Don Krausz to The Mercury

The Letters Editor,

The Mercury.

 RE: DA should condemn Israeli government’s apartheid

By Anne Chachlin – 17/1/17.

 South African apartheid was defined as legal separation against people of colour. According to Anne Chachlin (AC) this occurs in Israel too.

 I am a white South African and lived here under apartheid. I am also a Jew and lived in Israel for years. At no stage did I see any legal apartheid in Israel. I lived, socialised and worked with people of colour and was even engaged to one who would not have been allowed into SA. At work, in the streets or places of entertainment there was no discrimination. Palestinians had the vote, access to schools, universities and hospitals and reached the highest positions in the Israeli parliament and judiciary.

 But there is such a thing as emotion overriding intellect. An anti-Semite will find support for his prejudices everywhere which may well explain a person such as Tutu finding apartheid in Israel, despite having been awarded a Nobel Prize. Yasser Arafat was similarly honoured despite being identified as one of the first and most notorious terrorists.

 Intellect would have seen the wood for the trees. A little research instead of indoctrination and hatred would have revealed the extent of political and religion- induced terrorism. Since 1920, 24,861 Jews have been murdered and 35,356 injured in Arab terrorist attacks.

 AC complains of the humiliation of Palestinians at checkpoints and compares it to the actions of SA police before 1994. This may be true. But consider the fact that those 18-year old boy and girl soldiers are trying to prevent terrorists smuggling arms and explosives into the country which is taking place on an ongoing basis. She refers to what she calls a Separation Wall. Inconvenient?

Definitely. But she does not mention that this so-called Apartheid Wall also served to prevent 1,000 suicide bomber murders which took place during Arafat’s Second Intifada. Yes, the same Arafat who was also awarded a Nobel prize.

 AC, if you had a say in the matter then what would you advise, inconvenience or 1,000 men, women and children blown to pieces?

 Can you not see that it is Palestinian terrorism that lies at the root of all these horrors? Yes, there are separate roads for Jews and Palestinians and they have drastically reduced the instances of drive-by shootings that used to take place.

You write of separate and unequal school systems to which children are subjected. Would you send your child to a school where he or she is taught how to kill a Jew with a knife? And if that child succeeds, you and it are lauded and venerated from the pulpit and by your group’s leaders? Exaggeration, propaganda? Just read the Jewish press. No, you won’t find it in the Mercury.

 Illegal settlements in the West Bank? That was conquered from Israel in 1948 during a totally unprovoked Palestinian attack and Arab invasion that killed one percent of Israel’s Jewish population and wounded 30,000 according to the British Encyclopaedia? And how could those settlements have been designated “illegal” when the area had been known since biblical days as Judea and Samaria, giving rise to part of the occupants being known as Judeans, Jews?

 In 1947, the British Peel commission suggested partition for Palestine. The Jews accepted the hugely truncated portion, the Palestinians refused. They stated that they wanted it all, “from the river to the sea!” Since then until very recently, Israeli leaders have offered to sit down with Palestinians and negotiate. The Arabs have always refused.

Allan Wolman to The Cape Argus

To those critics of Mmusi Maimane’s travels isn’t it refreshing to read first-hand all about apartheid and other evils of Israel even if that knowledge was gleaned second and third hand and from literature conjured through hatred of the Jewish state.

 

And why should Sataar Parker of Goodwood Mosque Board of Trust investigate the situation himself, surely the myths fed by various interest groups are enough to convince him just how evil Israel is. Oh, hold fire, didn’t a group of young ANC members actually undertake a fact-finding trip to Israel last year and their finding debunked everything Parker is claiming. There is also the testimony of our ambassador to Israel who had the temerity to tell “an inconvenient truth”

 

Parker mentions Netanyahu with blood on his hands and then a few lines further quotes Leila Khaled one of the original terrorist whose ‘coat of arms’ is a silhouette of her brandishing an AK47 assault rifle used during her aircraft hijacking days and other murderous activities. Now there’s someone with blood up to her shoulders.

 

So the writer tells us the Middle East is up in flames – about the only factual statement in his entire article and asks who is the root cause of all this – Perhaps look at the entire Arab world currently swimming in a sea of blood from the Yemen to Syria to Libya and further – and that’s all Israel’s doing? Perhaps Mr. Parker a trip to the local library might help provide the truthful answers but better still a trip to Israel might not only open your eyes but also your mind

Rolene Marks: An open letter to Redi Tlhabi

Dear Redi

I have listened with great interest and much concern to many South Africans who have expressed their dismay at recent comments that you made on your radio show regarding Israel. This has left many people feeling deeply offended and dismayed at what seems to be a very one-sided view of the Jewish State.

I am writing to you as an Israeli who grew up in South Africa and understands the narratives of the past and present of both countries. I am hoping that we can open a dialogue between us so that you can begin to realise that Israelis just want peace with our neighbours, wanting to live a life that insures a bright future for children on both sides, free from conflict. I am hoping that we can speak so that you and your listeners can better understand the nuances and everyday complexities of living in Israel, a country that faces the types of challenges other countries don’t.

I know that it is the cause du jour right now to jump on the anti-Israel bandwagon but I appeal to you as a journalist and fellow broadcaster to engage with me so that we can ensure fair and balanced coverage of a conflict that is far more complex and multi-layered than many would have you believe. It is a situation that raises many questions and I am hoping that we can speak without the mantle of government office to influence our discussion.

I want to understand why there is there such a fear of South Africans visiting Israel. I want to introduce you to the Israel I know and live in, a vibrant, pluralistic, robust but flawed democracy. I want to explain why Israel is not an Apartheid state, an analogy that causes tremendous pain to both countries. The many South Africans who have been to Israel and experienced the situation on the ground, dismiss this comparison. I want to explain that by engaging in discourse which is the South African way, we will certainly pave the way for peace; but engaging in fear or the politics of blame which has been evident in the South African media lately, only harms our efforts.

Did you know that while DA leader Maimane’s visit was being heavily criticised and condemned, Israel and the Palestinian Authority signed a treaty to improve water supply in the West bank? This is the South African way.

 I extend an invitation to all peace loving South Africans who seek to build bridges and find positive solutions to please come and visit our beautiful, flawed, thriving democracy and see the facts on the ground for yourself. Don’t let those that are anti-normalization and peace dictate your movements – this just hearkens back to South Africa’s tragic past.

 

I would welcome an opportunity to speak to you either on or off air, Redi. Will you accept my invitation?

Warm regards

Rolene Marks

Modiin

Israel

Don Krausz to The Mercury

The Letters Editor,

THE MERCURY.

 Dear Sir/Madam,

 RE: SANCTIONS CHANGED SA, SO WHY NOT ISRAEL?

By Naeema Pandor.

Naeema is a beautiful name and in Semitic languages it means pleasing, pleasant.

Where in English we say: “Pleased to meet you,” so in the Middle East they say:

“Naeem meod!”

But such a pleasing name carries a responsibility: one has to live up to it. One hesitates to say: “Pleased to meet you” to someone that you suspect of not being truthful.

When Naeema uses words such as occupation and apartheid, then has she investigated if these words apply to the situation or whether they are concoctions of propaganda and hatred?

Jews have lived in the territory now called Israel for the past 3,300 years. They have been overrun and taken captive by conquering armies, but a remnant was always left to farm the land and so provide food for the occupiers. This has been borne out through scripture, archaeological research and the reports of visitors to the territory over millennia.

In 1917 the British conquered the land from the Ottoman Empire. At the San Remo conference of 1920 the victors determined the status of the Ottomans’ former possessions. The territory known as Palestine was placed under the sole mandate of Britain with the explicit directive to ensure the implementation of the Balfour Declaration with regard to the establishment of a Jewish homeland.

This decision was unanimously confirmed by all 51 members of the League of Nations on July 24 1922, was adopted later by the United Nations and has never been abrogated, making it legally binding to this day between the parties who signed it.

So much for the “illegality” of occupation.

Anyone who has had the slightest experience of South African apartheid knows that it was the result of legislation promulgated by the S.A. Parliament. Israelhas no such legislation and does not practise any racial discrimination whatsoever.

If Naeema Pandor knows otherwise then let her prove it.

Don Krausz to The Mercury

7 January, 2017.

 The Letters Editor,

The Mercury.

 RE: CRITICISM IS EASY, WHAT IS THE SOLUTION? By John Drake, 3/1/17.

Well, at long last we have a letter that is not suffused by hatred and where the author does not pretend to know all the answers.

 Is it not self-evident that no international problems can be solved by stating that one of the parties has no right to exist? Any student of history must be aware that over the millennia oceans of blood have been spilt by countries that believed their cause to be just. Britain, Germany, France, Russia and the belligerents of both world wars are just a few that come to mind. Does that entitle us to say that these countries do not have the right to exist and if so then how many millions do we, the righteous, have to exterminate?

 

Just study World War One, where the protagonists lost generations of young men in fighting over a few hundred yards of mud. These days those former enemies who fought to the death share common borders and currency, and can visit each other at will. What exactly were they killing each other about?

 

During the past century wars have become more complicated. Now religion and racial hatred have come into it. In the Middle East at least 300,000 Syrians have been killed, to a large extent by their fellow Moslems. They share the same religion and worship the same Deity. Do they believe that Deity to be their Creator and if so then do the Shia and Sunni hold that their Creator wants each group to kill his creatures?

 

John Drake states that Saber Ahmed Jazbay is well read and eloquent. When Hitler came to power in 1933 he was supported by the professors ofGermany’s top universities which proves that emotion will override intellect and not that intelligence can not be faulted.

 

In 1947 the British Peel Commission suggested partition between Jews and Arabs to which the United Nations agreed. The Jews accepted, the Arabs did not and in 1948 the Palestinians and five neighbouring Arab states attacked Israel, killing 6,000, one percent of the Jewish population and wounding a further 30,000 according to the British Encyclopaedia.

 

Apart from his hatred and prejudice, on what does Jazbay base his conclusion that the establishment of Israel, the only Jewish state in the world, was an illegal act? The Moslems own the Middle East and there are one and a half BILLION of them. Of all that oil rich territory Israel occupies ONE SIXTH OF ONE PERCENT and has been in situ for some 3,300 years. If the well read Jazbay studies the Qu’ran and the Jewish Torah he will find confirmation thereof.

 

Professor of International Law, John Dugard is no friend of Israel, but has opined that when a country is attacked and in counterattacking occupies the assailant’s territory, it can remain in occupation until a peace treaty is signed. That is how Egypt regained the Sinai from Israel. The latter has on numerous occasions offered the Arabs territorial negotiation to no avail.

The solution? That we are all God’s creatures and that hatred and war are not the answer.

Rolene Marks re: Maimane’s visit to Israel

To the Editor

The ANC’s statement re the visit of DA leader, maimane’s recent visit to Israel refers.

There is nothing more frightening in life than having to face your fears head on. The ANC and supporters within the ranks of BDS seem to have an almost pathological fear of South Africans, especially those in influential or decision making roles who visit the Jewish state and discover much to the shock and horror of the above mentioned organisations that Israel is in fact a pluralistic and robust democracy. Flawed maybe, but democratic. Israel is certainly not an Apartheid state as has been stated time and time agin by those who have had the courage and foresight to come and see for themselves – some of those folks have even been former BDS supporters who have now seen the facts on the ground and are dispelling these appalling comparisons.

One should applaud Maimane who has displayed characteristics that honour true leaders who find out the facts for themselves and look for possible solutions for both countries moving forward.

Sadly, the hysterical hand wringing of the ANC, coupled with some of the most offensive tomes such as the age old stereotypes about “The allegations that the Democratic Alliance is funded and controlled by Apartheid Israel sympathisers seems to be true” is dangerous and anti-Semitic. I think that both Tambo and Mandela who encouraged dialogue and bridge building would turn in their graves at the blatant intolerance and accusation shown in this statement rather than at the DA leader meeting with Israel, which they would applaud. 

Tomorrow is Rev Dr Martin Luther King day in the USA when this icon of civil and human rights who was a fervent Zionist will be remembered. After reading the appalling statement by the ANC that makes a mockery of both South Africa’s history of dialgogue and reconciliation,I cannot help but think of the quote that expressed the tenets  of this great man who famously said ” when people criticize Zionists they mean Jews, you are talking anti-Semitism”.

I extend an invitation to all peace loving South Africans who seek to build bridges and find positive solutions to please come and visit our beautiful, flawed, thriving democracy and see the facts on the ground for yourself. Don’t let those that are anti-normalization and peace dictate your movements – this just hearkens back to South Africa’s tragic past.

Allan Wolman to Redi Direko of 702

Dear Redi

Firstly, I have enjoyed your show for many years and miss your column in the Sunday Times.

However, your interview with the DA spokesman really needs some introspection.

You ended the words “brutal ugly and bloody history” and indeed that is true but true to both side of the conflict and I’m sure you need no reminder about that being the fair-minded person I perceive you to be.

But in truth you talked about a crisis and indeed it is a crisis but one needs to measure crises in perspective. A mere 300 miles from where Maimane had his meeting with Israeli official almost 500,000 people have been killed – that’s half a million people -is that number now a statistic or a tragedy – if the latter it should be treated as such – the tragedy of our time.

This tragedy is still ongoing and to add to that almost 5 million refugees having fled those horrors with many dying in the freezing cold of Europe as I write. That dear Redi is a “brutal, ugly and bloody” crisis that needs to be brought into perspective.

Allow me to touch on something that you reinforced – that of illegal settlements (read occupation.) Currently Russia is occupying with much brutality the Ukraine, and isn’t it those Russian Jets that were bombing the hospitals and schools in in Aleppo, not too far from where Maimane is visiting. But also, our new best friend China has been conducting a brutal, bloody and ugly occupation of Tibet for more than 50 years. 

But Redi it’s not about the Palestinians! If it were why have those hate filled groups that feed you and your listeners the myth of the brutality you mentioned, why do they ignore those half a million Palestinians suffering under a brutal and ugly apartheid system in Lebanon – please take the time to investigate their plight. But what about another half a million Palestinians in Syria being targeted by those Russian (and Syrian) jets mentioned earlier. 

Surely Redi you need no reminder that a Palestinian state has been on offer three times since 2000 where a complete withdrawal from all occupied territories including East Jerusalem were offered to a corrupt and intransigent Palestinian leadership who turned their backs on a state as neither Arafat nor Abbas were and are still prepared to accept a Jewish State in their neighbourhood.

No Redi this issue is fed by groups of hate filled people with only one agenda – the total annihilation of the Jewish State.

Allan Wolman to Politicsweb

The brouhaha around Mmusi Maimane’s visit to Israel has really got the ANC’s knickers in a knot, not to mention their BDS cohorts also climbing on the bandwagon with the same old…same old.. apartheid slurs.

The ANC commentators accuse the DA of not standing in solidarity with the Palestinian cause – a pretty baseless claim when attempting to engage with both sides of a conflict can only hasten the peace process instead of the ANC’ one sided stand and at the same time claiming that they want to promote a just settlement between the parties. You can’t be both ref and goalkeeper at the same time.

What seems to have put the ruling party’s nose out of joint is that Maimane is doing just that and taken the initiative of visiting both sides on the ground to dispel the myths that the anti-Israel lobby promotes, not for justice but for the destruction of Israel.

Now if those in the ANC and their BDS mates were genuinely concerned about the Palestinian people’s suffering why do they ignore the plight of half a million Palestinian’s suffering under an abhorrent apartheid system in Lebanon. There happens to also be almost half a million Palestinians in Syria many of whom have now been slaughtered in Aleppo, Homs and Damascus adding to the 500,000 Syrians killed by the Assad and his new best friend Putin who provided his Russian jets to bomb the hospitals and schools to smithereens. Where are those holier than thou supporters of boycotts against Israel in the face of this human tragedy? Ask any Palestinian living in Lebanon or Syria if they would change places with those living in the Israel and no prizes for guessing the answer.

How hypocritical can some people be who cosy up to the likes of Russia who occupy a large part of Ukraine and China whose ruthless occupation of Tibet has lasted more than 50 years? Israel’s ‘occupation’ of the West Bank carries far more legitimacy than these two countries – lets not discuss the human rights records of these two countries.

Perhaps those in the ANC should take a lesson from their own hymnbook and remember the fruits that direct negotiations bore which led to the democracy that we all enjoy today. Perhaps if those harsh critics in the party follow the example of some of their younger members who decided to visit Israel last year in order to seek the truth for themselves instead of being brainwashed by a group of people whose only agenda is the destruction of Israel. Perhaps if they seek to dispel the myths fed to them and look for the truth themselves instead of trying you make political gain by criticising the DA they might be in a position to influence a just and lasting peace – which is the stated aim of the government.

Allan Wolman to The Star:

The Star – every day this week!!! 17 times since beginning of November:

Mmusi Maimane’s trip to Israel has upset the ruling party, according to a report in this newspaper (13 Jan). A DA spokesman said there was never an instruction by the President that Maimane should not visit Israel, which in the democracy that we live in makes sense – how can our government instruct anyone from visiting anther country – don’t we enjoy freedom of movement enshrined in our constitution?

 But whilst our President has said on countless occasions that he together with his government support an end to the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, how can this come about without constructive engagement and seeking of facts on the ground, something that Maimane seems to be doing. Or are our rulers and their supports afraid to discover the myth that they have been fed by the likes of those “progressive” bodies whose only agenda is Israel’s destruction.

 Opposing official visits to Israel must fly in the face of our President and other government official’s numerous visits to Russia who are occupying parts of Ukraine and who have been and are still conducting their murderous campaign of vicious bombing of schools and hospitals recently in Aleppo killing thousands of people including children and still continue to bomb other parts of Syria where the death toll ably assisted by Russians jets has reached almost half a million people.

Opposing official visits to Israel must again fly in the face of those official visits to China who have occupied Tibet for over 50 years. But these critics of Israel don’t seem to have any problem hobnobbing with the likes of Omar al-Bashir of Sudan, a wanted war criminal responsible for the death of almost a million of his countrymen.

Some of the world’s worst human rights violators are regular hosts to our ruling party officials in the likes of Cuba, Iran, China, Zimbabwe, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan but such visits don’t seem to bother those hypocritical critics of Israel.

Allan Wolman to The Star

Iqbal Jassat in his Comment (The Star 10 Jan) gives us his view on the ramifications of the UN Security Council Resolution 2334. Of course, that’s his interpretation of analysis by Vijay Prashad who like Jassat has a history of anti-Israel bias. He goes on with the same old …same old…illegal settlements etc.

But here’s the flaw in Jassat’s argument -he writes that “In 1967, Israel seized the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip.” Reading this, the uninformed would assume that Israel simply invaded those territories for no reason whatsoever. Some vital omissions in his narrative – history reads differently and tells us how four Arab countries attack Israel intent on total annihilation of the Jewish State.

He also goes on to say “This negative approach to the ‘peace process’ means that Israel is committed to a permanent occupation…”  Surely Jassat needs no reminder that a Palestinian state has been on offer three times since 2000 where a complete withdrawal from all occupied territories including East Jerusalem were offered to a corrupt and intransigent Palestinian leadership who turned their backs on a state as neither Arafat nor Abbas were and are still prepared to accept a Jewish State in their neighbourhood.

Perhaps Jassat and his Media Review Network, who enjoy so much editorial space in the columns of this news group, would answer one simple question: Would they accept a two-state solution on the basis of mutually agreed borders or are their aims the same as the Palestinian leadership – total destruction of Israel.