tunnels are not intended for terror or to enable the killing of innocent children and women. The tunnels are not tools that will enable the fulfilment of the Hamas charter principles (some of which are noted above).

Rather...

In the biggest snub to the Anti-Israel BDS movement, Khaled Meshaal and Ismail Haniya have declared Hamas' true purpose for, and intentions behind, the tunnels:

The tunnels enable Hamas agents to buy high-quality Israeli-made products, direct from within Israel.

After all, just like the Zionists, Hamas also doesn't like paying retail

I respect the Taliban: The only true supporters of the BDS campaign

2014-08-03T23:04:00.001+02:00

BDS.

Boycott. Divestment. Sanctions.

The BDS campaign aims to drive consumers, NGOs and political bodies away from any type of support for Zionist, or Zionist aligned, businesses.

For example, the BDS movement calls for a boycott of Soda Stream, a business owned by Zionists, and based in, what is often referred to as, Occupied Palestine.

The Taliban are at the forefront of the BDS movement. The Taliban have recognized that, to a larger or lesser degree, modern cellphones, computer processors, Internet applications and GPS navigation systems are all reliant on Zionist technology. The Taliban have decided to shun most of these devices and technologies.

The Taliban have also realised that modern medical science has been influenced by the Zionists, and for this reason too, modern medical science is not tolerated within Taliban controlled areas.

The Zionists have also penetrated the industry of agriculture. Here too, the Taliban have avoided all use of modern irrigation systems, since the Zionist enterprise has helped develop such systems.

The noble Taliban have taken the BDS campaign very seriously. They have decided to shun all cellphone and computer based technologies. They have outlawed the use of modern medical science and modern farming techniques in all the towns and villages that they control.

The Taliban are the only true supporters of the BDS campaign. They acknowledge that the Zionist enterprise pervades all aspects of modern technological, medical and agricultural scientific development. To that end, they have gone all the way, to the point where they live simple lives within the caves of Afganistan's mountains.

I call on every self respecting, true and honest supporter of the BDS movement:

Go and join them!

What was there, before the Jewish Occupation of Palestine?

2014-08-02T19:51:00.000+02:00

Palestine. Israel. The Land of Israel.

These are just some names given to a piece of land that, in this world, is small in size but large in impact. The names of this piece of land are disputed. It would be a blessing to mankind if only the name was disputed.

The land itself is disputed. Many parties claim the land to be theirs. Many people are willing to die for the land, and many more are willing to kill for the land.

Religious Jews, claim that the land was promised to them by God. Their Torah describes how God promised the land to Jews, to be their spiritual homeland for eternity. They go even further than quoting verses from their Torah. To these Jews, their religious practices, dating back more than 2000 years, are intertwined with the land. Daily prayer services require these Jews to face Palestine. These Jews go on to say that according to their religious dictates, many religious services and practices can only be practiced in Palestine.

These Jews believe that their two Temples, representing God's home on earth, were located in Jerusalem. To them, Jerusalem has not only been sacred for thousands of years, it is, to them, the centre of the universe. Remnants of that second temple still stand in Jerusalem today, one wall of which is referred to as the Wailing Wall.

There is a small group of religious Jews, numbering a few hundred, who oppose the current form of Jewish governance of Israel. They want the Jewish Messiah to return, before Jews govern the land of Palestine. Despite their opposition to the current State of Israel, make no mistake that the belief is indeed universal among all religious Jews: Palestine is the physical and spiritual homeland of the Jews.

However, not all Jews are religious. Most Jews, from a religious practices perspective, are non-practicing Jews. Most of these Jews claim that Palestine is the homeland for the Jews for other reasons. These Jews cite multiple, differing, reasons for their support of the homeland for the Jews. Some cite the historical archeological evidence, dating back thousands of years. These people claim that the archeological evidence in Palestine shows a long history of rich Jewish culture and practices. Other non-religious Jews cite the long history of Jewish settlement in the land of Palestine. While Jews have not ruled over the land since the Roman destruction of Jerusalem, these Jewish supporters of the Jewish homeland claim evidence of unbroken, albeit at times limited, Jewish settlement within the land of Palestine.

There are other Jews, who cite the long history of anti-semitism, as being a reason for Jews to have a homeland of their own. And there are Jews, who from a cultural and social perspective, acknowledge the deep connection of the Jewish people to the land.

There are Jews who do not see a religious, social, historical or cultural connection of the Jews to the land of Palestine. For these Jews, they believe that Jews have no claim to the land of Palestine. I live in South Africa, and there are some Jews, or people of Jewish descent, who oppose Jewish claims to the land of Palestine. These Jews are vocal, and some of them are prominent members of government, business or the entertainment industry. While the group gains attention with 'not in our name' campaigns, they number approximately 200 individuals. The rest of the 75, 000 South African Jews, or people of Jewish descent, unashamedly support the concept of the land of Palestine being the homeland of the Jews.

Mecca is central to Islam and Moslems. A Moslem, for example in Jerusalem, faces Mecca during prayer. Likewise, a Jew, anywhere in the world, faces Jerusalem during prayer. There are indeed many people around the world who oppose Jewish settlement of the land of Palestine. Jews have been accused of 'Judaizing' Jerusalem. To most Jews (not the 200 'not-in-our-name' South African Jews and their ilk), the accusation of 'Judaizing' Jerusalem or 'Judaizing' the land of Palestine, would be akin to accusing Moslems of 'Islamizing' Mecca, or Catholics of 'Catholicizing' the Vatican. From a religious perspective, or a cultural perspective (or both), Jerusalem, and the land of Palestine, is central to Judaism and Jews.

So, what was there before the Jewish Occupation Of Palestine?

The Jews' Pre-Occupation With Palestine

I can no longer defend Israel

2013-04-19T10:15:00.002+02:00

I can no longer defend Israel

At 5 years old, I went with my family on my first trip to Israel. That trip, and every subsequent trip, has left me with a sense of pride and love for the State of Israel.

Despite Israel’s social issues (for example the integration of immigrants, and the influx of illegal migrants) and despite the lack of progress being made with the ‘peace process’, I have always admired Israel for its pluralistic, multi cultural society, and it’s socially sensitive policies.

Coming from South Africa, and growing up in Apartheid South Africa, Israel has represented for me, everything that Apartheid South Africa was not.

If the State of Israel was West, Apartheid South Africa was East. There was no link, connection or association between the two. And I loved that about my visits to Israel.

Despite knowing that they will probably be deported as illegal immigrants, I have long admired the black Muslim refugees who have risked their lives, trying to make their way to Israel.

I respect people like Simon Deng, a black Sudanese former slave, and leading human rights activist, who despite the opposition to his views, rallies in support of Israel as a free, democratic state, where all religions are protected, and racial, as well as religious, discrimination is outlawed.

I have loved the State of Israel as a country where members of parliament included Muslims, Jews, Christians and Druze. Members of parliament are light skinned and dark skinned. Members of parliament speak Arabic, Hebrew, English and Yiddish.

Israel’s Declaration of Independence makes it clear that the State of Israel:

“will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex; it will guarantee freedom of religion, conscience, language, education and culture; it will safeguard the Holy Places of all religions.”

The Declaration of Independence goes on, to call on all inhabitants of the State to help build the State, as equal members of the State. This is stated as follows:

“WE APPEAL - in the very midst of the onslaught launched against us now for months - to the Arab inhabitants of the State of Israel to preserve peace and participate in the upbuilding of the State on the basis of full and equal citizenship and due representation in all its provisional and permanent institution”.

This diversity was not what I grew up with in Apartheid South Africa.

Since Jerusalem’s re-unification in 1967, Israel has guaranteed access to all holy sites for all religions. Further, the Israel government embarked on multiple projects aimed at restoring Muslim, Christian and Jewish holy sites.

I have always loved the fact that Israel is a melting pot of races, nationalities and religions. In many ways, for me, Jerusalem represented the light that could combat Pretoria’s darkness.

Jerusalem’s many faces, with its plethora of Mosques, Churches and Synagogues has been, for most of my life, an inspiration. I have long felt that Jerusalem is a city where one can experience the true nature of the State of Israel. A state where religious freedom is enshrined. A state where citizens are equal before the law, irrespective of race, gender or religion.

I love travelling on Jerusalem buses. I love seeing an Ultra Orthodox man, decked out in his typical garb, hat, long coat, long side curls and all. And opposite him, a devout Muslim woman, decked out in her beautiful, colourful hijab and both travel together peacefully, sometimes engaging in conversation, sometime sitting quietly, as both cultures and religions value the beauty of modesty.

They sit on that same bus, as equal citizens of the State of Israel. Free to associate. Free to practice their religions. Free to travel on public buses.

I love that sight

But Israel’s detractors have highlighted the ‘Apartheid’ nature of the State of Israel. While Israel endeavours to find a peaceful solution and settlement with the Palestinians, Israel’s detractors continue to maintain the stance that Israel is an Apartheid state.

The BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanction) campaign has its supporters wearing T-shirts with the words 'Israeli Apartheid Stinks'.

Israel’s detractors use the failures of the peace process as weapons against a State that claims to enshrine human rights and protect all citizens.

Despite the State of Israel’s declaration of independence, and the laws that govern the land, the BDS movement states that:

“Israel was established by the Zionist movement over 60 years ago with the intention and effect of achieving the permanent removal en masse of the indigenous, predominantly Arab population of Palestine for the purpose of Jewish colonization and development of a “Jewish state.””

The anti-Israel lobby is strong. That lobby makes use of emotive terms like ‘Apartheid Israel’. They confuse issues and they confuse the public. They use the lack of progress in the peace process as a basis to mislead the public about Israel’s value and respect for human rights. Those values and respect are inherent not only in Israeli law, but in large parts of Israeli society too. The anti-Israel lobby dismisses these facts, and promotes fallacies. The BDS movement draws attention away from pressing issues in the world, and demonizes Israel.

Simon Deng, a black Sudanese former slave, has said:

“The people who suffer most from the UN anti-Israel policy are not the Israelis but all those people who the UN ignores in order to tell its big lie against Israel: we, the victims of Arab/Muslim abuse: women, ethnic minorities, religious minorities, homosexuals, in the Arab/Muslim world. These are the biggest victims of UN Israel hatred”

When talking about and debating the issues that face Israel, I try and take as an objective a stance as possible. I review the facts, the figures, the comments, the realities.

Sadly, my love of Israel is challenged. When I see refugees being beaten in Tel Aviv, I am saddened by the way some Israeli thugs can act. That makes an impression on me. But what makes an even greater, positive impression on me, is seeing how the Israeli authorities deal with those thugs, and ensure that any person challenging another’s human dignity gets severely punished.

When I see slow progress on the peace process, and the difficulty in finding a solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, I am saddened. Then I recall the great sacrifices Israel makes to achieve peace, like its willingness to dismantle settlements in Gaza, and expel all Jews living there, in the hope the Palestinians will make bold moves too, towards peace.

I make my best effort to view Israel’s policies and existence in an honest, open and fair manner. The same way a true and upright judge would treat proceedings in a court case.

A judge would review facts. A judge would listen to both arguments. A judge would review the prosecution’s case and the defense’s case equally, with an open mind, and an eagerness to ensure that justice prevails. A judge does not rely on conjecture, false accusations, weak analogies and wild associations. A judge does not get swayed by emotive language, but keeps his mind sharp, focusing on what is presented before him, challenging all lines of reasoning.

Israel has many detractors. For years, people have been making claims against the State of Israel. Israel has been pursued in legal courts, as well as in the courts of public opinion.

And in those courts of public opinion, I have always been willing to defend Israel. To present the facts. To tell my stories. To share my experiences. To be honest about Israel’s flaws, and to be proud of its accomplishments.

I have treated the court of public opinion as I would a court of law.

Sadly, the prosecution fails to do the same. The prosecution fails to bring facts and relies on conjecture and false associations. Like a skilful magician’s sleight of hand, Israel’s detractors focus the public’s attention solely on Israel’s negative aspects, while ignoring the good that far outweighs the bad. The BDS, and others, use of emotive language, like “Apartheid Israel” ignores the facts on the ground, and misleads in the most disgusting of ways, making a mockery of those who suffered under the atrocities of Apartheid South Africa.

When presenting its case, the anti Israel lobby continues to ignore the intellectual and honest debate that the topic requires. Facts are replaced with fallacies, ignorance is exploited and all the good that Israel does is disregarded.

Such a position does not make for an open and honest debate. Such a method of argument does not make for an environment where mutual respect is guaranteed, and where the focus is on positive resolutions to conflict.

I used to enjoy defending Israel. I used to love presenting my case in an objective, respectful and courteous manner.

I like being open to debate. Presenting facts. Defending Israel. Acting like a defence team in a court of law. Defending with a measure of dignity, decorum, and rationality.

But when the prosecution, the anti Israel and BDS lobby, prosecutes Israel by presenting its case in a salacious, unsavory and repulsive manner, I can no longer defend Israel.

There is no point in even trying

Israel and Gaza's Civilians

2012-11-19T23:11:00.002+02:00

I fully support Minister Rob Davies: Clearly Label products from Israeli-Occupied Palestine

2012-05-23T15:36:00.000+02:00

I would like to express my gratitude to Trade and Industry Minister, Rob Davies, Open Shuhada Street and the MJC, for pushing forward with a plan to label products from the disputed territories in Israel/Palestine.

These areas go by many names, including The West Bank; Disputed Territory; Occupied Territory; Occupied Palestine

I am not concerned with the name that will appear on the label. I just want to know where the goods come from. After all, a territory by any other name...

As a South African who supports democracy, human rights and freedom of religion, I have long prayed for a peaceful resolution to the Arab-Israeli conflict.

A peaceful co-existence is a goal the Israelis, Palestinians and international community need to push for, and assist with in achieving.

Alas, while that dream for the peaceful co-existence remains just that, a dream, the West Bank is littered with security checkpoints, security walls and lots of army patrols. This is after all still disputed territory, and some people don’t want some other people there.

Despite the security threat that Israel faces, and the measures it takes to protect its citizens, since taking over control of the ‘West Bank’, from Jordan in 1967, the disputed territories have been transformed. Where Jews were once forbidden to live or visit, freedom of religion for Jews, Moslems and Christians is now guaranteed. The West Bank, once a desolate area with many poor Arab villages, is now not only littered with security barriers to protect people, it is also littered with productive settlements, farms and factories.

While Palestinians were at best ignored, and at worst brutalised, under Jordanian rule, Israel’s occupation of the West Bank has brought unprecedented development to that area in terms of roads, infrastructure, agriculture, education and healthcare.

I have always wanted to support Israel in a manner that would strengthen that country and its citizens. More specifically, I have always wanted to support Israel, in its geographic areas that would benefit Jewish, Moslem and Christian Israelis, as well as the Arab populace.

Through the proposed introduction of labelling*, that would identify products made in the disputed/occupied territories, I will now be in a position to better identify, and purchase, products that are made by pioneers.

I will be able to clearly and easily identify and purchase products that are made by Israeli pioneers who are bringing development, democracy and freedom of religion to a region of the world that sorely lacks all three

*

My label proposals:

“made in Palestine”

“made in Israeli-occupied Palestine”

“made in areas from where Jews were forcibly removed in 1948”

“land liberated in 1967 and where freedom of religion is now enshrined”

The Jews have forgotten, but Desmond Tutu remembers

2011-11-08T18:38:00.003+02:00

Desmond Tutu, the outspoken critic of Israel and longtime ‘defender’ of human rights continues to highlight the ‘injustices’ and violations of human rights that Israel continues to display

The Archbishop, still remembers to continue his support of the ‘Israel-is-an-Apartheid-state’ claim

He remembers to support the Boycott, Divestment and Sanction campaign

Just this week, he remembered to remind the world that:

“They (the Jews) have forgotten their own history. They have forgotten what their own prophets have said about our God,"

Of the ongoing situation in the Middle East, he remembered to tell the world:

"There is a great deal of preventable suffering being caused by people who themselves suffered so deeply

His memory, and his effort in reminding the world of evil, apartheid Israel, is not a short one.

In 2009, he remembered to remind the Jews that they have forgotten about their own suffering. In reference to Israels’ actions, he said: "But who pays the penance? The penance is being paid by the Arabs, by the Palestinians. I once met a German ambassador who said Germany is guilty of two wrongs. One was what they did to the Jews. And now the suffering of the Palestinians."

In 2002, he remembered to inform the world of the atrocities committed by Jews. He said: "My heart aches. I say why are our memories so short. Have our Jewish sisters and brothers forgotten their humiliation? Have they forgotten the collective punishment, the home demolitions, in their own history so soon? Have they turned their backs on their profound and noble religious traditions? Have they forgotten that God cares deeply about the downtrodden?"

In 1989, in a visit to Jerusalem, he remembered to draw comparisons between apartheid South Africa and Israel, when he commented that he is a “black South African, and if I were to change the names, a description of what is happening in Gaza and the West Bank could describe events in South Africa”

In 1988, he remembered to demonise Zionsim, and told the world that Zionism has "very many parallels with racism”

There are approximately 27,000 refugees and asylum seekers in Israel today. These are mostly Africans, Muslim and Christian, from countries such as Eritrea, Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Ivory Coast. Every year, thousands of refugees attempt to cross, via Egypt into Israel. These African, black, Muslim and Christian, refugees, come from Sudan, Eritrea and Ethiopia. These refugees are fleeing genocide and persecution.

They are trying to get to one country that they believe will help them.

They are not trying to get to Egypt or Libya. They are not trying to get to Syria where 3,500 Muslims have been killed by their own government in the past 6 months

Desmond Tutu remembers. That I am sure of

They are not trying to get to Saudi Arabia, where Christians cannot express their religious beliefs openly, or where women cannot drive cars.

Desmond Tutu clearly remembers this

They are not trying to get to the Palestinian Territories under the Palestinian Authority or Hamas control, where political freedoms and freedom of the press is curtailed, summary executions practiced and where persecution of gays and lesbians is rife

Desmond Tutu, I am sure, remembers to fight those injustices

Thousands of black, African Muslim and Christian, men and women, desperate refugees, looking for a better life, are trying to get to Apartheid Israel

They are trying to get to the evil, Apartheid Israel, country of the insensitive Jews, that Desmond Tutu has, for over 20 years, remembered to remind us about

I am sure that the desperate, black, men and women, Muslim and Christian refugees are upset, because with all of his remembering about Apartheid Israel, Desmond Tutu clearly forgot to send these people the memo

Video: Is Israel and Apartheid State? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0DJBrO5ux8&feature=player_embedded

Israel’s response is ALWAYS disproportionate

2011-10-25T21:16:00.001+02:00

Israel has long been accused of its ‘disproportionate response’, when confronting terror, or attacks on its populace

In Israel’s last war in Lebanon with Hezbollah, Israel was blasted for its disproportionate response when dealing with Hezbollah’s terror/military infrastructure

During Israel’s last incursion into Gaza to stop rocket fire into its territory, Israel was widely accused of using excessive force. The press, international community and ‘humanitarian’ organizations fell in love with the term: "disproportionate use of force"

Last week saw the Hamas release of Gilad Shalit, along Israel’s release of 1,027 Palestinians

Once again I witnessed Israel’s disproportionate response to violence and terror in the prisoner ‘exchange’ that took place

Gilad Shalit was taken captive while sitting on Israeli territory, defending Israeli lives. Many of the Palestinian prisoners were arrested after committing murder, or for plotting attacks on civilians. Attacks that included the bombing of restaurants, clubs and busses and the stabbing of teenagers.

Everyone now knows of Gilad Shalit. But what about Nasser Yataima who killed men, women and children in a bombing attack on a Netanya Hotel. Or Yussuf Dhib Hamed Abu Aadi and Na'el Barghouti who stabbed Israelis to death

Israel’s release of 1,027 prisoners for one Israeli is pretty darn disproportionate. But the figures are not the key driver of Israel’s (once again) disproportionate dealing with the situation

Calling the proceeding a prisoner ‘swap’ is a disservice. It was no ‘swap’. A swap is regarded as an exchange of equal value.

But in this situation, the value is indeed disproportionate.

A defender of human life was exchanged for takers of human life

This is not my twisted, right wing view of the situation. Israel and its enemies have disproportionate/unequal values, disproportionate/unequal ideologies and disproportionate/unequal world views

After a prisoner deal between Hezbollah and Israel, Hezbollah's Hassan Nasrallah said the following:

"We have discovered how to hit the Jews where they are the most vulnerable. The Jews love life, so that is what we shall take away from them. We are going to win, because they love life and we love death."

Chief Palestinian Authority cleric Mufti Sheikh Ikrimeh Sabri has stated:

"We tell them, in as much as you love life, the Muslim loves death and martyrdom. There is a great difference between he who loves the hereafter and he who loves this world. The Muslim loves death and [strives for] martyrdom."

I followed the prisoner exchange closely. I watched ‘Western’ channels – BBC, Fox, CNBC, France 24 and I watched ‘Arab/Islamic’ channels, including Al Jazeerah and Iran’s Press TV

It was clear from the all the interviews with Palestinian prisoners, the one with Gilad Shalit, as well as from all the footage, that once again, Israel showed it’s disproportionate response to terror and violence.

• Israel disproportionately fed the Palestinian prisoners – they looked nice and plump, vs Gilad’s gaunt look

• Israel disproportionately gave Palestinian prisoners access to sunlight – they looked good, vs Gilad’s deathly white complexion form the lack of exposure of sunlight

• Israel disproportionately gave the Palestinian prisoners access to humanitarian organizations – They had access to the Red Cross, Red Crescent and United Nations representatives, vs Gilad’s access to NONE OF THESE

• Israel disproportionately gave the Palestinian prisoners access to legal representations – vs Gilads’ access to NOTHING

• Israel disproportionately allowed the Palestinian prisoners to have contact with their families (even if only telephonic at times) – vs. Gilad’s contact with NOBODY

• Israel disproportionately gave the Palestinian prisoners access to education (in Arabic, their mother tongue), with many earning Masters and Doctoral Degrees while in prison – vs. Gilad’s periodic access to a radio and TV (also in Arabic, his captor’s mother tongue)

I’m reminded of Israel’s disproportionate response, following the devastation of the earthquake in Haiti.

At the time, Peggy Shapiro noted:

“Despite its small size, Israel sent a large contingent of highly-trained aid workers to quake-stricken Haiti. Two jumbo jets carrying more than 220 doctors, nurses, civil engineers, and other Israeli army personnel, including a rescue team and field hospital, were among the first rescue teams to arrive in Haiti. In fact, they were the first foreign backup team to set up medical treatment at the partially collapsed main hospital in Port-au-Prince.

The international agencies that condemn Israel for its "disproportionate response" when it is attacked are not mentioning Israel's disproportionate response to human suffering. The U.S. has pledged 100 million and sent supplies and personnel. The U.K. pledged $10 million and sent 64 firemen and 8 volunteers. China, a country with a population of 1,325,639,982 compared to Israel's 7.5 million sent 50 rescuers and seven journalists.

The 25 Arab League nations sent nothing.”

Israel continues to be regarded as a ‘rogue state’ and a ‘violator of human rights’ whose response to fighting terror is always regarded as ‘disproportionate’. This latest ‘prisoner swap’ has once again made it clear to me, that in an effort to achieve peace, Israel will always demonstrate its disproportionate value for human life and human dignity

The rise of the Jewacide Bomber

2011-10-12T10:50:00.004+02:00

It has long been asked: Why?

Why are there no Jewish suicide bombers?

Why has Judaism not created extremists, fundamentalists, and (dare I say) lunatics, the kind of which have brought disgrace to Islam and embarrassment to Moslems the world over?

Why is there no Taliban style movement in the Jewish world, where women are degraded and people attacked, in order to maintain a system of religious control?

Why are there no Jewish martyrs?

Is it because followers of the Jewish faith are less extreme? Is it because ‘religious’ Jews place a higher value on human life? A greater significance on human dignity? A greater respect for fellow human beings?

The people who dispatch suicide bombers, and most of the bombers themselves, believe that they are in a war. A war between Islam and the West. A battle between the infidels and those that submit to the will of the Almighty God. A fight between good and evil.

The people who dispatch suicide bombers and the bombers themselves are willing to die for, and kill for, the values that they believe are true, the system they ‘know’ is right, the religion they trust, the people they trust, and the God they serve

These people have passion. They have anger. They have desperation. And they are willing to do something about it

They are willing to martyr themselves, and take a few sacrificial lambs with them in the process

And there are always the majority of Muslim leaders who condemn these actions as ‘non-Islamic’ and the perpetrators as not representing ‘true Islam’

And there are always the minority of extremists who defend the actions, and claim it’s a battle between Islam and the West, Good and Evil

Why are things different for the Jews?

Do religious Jews feel no passion? Do they have no anger, or desperation, or a willingness to protect the faith they believe in. Are religious Jews not willing to defend and fight for what they ‘know’ is right? Do they not have the same passion that would drive them to defend their principles and values at any cost?

Would religious Jews not do anything to protect themselves and their communities from the onslaught of ‘western’ values and the threat it poses to their religious system?

Are religious Jews not keen to become martyrs for their cause, and take a few sacrificial lambs along for the ride?

Well, the concept of martyrdom is not alien to ‘religious’ Jews.

Judaism has cardinal sins which should be avoided at all costs. A person must give up their lives, rather than transgress these sins. And over the millennia, famous Jews have given their lives for far less than the cardinal sins, and in the Jewish world, these people are considered saints and heroes

But there have also been people that not only martyred themselves, they took other with them

Baruch Goldstein was deeply concerned about the threat to Israel’s existence and the deligitmisation of so-called ‘settlers’. He believed he had a religious duty to do something about that threat. And that religious duty demanded action, sacrifice and martyrdom.

On 25 February 1994, Baruch Goldstein martyred himself. It was after all, for the cause. For the defense of Israel. For the protection of Judaism. And it was perpetrated in the name of Almighty God

And in the process of martyring himself, Baruch Goldstein took 29 sacrificial lambs with him

The majority of Jewish leaders condemned the massacre, and called it a misrepresentation of Judaism.

A minority of extremists defended the actions and view Baruch Goldstein as a defender of the faith

Yigal Amir was frustrated with the concessions Prime Minister Rabin was making to the Palestinians. He was concerned about the future of the Jewish Promised Land. He was worried about the safety and security of Jews, and the relinquishing of land, promised to the Jewish people, by God

Yigal Amir martyred himself. He gave up his ‘life’ (of freedom), for the cause. He was willing to be imprisoned for the rest of his life, in the defense of the people of Israel, the land of Israel and God. In fact, he would have been more than happy to give up his life (in this world) for the cause. If secret service agents, or the Prime Ministers body-guards had killed Yigal Amir, Yigal Amir would have still succeeded in his plans to halt the ‘peace process’ and defend the values he believed in

And in the process of martyring himself, he took a sacrificial lamb with him

And again, most of the Jewish world condemned the assassination. A few praised it

These two examples are of two individuals. They could be considered truly ‘fringe’. Is a sample of 2 big enough to generalize, despite the support and admiration that both these individuals received in certain circles?

Are there no communities, or larger grouping of extremist Jews? Entire schools of Taliban style thought? And again, the question is asked: Why?

Why is there no Taliban style movement in the Jewish world?

This week, the BBC ‘exposed’ the extremist, ‘ultra-Orthodox Jews’ who are defending their value system in Beit Shemesh, Israel. They are fighting the threat that is posed to their lifestyle, their beliefs and their practices. For these ultra-orthodox Jews the young school girls from the adjacent neighbourhood are a threat. The school girls’ sleeves and skirts don’t meet the same religious criteria imposed by the ultra-orthodox Jews. The ultra-orthodox Jews feel that their sensitivities are being ignored, and the Jewish value that is placed on modesty is being threatened.

These ultra-orthodox Jews are willing to martyr themselves. They are willing to be beaten by police officers, arrested, and imprisoned, all for the sake of protecting their value system and defending God.

They are even willing to a few sacrificial lambs with them. Not through the murdering of Jewish school girls, but by subjecting them to abuse, taunts, rock throwing. They even throw feces at the school children

These ultra-orthodox Jews have staged similar protests in the past, violently clashing with police and local communities, protesting what they call “the evil regime”. There have many incidents too, of women being beaten, spat at and taunted for sitting on the men’s side of segregated busses. They believe that these Taliban style actions are required in the battle of good and evil. And martyrs and lambs are required too

Some in the ‘religious’ Jewish world condemn such attacks, beatings and public humiliations. Many, do nothing. These ultra-orthodox Talibani Jews belong to a value system that the religious Jewish world relies on for religious rulings, conversions, marriages and even the certification of Kosher products.

Most of the religious world turn a blind eye to the growing number of attacks on women, on secular Jews and even on other religious Jews (as is the case in Beit Shemesh)

The real number of Jewish extremists is low, but that low real number is merely a factor of the size of the Jewish population, which is, sadly, low. There are many in the religious Jewish world (whether ultra orthodox, or ultra-nationalistic or ultra-anything) that are feeling frustrated and threatened.

And these people have shown a willingness to martyr themselves and take a few sacrificial lambs with them.

Just as the majority of Moslem leaders denounce martyrdom operations, these Jewish extremists are widely condemned in the Jewish world. But condemnation does not make an extremist’s frustration and fear disappear. Neither does condemnation make an extremist’s willingness to be a martyr fade away. And condemnations will not stop an extremist from taking some sacrificial lambs along for the ride, as long as the cause is justified

And it always is

The number of incidents perpetrated by ‘Jewish extremists’ will continue to rise. And the methods employed will continue to escalate. Martyrdom operations will move from a willingness to be subjected to teargas and imprisonment to a willingness to die. And the throwing of feces at sacrificial lambs will simply not be sufficient in the war between good and evil

The question of :WHY are there no Jewish Suicide Bombers? is irrrelevant

The question is: WHEN will the first one strike?

Israel's best piece of Public Relations: The Goldstone Report

2011-04-11T18:38:00.006+02:00

Since the Six Day War, I don't think the State of Israel has had a better piece of PR than the Goldstone Report.

Let me more precise: The Goldstone Report was a PR disaster. However, The Goldstone Report and it's subsequent 'press' has been the best thing that has happened to Israel since winning the Six Day War

Ofcourse there is debate as to whether Judge Goldstone should have accepted the role in the first place. However, his acceptance of the role was a coup for the State of Israel

Judge Goldstone, an internationally respected jurist, well known defender of human rights, and a Jew, was best suited to take up the role.

Judge Goldstone's credibility within the international community is (now, possibly: was) extremely high

In taking up the role, Judge Goldstone had to prove to the world that, despite being Jewish, he was able to 'objectively' assess the human rights violations, and the fall-out of the Gaza conflict

If a non-Jew, or a 'real' anti-semite (not the Judge Goldstone type, as portrayed by Jewish Extremists) had accepted the role, the report would have had zero credibility within the Jewish world, and limited credibility within the rest of the world

The fact that Judge Goldstone, a respected jurist, defender of 'human rights' and JEW took up the role, gave the Goldstone report the highest levels of credibility within the non-Israel/non-pro-Israel/non-Zionist world (i.e. 99% of the worlds population - rounded down to the nearest percent)

Judge Goldstone and his colleagues released a report that was accepted by 99% of the world as credible, accurate and objective. Israel and it's supporters viewed the report as biased (and anti-semitic)

Judge Golstone's op-ed in the Washington Post (click on the link to read) revealed the true nature of a man who went into the process, with his eyes open (despite what Israel's 'defenders' initially claimed). Israel was not forthcoming with information (and they never should have been). However, that was seen as a pity by Judge Goldstone, since he knew that impartiality could not be guaranteed.

Regarding Israel's refusal to cooperate in the fact-finding mission, Judge Goldstone expressed his regret back then, when the report was published, and he expressed his regret last week, when he said: "I regret that our fact-finding mission did not have such evidence explaining the circumstances in which we said civilians in Gaza were targeted, because it probably would have influenced our findings about intentionality and war crimes"

The op-ed noted the following crucial points (actual quotes from Judge Goldstone's op-ed):

That the crimes allegedly committed by Hamas were intentional goes without saying — its rockets were purposefully and indiscriminately aimed at civilian targets
Indeed, our main recommendation was for each party to investigate, transparently and in good faith, the incidents referred to in our report. McGowan Davis has found that Israel has done this to a significant degree; Hamas has done nothing
Regrettably, there has been no effort by Hamas in Gaza to investigate the allegations of its war crimes and possible crimes against humanity

Judge Goldstone's most telling, important and powerful statement is the following:

I had hoped that our inquiry into all aspects of the Gaza conflict would begin a new era of evenhandedness at the U.N. Human Rights Council, whose history of bias against Israel cannot be doubted

When the Goldstone report was released, it was hailed for it's objectivity and it's open criticism of Israel. It's acceptance was widespread in particular because of who headed the fact finding mission: Judge Goldstone

And now, that Judge Goldstone has been honorable and just, and dealt wisely (and bravely) with the new evidence that he has before him, does that make him less credible?

Do the 99% of the world who accepted the Goldstone Report and used it to violently attack Israel now see Judge Goldstone as a sell-out?

Possibly

But that would speak of those peoples' own fallability and flaws in their arguements against Israel. Arguements that are based more on hatred and vitriol. than on facts and objectivity

For those people, Judge Goldstone's (or any report) would not have changed their postions/mindsets anyway

Whether Judge Goldstone should have taken up the position is debatable.

However, the fact that Judge Goldstone did take up the role, could not have worked out any better for Israel. Any other person leading that Gaza mission would never have resulted in such a positive outcome for Israel

It was Judge Goldstone's credibility and objectivity then that still holds true today.

And that has resulted in a wake-up call to Israel's detractors

The freight industry strike got me thinking....Is this country the next Zimbabwe?

2011-02-14T19:53:00.007+02:00

The freight industry strike that started yesterday saw truck drivers take the streets, with the (usual) airing of grievances through initimidation, violence and vandalism

The scenes on Joburg's streets probably got the dinner table discussions quite heated, with debates about whether South Africa was headed for doom...with the standard arm chair analysis...

'South Africa is the next Zimbabwe'

The images of violence on Joburg's streets got me thinking about other, similar, images

The events of the past several weeks have presented the world with remarkable images.

Some of those images are inspiring

Many of them, scary

Egypt's (still pending) 'transition' has seen mostly peaceful protests, with footage of tens of thousands of people, united in song, united in prayer, united in celebratory exuberance

There has also been footage of destruction, looting, and murder

Over 300 people have died

The violence in Egypt, while tragic, was, in many circles, anticipated.

Expected

A given

The violence, some say, can easily be explained away

After all, Egypt is an Arab country

An African country

Some argue that Egypt is not a civilised, westernised, country

Backward Egypt is no civilised Europe

Egypt is going to the dogs

The images in Egypt remind me of other, recent, violent clashes. Clashes that took place in other parts of the world

In October 2010, France was gripped by terror.

This terror initiated was initiated by protestors who opposed the increase of the retirement age from 60 to 62

City centres bacame war-zones. There were violent clashes between protestors and police. Many people were injured.

Shops were looted.

Property was destroyed

The rule of law.....non-existent

This kind of behaviour was not expected. France is a westernised, developed country, and thriving democracy

The violence and destruction was an anomoly, wasn't it?

Surely this is not the behaviour of civilised Europeans

France is doomed

In November 2010, university students in the UK took to the streets to protests increased tuition fees.

The authorities struggled to control the crowds.

The protests turned violent. Public and private property was vandalised and destroyed.

Police men and women were attacked

Scores were arrested.

The images were disturbing

Frightening

And then, in December 2010, Prince Charles and Camilla's car was attacked. 20 demonstrators attacked their vehicle, while chanting 'Off with their heads'

Surely the people in that country must feel ashamed? I doubt they can explain away their behaviour, considering the UK is a civilised, a westernised, and above all, a moral society

How could things have gone so wrong?

Clearly, the UK has no future

The year ended a little quieter in that part of the world. But, still a little disturbing

In late December 2010, thousands of homes in Northen Ireland had no water supply. Around 40,000 people were left 'water-less' after pipes burst during the freezing weather

People had to collect water from distribution centres, with limits on how many litres each citizen could take

That begs the question: How could a developed, western country, not plan sufficiently for aging water pipes? How could the wise Europeans not anticipate the problem, and ensure that the water system was capable of enduring extreme water conditions.

It's apparent, Northen Ireland is on the brink of collapse

The images from Egypt, France, England, Northern Ireland clearly present societies that are in disarray with no clear leadership, or vision.

How could people turn so violent?

How could grievances spur such tragic a violent behaviour?

How could protestors destroy public property and bring countries to a standstill?

How could the police be targeted by these thugs?

How could a prince of a nation be attacked, in public?

I do not know the answer to those questions.

However...

When seeing the scenes of violence, intimidation and vandalism on their streets and on their TV screens, the liberated Egyptian citizens, aggrieved French workers, disenfranchised English youth and thirsty Northern Irish probably didn't say:

''Our country is the next Zimbabwe''

And neither should we

Desmond Tutu is not an Anti-Semite....He's anti-Christian

2011-01-13T07:49:00.003+02:00

The following countries have total or partial bans on Hijabs or Burqas:

Tunisia

Morocco

Turkey

France

Belgium

Germany

Kosovo

Spain

In Israel, however, all religions are protected, and all people are free to practice their faiths.

In private… in public…however one chooses

That includes Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Ba’hai, Buddhists….

In October 2010, Desmod Tutu called on the Cape Town Opera to call off its Israel tour

Some right-wing, fanatical Jews have claimed that Desmond Tutu is anti-semitic.

They want to know: Why, oh why, does Desmond Tutu target Israel for its 'human rights' violations... Much more so than China, Sudan, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Tunisia, Cuba, Nigeria, Russia, Libya or Indonesia?

This group of Jewish freaks claims that Desmond Tutu specifically (and unjustly) targets Israel in his continued calls to boycott Israel. They say that his pre-occupation with Israel borders on anti-semitism

This claim, by the right-wingers, settlers and other Jewish fanatics, is fallacious

Desmond Tutu is a champion of human rights. He highlights injustices and atrocities that are perpetrated across the globe.

The fact that Israel is associated with Jews is inconsequential

His call to boycott Israel is based on furthering the cause of human rights, and follows his recent call to boycott Saudi Arabia.

Last month, Desmond Tutu attended the “Conference of Anglican Bishops”, held in Saudi Arabia

At this conference, he voiced his dismay at how the Saudi Arabian authorities treat Christians, women, gays and lesbians

After all, in Saudi Arabia, Christians are not able to practice their faiths freely, or in public.

Okay,……

Did you really believe my 'report' that a Conference of Anglican Bishops took place in Saudi Arabia…

Or my 'report' that Desmond Tutu has EVER called for a boycott of Saudi Arabia because of its treatment of Christians?

Wouldn’t it be great if The Most Rev. Dr. Desmond Mpilo Tutu loved Christians more than he despised Israel

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Israel is a shocking Occupier of Gaza

2010-11-01T17:16:00.002+02:00

Israel is accused of ‘occupation’. The terms ‘Occupation’, ‘Occupiers’ and ‘Colonisers’ are widely used when addressing the long-standing war between Israel and the Palestinians over disputed territories.

The disputed territories (particulalry the 'West Bank') are the subject of ongoing peace negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians.

We pray for a peaceful resolution to the Arab/Israeli conflict, where both Palestinians and Israelis live, and thrive, in peace

But what about the Gaza Strip. What's going on with that 'occupation'?

Colonisation involves the assimilation of the indigenous population or/and the conversion of the indigenous culture to the culture of the colonizers.

Let’s look for a moment at that concept of occupation and colonization. Let’s take a look at several occupations and colonisations of relatively recent history

The British occupied and colonized the United States. They imposed British law and the English language. And then, most of the local, Indian population, got wiped out by the new immigrants

The Portuguese occupied and colonized Mozambique. They imposed Portuguese law on the indigenous population, made sure that most converted, and made them speak Portuguese too

The French occupied Morocco, imposed French law and the French language on the mostly Arabic, Muslim Population. The same happened in Algeria

The British occupied India. They imposed British law, and made English an official language within the mostly Hindi speaking country

The white, Afrikaans led apartheid regime, imposed Afrikaans on the South African black population. Through subjugation, the National Party enforced bantu education. Bantu education was aimed at controlling the local population’s mind, sources of educational material, and freedom. It was aimed at creating a new history, one where the local population’s languages and cultural identities would be eroded, so that the National Party’s agenda would be furthered, with limited resistance

All nations protect their borders and Israel has indeed protected its borders in an effort to limit attacks from Gaza. Without a doubt, movement for Gazans into Israel has been curtailed. But so has movement of Gazans into Egypt. Neither Israel nor Egypt want to jeopardize their security. The issue of cross-border restriction of movement has more to do with Hamas’ intention than Israel’s ‘apartheid style tactics’.

Egypt has never accused of being an ‘apartheid state’, and ‘occupier’ or a ‘coloniser’ when it too restricts movements of Gazans into Egypt, in an effort to protect its citizens.

Why is Egypt not called an ‘occupier’? Because everybody knows that Egypt is not ‘occupying’ the Gaza strip, it’s merely protecting its borders… and it’s citizens

Egypt does not ‘occupy’ the Gaza strip

Protection of a nation state’s border does not define ‘occupation’ or ‘colonisation’

Restrictions of cross-border movement is legitimate, and practiced across the world. In South Africa, there are border control posts between South Africa and ALL it’s neighbouring countries

Gaza is controlled by Hamas (not Israel). Arabic is the official language (not Hebrew). Islam is the official religion (not Judaism).

School text books (which include calls for the destruction of Israel and the murder of innocents) are used in the public school system. Freedom of the press is curtailed. Journalists are imprisoned. Suspected traitors are executed. Women are not regarded as equals within civil society, and do not share equal rights. Gays and Lesbians are tortured, and some get murdered/executed. Family honour killings are tacitly encouraged. Political prisoners and prisoners of war do not have access to the Red Cross.

Israel is a democratic state. It guarantees freedom of religion, freedom of the press, equality of the sexes, rights for Gays and Lesbians. All holy sites, for all religions, are protected by the state. Religious freedom is enshrined in, and upheld by, the law. Women have the vote. Gays have parades. Jewish schools teach in Hebrew and the curriculum includes Jewish studies. Muslim Arab schools teach in Arabic and the curriculum includes Muslim studies. Yeshivahs flourish for those wanting to engage in intense study of the Torah and other Jewish texts. Madrassahs flourish for those wanting to engage in intense study of the Koran and other Islamic religious texts. Muslims, Christians and Jews practice their faiths openly and freely. Muslims have Mosques (including one on Judaism’s holiest site), and Muslim worship is protected under Israeli law. Christians have churches (including many in Judaism’s holiest city), and Christian worship is protected under Israeli law. There is freedom of association and all people, religions, races and creeds are protected, as equals, by Israeli law. Political prisoners, including those militants that Israel calls ‘terrorists’, have access to legal aid, the Red Cross and humanitarian organisations

If Israel were ‘successful’ occupiers and colonisers, they would impose their laws and way of life on the occupied population. Israel would have assimilated the indigenous Gazan population or Israel would have converted the indigenous Gazan population to Israeli culture.

This is what all ‘successful’ occupiers and colonisers have done.

Hamas would not control Gaza. There would be freedom of the press in Gaza. Jews would have synagogues. Journalists would be respected and free to report (and opine) on what they see (and believe in). There would be freedom of association. Political opposition would be encouraged. Gays and Lesbians would be able to freely express their love without the threat of torture or murder. Young women would not have to fear family honour killings for getting into relationships that their families, or the political leadership, do not approve of. Prisoners would have access to legal aid, the Red Cross and humanitarian organizations.

To those who continue to despise Israel for its ruthless 'occupation' of Gaza...

Fear not....

As an ‘Occupier’ and ‘Coloniser’ of Palestinians in the Gaza strip, Israel has clearly failed

Cosatu's fight against (in)justice is not based on anti-semitism....Is it?

2010-10-15T14:40:00.002+02:00

The 86th session of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's (OECD) Tourism Committee conference will be hosted in Isreal, next week.

SA Tourism was invited, but are unable to attend. "Cosatu saluted the SA tourism ministry on Thursday for not attending a tourism conference to be hosted by Israel"

It is no surprise that Cosatu is happy about SA tourism's non-attendance. Cosatu openly supports the BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) campaign against Israel, which Cosatu says is an Apartheid state.

Cosatu has been accused by right-wing, conservative Jews (and some others) for being not only anti-Isreal, but anti-semitic too. The Jews argue that while the dispute between Israelis and Palestinians needs to be resolved peacefully and quickly, Cosatu's focus on Israel as an 'apartheid state' is not only unjustified, but smacks of anti-semitism.

Cosatu denies these accusations, claiming that calls to boycott Israel are not anti-Israel per se, nor anti-semitic, but simply part of their continued fight against injustice wherever it may occur

Cosatu is right to support the BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) campaign. After all, Cosatu has led the ethical and moral transaformation in South Africa. Cosatu fought against apartheid, and continue to highlight the injustices that pervade the world.

Here are some other BDS campaigns that Cosatu vocally supports:

BDS Saudi Arabia

Cosatu has led multiple marches on the Saudi Arabia embassy in Pretoria. Cosatu continues to fight for the rights of Christians, who are all too often oppressed and repressed. These marches aim to highlight the religious intolerance of the Saudi authorities.

Here's why Cosatu continues to march on the Saudi embassy:

"Saudi Arabia's treatment of religious minorities has also been described by both Saudis and non-Saudis as "apartheid" and "religious apartheid"

Testifying before the Congressional Human Rights Caucus on June 4, 2002, in a briefing entitled "Human Rights in Saudi Arabia: The Role of Women", Ali Al-Ahmed, Director of the Saudi Institute, stated: Saudi Arabia is a glaring example of religious apartheid. The religious institutions from government clerics to judges, to religious curricula, and all religious instructions in media are restricted to the Wahhabi understanding of Islam, adhered to by less than 40% of the population. The Saudi government communized Islam, through its monopoly of both religious thoughts and practice. Wahhabi Islam is imposed and enforced on all Saudis regardless of their religious orientations. The Wahhabi sect does not tolerate other religious or ideological beliefs, Muslim or not. Religious symbols by Muslims, Christians, Jewish and other believers are all banned. The Saudi embassy in Washington is a living example of religious apartheid. In its 50 years, there has not been a single non-Sunni Muslim diplomat in the embassy. The branch of Imam Mohamed Bin Saud University in Fairfax, Virginia instructs its students that Shia Islam is a Jewish conspiracy."

BDS Jordan

Cosatu's fight for women's rights is widely known. Cosatu has been particulalry pro-active in highlighting the lack of women's rights in Jordan. The apartheid style discrimnation of women in Jordan has led to Cosatu's calls for the South African government to break all diplomatic and trade ties with that country.

Here is why Cosatu is furthering the cause of women in Jordan:

"While Jordan, compared with many other Middle Eastern countries, scores quite highly in democratic league tables” , human rights, especially women’s rights perform poorly.

Article 340 of the Jordanian Penal Code stipulates: "He who discovers his wife or one of his female relatives committing adultery (with a man) and kills, wounds or injures one or both of them, is exempt from any penalty." Another clause states: "He who discovers his wife or one of his female relatives with another in an adulterous situation, and kills, wounds or injures one or both of them benefits from a reduction in penalty. When an attempt to cancel article 340 did not succeed, MP Mahmoud Al-Kharabshehm, speaking for 31 other MP's, said: "The changes will lead to a degredation of Jordanian society, affect the Jordanian family, and remove the deterring element embedded in article 340."

Furthermore, women do not have the same status as men with respect to nationality. A Jordanian man may marry a foreigner and pass on his nationality to his children; women can not. Women can't even pass on their nationality to their husbands

BDS Bangladesh

In staging demonstrations against the persecution of Buddhists in Bangladesh, Cosatu have managed to raise the profile of this community. Cosatu has opposed what is tantamount to Apartheid style torture and forced removals by the Bangladeshi government

Here's why Cosatu continues to hold demonstrations and rallies in support of Bangladeshi Buddhists:

"The Buddhist communities of Bangladesh are under pressure from the military and police not to practice Buddhism, and Buddhists have suffered abuse, arrest, and even rapes. The government encourages Muslim settlement in Buddhist areas, as part of its campaign to promote Islam. According to Jumma exiles, torture and murder of Buddhists is a frequent occurrence"

BDS Iran

Cosatu has called for the boycott of all good manufactured in Iran. This has been in solidarity of the Gay and Lesbian community of Iran, who continue to be subjected to Apartheid-style state executions and persecution

Here's why Cosatu has called for Iranian products to be pulled from South African shelves:

"On July 19, 2005, when two teenage boys, Mahmoud Asgari, 14, and Ayaz Marhoni, 16, were hanged in a particularly brutal manner in Iran for the crime of homosexual activity. Although Iranian officials insisted that the death sentence was for the rape of a third boy, the National Council of Resistance of Iran, has said otherwise.

But Asgari and Marhoni were not alone. According to the Iranian gay and lesbian rights group Homan, the Iranian government has put to death an estimated 4,000 homosexuals since 1980. According to Scott Long, director of the Human Rights Watch Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Rights Program, Iranians who are suspected of being gay commonly face torture. Hossein Alizadeh of the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission said Iran gays live with “constant fear of execution and persecution and also social stigma associated with homosexuality.”

BDS Israel

Despite Israel's commitment to a peaceful and speedy resolution of its conflict with the Palestinians, Cosatu continues to fight apartheid-style practices by the Israeli apartheid state.

Here's why Cosatu's anti-Israel marches, boycotts and demonstrations against Israel are not anti-semitic in nature, but rather fall in line with Cosatu's other campaigns against injustice around the world:

"Israel's Basic Law: Human Dignity and Liberty seeks to defend human rights and liberties in Israel. Israel is the only country in the region ranked "Free" by Freedom House based on the level of civil liberties and political rights

In 2010, Israel was also the only country in the Middle East to be ranked "free" by Freedom House's "Freedom of the Press report, ranking the highest in the region."

Women in Israel have been guaranteed gender equality since the establishment of the state in 1948. This has enabled women to actively participate in Israeli life. The Israeli Declaration of Independence states: “The State of Israel (…) will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex.”

Israel has no entrenched constitution, but freedom of religion is anchored in law. While the Basic Laws of Israel that serve in place of a constitution define the country as a "Jewish state," these Basic Laws, coupled with Knesset statutes, decisions of the Supreme Court of Israel, and various elements of the common law current in Israel, also protect free practice of religion in the country. Legal accommodation of the non-Jewish communities follows the pattern and practice of the Ottoman and British administrations with some important modifications. Israeli law officially recognizes five religions, all belonging to the Abrahamic family of religions: Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Druzeism and the Bahá'í Faith. Furthermore, the law formally recognizes ten separate sects of Christianity: the Roman, Armenian, Maronite, Syriac, and Chaldean Catholic Churches; the Eastern Orthodox Greek Orthodox Church; the Oriental Orthodox Syriac Orthodox Church; the Armenian Apostolic Church; and the Anglican Evangelical Episcopal Church.

Rights for sexual minorities in Israel are considered to be the most tolerant in the Middle East. A national gay rights law bans some anti-gay discrimination"

So, back to the question:

Does Cosatu’s support of the BDS campaign against Israel smack of anti-semitism?

I'm not sure

I would be in a much better position to answer that question if BDS campaigns against Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bangladesh and Iran actually existed

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Paradigm Shift Your Life

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South Africa appears to be ahead of the Totalitarian Curve

2010-08-16T20:39:00.001+02:00

In general, I am a President Zuma supporter. In general, I believe President Zuma has led South Africa well.

At times, this has been through his active involvement in issues. At other times, this has been achieved through his staying out of the issues.

But I am disturbed by his recent comments regarding The Protection of Information Bill - a bill he openly supports

Throughout history, there have been people in positions of power and control that believed that what they did was in the mass's best interests. These people usually started out in movements that fought for the rights of their people. These people usually began their political lives fighting against injustice. These people usually embarked on political journeys, fighting for the freedom their followers were so desperate to enjoy.

At some point in time, these people won their battles for freedom. At some point in time, these freedom fighters won control of state structures. At some point in time, the oppressed masses gained their freedom from the all powerful state.

And then, at a later point in time, the people in positions of power became 'holier than thou'. These people believed they had access to the 'truth'. These people started fighting to protect their own interests. These people started to protect their own interests. These people started using state structures to further their own political ambitions. These people started placing 'The State' above the rights of individuals. These people told the 'ignorant' masses that these laws were in their best interests. These people told the populace that new laws were being introduced to protect the state and its organs.

These people started out as liberators, freedom fighters and as voices for the oppressed. These people included Verwoerd, Stalin, Hitler, Kim Jong-Il, Ahmadinejad and Mugabe.

These people followed typical cycles: Fighting the Oppression that was justified as the 'State's Best Interest'. Then winning Liberation for their followers. Then, oppression in the Name of the State's Best Interests

The Protection of Information Bill would give the State the power to classify any information it deems to be in the national interest. The bill would also make publishing what The State can regard as top secret information, punishable with up to 25 years in prison.

The Protection of Information Bill does not surprise me in the least. It's (potential) adoption was inevitable.

After all, freedom fighters forget their roots.

What does surprise me is the speed at which such a bill came into the political debate. In 1994, South Africa held its first free and fair elections. 16 short years later, and ANYONE can (potentially) be arrested if they uncover/report on/question something that THE STATE deems not to be in THE STATE'S best interest

Here is my advice' to our leaders:

Remember

Remember what it was like when a regime used 'protection of the State' as a justification to limit the rights of citizens

Remember what it was like to be persecuted for uncovering the truth

Remember what it was like to fight injustice - and go to jail for doing so

Remember what it was like to speak out against corruption - and be prosecuted for doing so

"I feel..that most people in the world if given the choice between being guaranteed food...shelter...and other basic necessities of life..if given the choice between those basic needs and their freedom of speech...would give up that freedom" Dalton Trumbo (Blacklisted American screenwriter and novelist, 1905-1976)

Maybe freedom of the press is no longer an issue for most South Africans.

Perhaps freedom of speech is overrated.

Perhaps I have nothing to fear.

After all, I don't do, say or think anything that is a threat to The State

Well, let me be more accurate: I don't do, say or think anything that is a threat to The State, according to my interpretation of 'threat to the state'

I just have to pray that The State sees things the same way I do

And I pray that's true for all of you too

South Africa's public transport - Rea Vaya Rocks

2010-06-04T09:40:00.003+02:00

Last week, I was fortunate enough to see SA vs Colombia at Soccer City (image attached). The vibe at the stadium was inspiring. But, the ‘inspiring’ experience started before that.....

Very few northern-suburbs, middle-class South Africans are aware of the fact that South Africa has an amazing public transport infrastructure. The public transport is lacking in many repsects. I still cannot get from home to work. But parts of the system are phenomenal.

Despite the real problems facing SA, despite the arm-chair critcisms, despite the naysayers.....Many parts of the South African system are actually working (see my post on the public health system too. Click here)

Following the unexpected interest in my Rea Vaya trips last week, I thought I would post a short description of what transpired.

My Rea Vaya experience was awesome. I am proud of the public transport Johannesburg offers. It was professional and efficient.

It was as good as any public transport I have used in the US, Asutralia, Israel or England. I felt like a tourist, in my own city.

Sadly for me, too efficient. I had to wait at Soccer City for 2 hours for my mates to arrive with the tickets. They used the park and walk facilities

Workplace To Soccer City

I left my car in the work-place parkade. Time: 6:28pm.
I got onto Sauer, and walked to Commissioner Street
I turned right into Commissioner street. There is Rea Vaya bus stop a few metres from the Commissioner/Sauer intersection

I waited in line to buy tickets (image attached). That took approximately 5 minutes (image attached). The ticket booth staff were friendly and helpful. Tickets cost R6 (each way). I bought both tickets (for each way) at that point.

There were Rea Vaya staff members on the bus stop platform. They too were helpful, and told me which bus to use.
It was a brand new, modern bus.
It was full of passengers (approx 100)
And it was spotless.

We passed SAPS and Metro Police stationed along the way. The route was safe and secure. There were two stops (if I recall) before getting to Soccer City.
I arrived at the Soccer City stop, where fellow passengers said to me “This is your stop. Enjoy the game”. Time: 6:54pm

The Soccer City Rea Vaya stop is a few hundred metres from the stadium (image attached). There is an underground tunnel from the bus stop, linking the bus stop with the stadium grounds.

Soccer City to Jo'burg CBD

After the game, I made my way to the Rea Vaya NORTH station. Nite: NORTH is for people going back to the CBD
There were several busses waiting for passengers. I got into the first one. We waited for the bus to fill up before heading back to the CBD. That took approximately 10 minutes
Once in the CBD, the bus turned into Market. The trip back into the CBD took less than 15 minutes

I got off at the first Market Street bus stop, and walked up to Sauer(image attached), turning left into Sauer, towards the my workplace parkade.

The streets were quiet, clean, but unfortunately deserted. There is not much life in the Jo'burg CBD. That is a great pity. People asked me if it was safe.

The answer:

"Absolutely Yes"

There was nobody on the streets. Ofcourse it was safe. Being at home, or in a car - one is probably not too safe. But on Jo'burg city streets - one of the safest places to be.

If a mugger is waiting for passing trade on Jo'burg's streets - he has the kakkest job in the world.

I say: Get out of your homes and cars and onto the streets people.

The Rea Vaya service was brilliant.

It was simple, quick and safe

I would advise any Jo'burg resident to us public transport for the World Cup Soccer games
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Note:

My Rea Vaya experience was amazing.

The service was simple, quick and safe…..

But I cannot guarantee simplicity, speed and safety

This is South Africa after all :)

Organic food has no extra health benefits, say researchers

2010-05-31T07:16:00.002+02:00

From Friday's Daily Mail (UK)

---------------------------------------------------------------

Damning verdict: Organic food has no health, taste or nutritional advantages over conventionally manufactured or harvested food, according to a new study

By Allan Hall

Last updated at 10:08 AM on 28th May 2010

Organic food has no health, taste or nutritional advantages over conventionally manufactured or harvested food.

That is the damning verdict of a study by Berlin based consumer watchdog group Stiftung Warentest.

The results, from one of the most respected consumer groups in Europe - backed and funded by the German government but totally independent - is a massive embarrassment for the organic food industry.

Damning verdict: Organic food has no health, taste or nutritional advantages over conventionally manufactured or harvested food, according to a new study

It said it carried out 85 investigations over eight years to come up with an overall assessment on bio food.

The foundation said that organic products were 'not necessarily healthier, or even better-tasting, than regular groceries.
'Despite being on average 30 percent more expensive, there was little overall difference in quality.'

Of 13 organic baby food products tested, they all rated only in the 'satisfactory' range.

The reason was that they actually contained too little fat and often too little iron for babies’ nutritional needs.

Some 45 percent of ecological products got a 'good' or 'very good' nutritional rating, compared with 41 percent for conventional foods.

Some 15 percent of organic foods were rated 'poor' – slightly higher than the 14 percent of regular products given such a score.

There was considerable variation among products, with organic performing well in some areas but poorly in others. Organic rape seed oil did not score well.

Only on the pesticide front did the bio products come out far ahead - some 75 percent were completely pesticide free compared with just 16 percent of conventional groceries.
The Soil Association dismissed the German research as 'irrelevant'

It emerged that the German consumer group only surveyed the nutrient content of processed and packet foods, rather that raw produce and meat.
Consequently, the association said it would be unable to provide a definitive picture of the quality of organic food.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1281948/Organic-food-extra-health-benefits-say-researchers.html?ito=feeds-newsxml#ixzz0pTt81wZ2

When Bad Jews worship the Jelly Tot Rebbe

2010-05-27T17:36:00.000+02:00

A story….

About a year ago, BBDC* (see key below), I was chatting to a friend of mine.

Jelly Tots BBDC came up in the conversation.

Regarding Jelly Tots BBDC, she said:

“I’m a bad Jew. I give my kids Jelly Tots BBDC”

And my blood boiled

Jew’s calling themselves ‘Bad Jews’

This, from a woman who is a nurturing mother

A dedicated wife

A loving and respectful daughter

This, from a woman who is kind, caring and does charity work.

A woman who always helps and gives assistance to people.

Note my word. ‘GIVES’.

She NEVER offers.

NEVER

She just goes ahead and does.

Why would such a woman, who represents so many of the Godly attributes Jews should aspire to, call herself a ‘Bad Jew’?

Why would such a woman, who our Mother Sarah would be proud of, regard herself as being a ‘sinner’?

Oh ja, she told me why:

Because she gives her children Jelly Tots BBDC!

Excuse me.

What did I just write?

Where on earth would Jews get the idea that eating Jelly Tots BBDC makes them a “Bad Jew”? What a ridiculous concept. How can someone regard themselves as ‘bad’. As ‘sinners’

Where would such un-Godly thoughts and concepts come from?

Oh, I know where these ‘Bad Jews’ get these alien concepts from…..

They get them from ‘Frum’ Jews

Frum Jews who place the importance of Kosher Certification, a hechsher, over all other Godly pursuits

Another story….

On Shavuot (last week), we had lunch at some friends of ours. A friend of theirs arrived for lunch. Over the past several years, their friend has been getting more involved in Judaism.

Jelly Tots came up in conversation, which included the fact that Jelly Tots are now Beth Din Certified. We discussed the fact that the ‘frum’ Jewish community was abuzz with excitement when the news broke ….

…..news that Jelly Tots were “Kosher”.

When stock first arrived on the shelves, the ‘Good Jews’ who were lucky to be at the stores suffered minor injuries, attacking one another to get a piece of the Jelly Tot BDK# (see key below) action

This friend of theirs could not believe that ‘frum’ Jews were so concerned about Jelly Tots BDK. She could not believe that ‘frum’ Jews got so excited about the Beth Din certification. She could not believe that ‘frum’ Jews fought each other to get their hands on the newly launched product.

She wondered why ‘frum’ Jews didn’t spend that time helping poor people, or doing other Godly work? Why would ‘frum’ Jews, ‘Godly’ Jews spend more time discussing Jelly Tots BBDC and Jelly Tots BDK than having more meaningful discussions

What leads Godly Jews to refer to themselves at ‘Bad Jews’? What leads ‘frum’ Jews to focus their Jewish pursuits on the hechsher of an already Kosher product?

Jelly Tots have always been Kosher. Yes, there are opinions who would disagree, but there are many opinions that would wholeheartedly agree that Jelly Tots BBDC* were Kosher. I am not talking about the opinions of my mate Rob’s Rebbe (his Rebbe is his pet dog). I am talking about opinions of well respected rabbinic minds and halachists.

If you think that only the most ‘left’, ‘liberal’, ‘reform’ of Rabbis would say Jelly Tots BBDC* were Kosher, you are wrong.

Yes, there are opinions that say Jelly Tots BBDC* were not kosher, but many more would call Jelly Tots BBDC Kosher.

Kosher according to halacha.

Kosher according to Torah

Perhaps you are a ‘frum’ Jew, like me, who thinks that only ‘lenient’ opinions would have allowed Jelly Tots BBDC

If that’s what you are thinking, let’s look at it from the other extreme (word chosen intentionally)

Let’s look it from another perspective (word chosen for those who took offense to previous word).

Let’s see if we should rely on hechshers to determine our ‘frumkeit’, our Godliness.

Let’s use the largest Glatt Kosher slaughterhouse in America.

Yep, Glatt Kosher.

For those that don’t know, in simple terms (after all, I am simple)Glatt Kosher is Very kosher. Extra Kosher

The cows wear sheitels.

Anyways, over the past few years, there have been a few ‘issues’ at this Glatt Kosher facility. The issues include the hiring of illegal and underage workers, the treatment of staff, the treatment of the animals and, the one all ‘Good Jews’ care about, the Kosher methods by which the animals are slaughtered/shechted.

Once the largest Glatt Kosher slaughterhouse began appearing in the press, various leading Rabbis , primarily in the United States and Israel, started to assess the methods by which the animals were being killed (by the way, when determining whether the meat was Kosher, the way the staff and animals were treated were not of concern to these ‘leading’ Rabbis – but that pathetic Rabbinic behavior is an aside)

Turns out, there was a split of opinions. There were rabbis who called the meat ‘treif’. There were rabbis who labeled the meat not-kosher. And there were rabbis who said the meat was perfectly Kosher.

Now, here is a Glatt Kosher slaughterhouse, with many rabbis who claimed the meat was treif and/or not-kosher. Other Rabbis said it was indeed Kosher.

Some Rabbis would agree to Kosher certification(i.e. a hechsher). Other Rabbis would not.

So, if the Kosher certification of certain kashrut agencies hechsher did not appear on the meat, would the ‘frum’ people eating that meat suddenly stop consuming?

No, they would not

But why?

Because the consumers of this Glatt Kosher meat did not care if Rabbi X or organization Y gave the meat hechsher or not. People who ate, and continue to eat the meat, KNOW, that according to their opinions, and their Rabbinic leaders, the meat is Kosher.

They did not care if other’s disagreed.

There was enough halachic support to show that the meat was, and is, indeed Kosher

In this Glatt Kosher case, was it ‘liberal’, ‘lefty’, ‘reform’ Rabbis who agreed (or were of the opinion) that the Glatt Kosher meat was Kosher?

Certainly not

Some leading Rabbis said the meat was treif and/or not-kosher and some leading Rabbis said…

“Ez Gezunt”

It’s not the certification that determined the Kashrut of the meat. It was the halacha, and the opinions of Rabbis that people choose to follow

Some leading Rabbis and organisations refuse to Kosher certify this particular Glatt Kosher meat. They regard this Glatt Kosher meat at treif and/or not-Kosher.

Does that mean it is not-Kosher or/and treif?

Some leading Rabbis regard Jelly Tots BBDC as Kosher.

Does that mean it is?

Well…..here is the beauty - and complexity - of Judaism…..

The answer to both those questions is:

Yes, depending on who you follow

Here’s the dilemma for us ‘frum’ Jews:

We now use the term “Kosher” when we should be using the words “Kosher Certified”

• Have we become ’frum’ Jews who have placed Kosher certification above Torah and God?

• Have we reduced our Judaism to rebuking Jews incorrectly and inappropriately?

• Have we turned our Judaism into an ‘us’ and ‘them’, labeling Jews as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ over the eating of flippin’ Jelly Tots?

How many of us ‘frum’ Jews would:

Say to another Jew, “Don’t eat that, it’s not Kosher”

Or

Say to another parent: “Don’t give that to your kids, it’s not Kosher”

Or

Freak out when you see your kids dig into a marshmellow Easter Egg

(aahh, I used to love those things)

Well, many of the treats, mass produced products and drinks that appear on our supermarket shelves are indeed Kosher (according to many leading Rabbis). I am not talking about chicken, and meat, and fish, and eating at non-kosher restaurants. I am talking about your average sweet. Or snack. Or loaf of bread. Or drink.

Yes, even the ones without kosher certification

I don’t eat, drink, or consume products that do not have Beth Din Certification. And I don’t give my kids food or drink that is not Beth Din Certified. But I do that because I am damn lazy. It’s easy to rely on the Beth Din. Whether I should or not (given the Glatt Kosher slaughterhouse example) is another debate.

But I do.

I could investigate every product. I could read all the ingredients. I could learn the halacha about certain food additives and animal derivatives. I could use my God-given brain to study Kashrut Halacha and apply it to my life.

But I am too freakin’ lazy.

So, I rely on the Beth Din (for better or for worse).

The fact that I rely on the Beth Din does not mean that non-Beth Din certified products are not Kosher.

What it means, is that non-Deth Din Certified products are not Certified by the Beth Din.

There are many products and services out there are NOT-Kosher……..according to ALL opinions

(aahhh, I miss Spur)

But many products are Kosher, according to MANY opinions, despite not having the Beth Din Certification

So, next time we ‘frum’ Jews call people, or allow Jews to call themselves, ‘Bad Jews’ for eating Jelly Tots BBDC (or similar), think about what’s important:

• Have we degraded our religion to one that focuses on Jelly Tots?

• Should we rebuke someone for eating something that is Kosher according to the Torah and halachah, but perhaps not Kosher Certified?

• Should we acknowledge that there is a difference between Kosher and Kosher certified?
• Should we rely on our ‘holier than though’ hechsher rating system to make us feel good about our ‘progress’ in developing ourselves as Godly Jews, in the mould of our Father Abraham, our Mother Sarah, our Prophet Moses (no image attached)?

• Should we be doing our homework, and use our God given brains and intellect to investigate for ourselves, and discern the difference between Kosher and Kosher Certified?

Nuff said….

For now

-------------------------------------

Key:

*Before Beth Din Certification

# Beth Din Kosher

Farewell to Lolly Jackson: King of kiddie entertainment

2010-05-07T12:40:00.003+02:00

Lolly Jackson had many titles. "The King of Sleaze". "The Rainbow Nation's Hugh Hefner". The man who sold "Visual Viagra". A "legend" of the adult entertainment industry

While the death of Lolly Jackson is tragic, I have been wondering about the term 'adult entertainment'.

Why are so many forms of entertainment, or so many activities, associated with the word 'adult'?

We try and look after our children. We try and protect them from the evils of this world. We tell them to eat healthy food. We ask them to exercise. We tell them not to smoke.

Activities like smoking, and eating junk food are not for children. We tell them that they can only do these things when they are older. Only when they are older, will they be able to make 'informed', 'responsible', 'adult' decisions.... to harm themselves.

We tell our children to look after themselves.

And that's pretty 'grown-up' thinking. That is very mature advice.

And yet, as adults, we act like children. Harming our bodies.

Harming our minds

Our sessnce

Look. I like the female form.

Hey, I love the female form. Women are gorgeous. The female body is beautiful.

We tell our children to respect their own bodies. We guide our children in respecting their own, and other people's 'private parts'.

We teach our children to behave like human beings, and not let animal instincts guide their behaviour.

We advise our children to eat healthy foods. To say please and thank you. Not to grab. Not to be greedy.

We guide our children to follow deep meaning relationships. We tell them that cheap thrills are dangerous, and the pursuit of vanity is valueless

When we teach our children, we teach them to behave, and act, like adults.

We teach our children to think with their brains.

Not with their stomachs

Or their penises.

The society we live in tells us that going to strip clubs is a form of "adult entertainment"

Our society accepts, and indeed encourages adults to act like children.

As adults, we act like children in the way we seek cheap thrills. In the way we respect our bodies. In the way we pursue vanity. In the consumer-driven, brand-conscious greed that we aspire to.

Our "adult entertainment" and "grown-up" way of life, keeps us acting (and thinking) like children.

And thanks to the societal acceptance of concepts like 'adult entertainment', we remain completely infantile in our treatment of women...

And ourselves

The Judge Goldstone Saga: Let the beheadings begin

2010-04-16T10:25:00.011+02:00

The local and international press is running with the Judge Goldtsone 'Barmitzvah Barring' story. The South African Jewish community has been outraged, following the release of the 'Goldstone Report' and there are reports that the outrage, and attacks, are now 'personal'

The Times has reported that the SA Jewish board of deputies has denied that any barring has taken place. YNet News reported that the 'banning' is indeed in place. According to the Business Day, the South African Jewish Board of Deputies called the reports of banning "completely untrue".

I think the Goldtsone report is a travesty of justice.

Judge Golstone led the UN fact finding mission on Gaza. The mission kicked off in April 2009 and the report was published in September 2009.

The "Judge Goldstone event of 2009" irrevocably damaged Israel's reputation. It 'exposed' Israel as being a war-hungry, blood-thirsty colonialist state. It 'presented' the inhumane tactics used by Israel's war machine and blatant disregard the Israeli military, and government, has for Palestinian life and Palestinian territory.

(An often ignored and overlooked "by-the-way": The report accused both the Israeli Defense Force AND Palestinian militants of war crimes and, alleged, crimes against humanity)

But, should the outcome and recommendations of that report be of any surprise to Israel and the international Jewish community?

Has the UN and any of it's agencies been 'friends of Israel' over the past decade, two decades, four decades?

The feeling among the general Jewish community, and supporters of Israel, is that Goldstone has undermined the Jewish state, and fueled the flames of anti-Jewish, anti-semitic and anti-Israel sentiment

While the Jewish Board denies reports of the 'barring' of Judge Goldstone from attending his grandson's barmitzvah, there are many members of the Jewish community (and leaders too) who would (and do) support such a barring

Should he have declined the opportunity to lead the fact-finding mission?

Yes

But the findings would have been the same. In fact, Israel probably could have expected an even worse, more damaging report from the 'we-haven't-supported-Israel-since-1947' UN

"Anti-semitism", "anti-Torah", "anti-Jewish lifestyle", "anti-Jewish homeland" movements (and wide support for those movements) have always existed. There is nothing new about these movements, sentiments, lunatics.

Judge Goldstone did not invent anti-semitism, anti-Torahism and anti-Jewish Homelandism

And he hardly fuels it

Judge Goldstone sits way down on the list of issues and people who undermine the Jewish community, our beliefs, our Torah values. Judge Goldstone is small fry when it comes to fueling anti-semetism, anti-Jewish lifestyle, anti-Torah views and anti-Israel sentiment

Judge Goldstone should NEVER be banned from any shul, or Jewish institutions. There should be NO debate about such bannings, barrings or Taliban style community dealings

But that does not mean barrings, bannings, and possible beheadings should be entirely ruled out. The target of these efforts needs to be the people and activities that threaten the Jewish community, what it stands for, and what it believes in.

Judge Goldtsone does not feature on that list

Who is undermining the Jewish community's credibility? Who is bringing disrepute to the Jewish way of life and our Torah values? What type of people are weakening the standing of Israel within the community of nations? What activities are sabotaging our efforts to be a 'light unto the nations'

So, who should we be banning from our shuls and communities?

These kinds of people and activities cause harm to us as a Jewish community, our beloved Torah and our precious State of Israel

There's has been a lot of talk about Judge Goldtsone

Maybe, maybe too much talk

The AWB's "Die Stem" vs Malema's "Ayasab' amagwala"

2010-04-09T12:50:00.002+02:00

In the past few days, following Eugene Terre-Blanche’s murder, the ANC leadership has called for calm. It has asked South Africans not to take the law into their own hands.

On Sunday, April the 4th, President Jacob Zuma appealed to the South African public "not to allow agent provocateurs to take advantage of this situation by inciting or fuelling racial hatred".

The ANC's secretary general, Gwede Mantashe asked members of the ANC to restrain themselves from singing songs that "can be seen and be interpreted to be contributing to a racial polarisation of society"

However, the AWB and Julius Malema have remained defiant.

On Wednesday, the 7th of April, Julius Malema said that Gwede Mantashe "did not say Mr Malema should not sing this song". This was a reference to the song "Ayasab' amagwala" and ""Shoot the Boer"

On the 8th of April, Julius Malema (partly) agreed to stop singing the song. Malema said he would replace offending words, but would continue to sing the song. Malema went on to say: "The ANC has ruled on the matter and we are accepting the decision of the ANC, but we are not accepting the decision of the court. We are continuing to challenge the matter in court"

On Friday the 9th of April, the AWB's secretary general, Andre Visagie, said: "It is time we stick to our culture and sing the national anthem. We are singing Die Stem and we won't let go". Die Stem is the old South African anthem

Visagie went on to say: "We don't say kill someone from another race group."

Malema, head of the ANC's Youth League, supposedly represents the ANC's ideals of democracy, multi-culturalism, respect.

Visagie, secretary general of the AWB, supposedly represents the 'fanatical', 'right-wing', 'hard-line' AWB.

Let's see what these two, defiant, individuals are fighting for. Below, are the words to 'Die Stem' and 'Ayasab' amagwala', along with English translations.

Die Stem van Suid-Afrika (The Call of South Africa)
Uit die blou van onse hemel, (Ringing out from our blue heavens)

Uit die diepte van ons see, (From our deep seas breaking round)

Oor ons ewige gebergtes (Over everlasting mountains)

Waar die kranse antwoord gee. (Where the echoing crags resound)

Deur ons vêr verlate vlaktes (From our plains where creaking wagons)

Met die kreun van ossewa. (Cut their trails into the earth)

Ruis die stem van ons geliefde, (Calls the spirit of our country)

Van ons land Suid-Afrika. (Of the land that gave us birth)

Ons sal antwoord op jou roepstem, (At thy call we shall not falter)

Ons sal offer wat jy vra: (Firm and steadfast we shall stand)

Ons sal lewe, ons sal sterwe, (At thy will to live or perish)

Ons vir jou, Suid-Afrika. (O South Africa, dear land)

In die merg van ons gebeente, (In our body and our spirit)

in ons hart en siel en gees, (In our inmost heart held fast)

In ons roem op ons verlede, (In the promise of our future)

In ons hoop op wat sal wees. (And the glory of our past)

In ons wil en werk en wandel, (In our will, our work, our striving)

Van ons wieg tot aan ons graf. (From the cradle to the grave)

Deel geen ander land ons liefde, (There's no land that shares our loving)

Trek geen ander trou ons af. (And no bond that can enslave)

Vaderland, ons sal die adel, (Thou hast borne us and we know thee)

Van jou naam met ere dra: (May our deeds to all proclaim)

Waar en trou as Afrikaners, (Our enduring love and service)

Kinders van Suid-Afrika. (To thy honour and thy name)

In die songloed van ons somer, (In the golden warmth of summer)

in ons winternag se kou, (In the chill of winter's air)

In die lente van ons liefde, (In the surging life of springtime)

in die lanfer van ons rou. (In the autumn of despair)

By die klink van huw'liksklokkies, (When the wedding bells are chiming)

by die kluit-klap op die kis. (Or when those we love do depart)

Streel jou stem ons nooit verniet nie, (Thou dost know us for thy children)

Weet jy waar jou kinders is. (And dost take us to thy heart)

Op jou roep sê ons nooit née nie, (Loudly peals the answering chorus)

Sê ons altyd, altyd ja: (We are thine, and we shall stand)

Om te lewe, om te sterwe - (Be it life or death, to answer)

Ja, ons kom, Suid-Afrika. (To thy call, beloved land)

Op U Almag vas vertrouend (In thy power, Almighty, trusting)

het ons vadere gebou: (Did our fathers build of old)

Skenk ook ons die krag, o Here! (Strengthen then, O Lord, their children)

Om te handhaaf en te hou. (To defend, to love, to hold)

Dat die erwe van ons vadere (That the heritage they gave us)

Vir ons kinders erwe bly: (For our children yet may be)

Knegte van die Allerhoogste, (Bondsmen only to the Highest)

Teen die hele wêreld vry. (And before the whole world free)

Soos ons vadere vertrou het, (As our fathers trusted humbly)

Leer ook ons vertrou, o Heer: (Teach us, Lord to trust Thee still)

Met ons land en met ons nasie (Guard our land and guide our people

Sal dit wel wees, God regeer. (In Thy way to do Thy will.)

Ayasab' amagwala (the cowards are scared)

dubula dubula (shoot shoot)

ayeah

dubula dubula (shoot shoot )

ayasab 'a magwala (the cowards are scared)

dubula dubula (shoot shoot)

awu yoh

dubula dubula (shoot shoot)

aw dubul'ibhunu (shoot the Boer)

dubula dubula (shoot shoot)

aw dubul'ibhunu (shoot the Boer)

dubula dubula (shoot shoot)

aw dubul'ibhunu (shoot the Boer)

dubula dubula (shoot shoot)

aw dubul'ibhunu (shoot the Boer)

dubula dubula (shoot shoot)

awe mama ndiyekele (mother leave me be)

awe mama iyeah (oh mother)

awe mama ndiyekele (mother leave me be)

awe mama iyo (oh mother)

aw dubul'ibhunu (shoot the Boer)

dubula dubula (shoot shoot)

aw dubul'ibhunu (shoot the Boer)

dubula dubula (shoot shoot)

aw dubul'ibhunu (shoot the Boer)

dubula dubula (shoot shoot)

aw dubul'ibhunu (shoot the Boer)

dubula dubula (shoot shoot)

Ziyarapa lezinja (these dogs are raping)

dubula dubula (shoot shoot)

ay iyeah

dubula dubula (shoot shoot)

Ziyarapa lezinja (these dogs are raping)

dubula dubula (shoot shoot)

ay iiiyo

dubula dubula (shoot shoot)

The deafening outcry over the Middle East insult to a leading diplomat

2010-03-18T14:00:00.002+02:00

This week saw an international diplomat being insulted in the Middle East

Actions were taken which were seen (by too few) as counter-productive to the Middle East peace process.

Moves were made that were seen (by too few) as major stumbling blocks to progress in resolving the long standing dispute between Palestinians and Israelis

A high level delegation arrived in the Middle East, only to be completely undermined, insulted and ignored

An important diplomat was undermined, just as the diplomat was hoping to bring the 2 sides together, and make a renewed push towards peace

Leading politicians, the world's media and international news networks commented heavily on:

This 'incident'

(Or did they?)

They covered, extensively,:

This 'insult'

(Or did they?)

They were alarmed by:

The 'bad timing'

(Or were they?)

They were concerned about how such a move would:

'Undermine the peace process'

(Or were they?)

Catherine Ashton is the EU's chief of Foreign Affairs and is the EU's top diplomat. She crossed into Gaza on Wednesday night.

Hours before her arrival, 2 rockets were fired from Gaza into Israel.

One hour after her arrival, a third rocket killed a person within Israel's Negev region.

The outcry from the world's media and politicians regarding this latest 'insult', 'bad timing' and 'undermining of the peace process' is deafening

Or is it?

I support Julius Malema's: "Nationalisation will become ANC policy"

2010-02-22T10:24:00.004+02:00

Malema, and the ANC Youth League are calling for the nationalisation of South African mines and other 'profitable' businesses. Last week, at a commemoration of Nelson Mandela's release, Malema said the following:

"We don't care who says what. Nationalisation will become the policy of the ANC....We don't want Zuma's or Mbalula's support ... we want the support of the masses. If the masses say you are correct, we will march on"

According to reports in the Sunday Times, City Press and Rapport. For the past two years, Julius Malema's (one) company, SGL Engineering Projects, has won government tenders to the value of R140mil.

This revelation has come to light, following Malema's purchase of a house, valued at R3.5mil. Malema reportedly earns R20k, per month, from the ANC (he denied this amount, and admitted it was higher). Malema now owns two houses, one of which is bonded, but by less than 50% of the value. He also, reportedly, owns a small fleet of luxury cars (he claims it's just the Mercedes Benz C Class)
Of this latest Malema affair, the ANC Spokesperson Brian Sokutu said:

'Comrade Malema is neither a member of Parliament or a Cabinet Minister and he has therefore not breached any law or code of ethics by being involved in business.'

SGL Engineering has won tenders for, among other projects, road construction and business district upgrades. Clients include the Mopani district, Waterberg district, Greater Letaba and Tzaneen municipalities.

On Monday the 22nd of February, Julius Malema held a press conference. He stated that he had resigned from all directorships when he was appointed as ANC Youth League president (documents show that he is still a director at SGL Engineering Projects). He was not clear about other sources of income. The ANC's Brian Sokutu's statement leads me to think that Julius does indeed have other lucrative sources of income.

It's great work.....

If you can get it.

And seeing that I (and approximately 45 million other South Africans) can't get it, I am starting a call to mass action.

I, and I am sure millions of fellow South Africans, would also like a piece of Julius Malema's action.

Join me comrade Julius. Together, we will march on

For once, I am (almost) proud to be an Absa customer

2010-02-17T09:01:00.002+02:00

I bank with Absa. And I have for years.
Over the years, I have seen my banking charges rapidly increase. For the past 3 years, I have threatened to close my accounts, and move to FNB. FNB has fixed pricing options where transactional and monthly charges are capped.

3 weeks ago, I opened my FNB account. FNB's pricing.....competitive. FNB's service.....spectacular

I now bank with both Absa and FNB. And while FNB has won my business through great service and competitive pricing, Absa has won my praise through its most recent 'cutting' exercise

Absa's results were released this week and the details appeared in yesterday's press. Net income dropped by 36 percent, to R6,8bil (from R10.7 bil).

Absa has announced that it will be cutting the directors' and executives' bonuses. 35 percent of incentive pay will be in cash, with the balance paid over 3 years.

Speaking on behalf of Absa, the acting head of human resources, Nadine Drutman, said:

“Given where the earnings are, we don’t think it’s appropriate to go with huge cash bonuses,”

There are still questions I would like answered:

- Why are the executive receiving bonuses in the first place?

- By how much has each executive's bonus been reduced?

- How many people have been retrenched due to 'adverse' trading conditions?
Despite these questions, Absa deserves praise for taking the bold move of cutting executives' bonuses