Posted inGeneralNews/Politics

Of walls and refugees

Well, hallelujah! Turkey has started to build a wall along its border with Syria. Guess what, most of the wall is 2m tall and in some stretches will be over 2.5m high. The first part of the wall will extend for over 900km. Walls separate people and break up families. Walls cut people off from […]

Posted inNews/Politics

BDS lobby fails at Brics

The proceedings of the fifth Brics summit that took place on March 26 to 27 2013 at the Durban International Convention Centre provided an international stage for civil organisations to garner the limelight for their causes. One such organisation, which promotes the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) of Israel by South Africa, foundered in its […]

Posted inNews/Politics

Israeli pianist’s performance disrupted by Wits students

On the evening of March 12 2013 an Israeli-born pianist’s performance to a full auditorium at Wits was disrupted and abruptly ended when anti-Israel protestors, which included members of the Palestine Solidarity Committee, the Wits Student Representative Council (SRC) and the Muslim Students Association repeatedly broke into the auditorium. Yossi Reshef is a world-renowned pianist, […]

Posted inNews/Politics

The hypocrisy of the ‘apartheid Israel’ boycott movement

For the past nine years the International Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement has organised a well-funded, internationally co-ordinated hate fest against Israel in more than 250 university cities around the world. The event aims to classify Israel as an apartheid state, thereby delegitimising its right to exist because apartheid is a crime against humanity. […]

Posted inNews/Politics

ANC lashes out at Jews in lead up to 2014 elections

With the date for elections, which must take place before July 2014, fast approaching, the African National Congress (ANC) aims not only to secure its unassailable position as the national governing party, but also wishes to govern in each of the nine provinces. A ferocious battle is shaping up in the Western Cape, the only […]

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Yet again Palestinian leaders miss an opportunity

Immediately after being asked by President Shimon Peres to form a new coalition Benjamin Netanyahu stated that renewing talks with Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinian Authority would be a top priority for his new government. “The next government that I will form will be committed to peace. I call on Abu Mazen (Abbas) to return […]

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Aid donors perpetuate Palestinian hate

Countries and aid agencies offering aid and assistance to Gaza have blood on their hands. While food and other humanitarian assistance has been pouring into Gaza, the democratically elected ruling party Hamas, has been funneling funds and huge resources into manufacturing and acquiring rockets. Palestinians, and Gazans in particular, have carefully cultivated an image of […]

Posted inNews/Politics

What next for SA-Israel relations?

By Howard Sackstein This week the South African ambassador to Israel was summoned by his hosts for a severe reprimand. Our government’s increasingly aggressive stance on Israel has caused relations between Jerusalem and Pretoria to implode. One by one we have watched our despotic friends in the Middle East tumble from power and we watch […]