Desmond Tutu, How far you have fallen!!
This is a note I have been meaning to write for a very long
time. The Russell Tribunal, which took place in Cape Town yesterday, has pushed
me over the edge. It is an utter disgrace that such an event can take place on
South African soil, let alone be hosted by the so-called moral barometer for
the world, Desmond Tutu.
For those of you that don’t know, the Russell Tribunal, or
the Russell Tribunal on Palestine, is based on the original Russell Tribunal,
which took place after the Vietnam War to persecute those responsible for the
war crimes perpetrated at that time. From the outset my introduction should
alert you to the heinous claims being leveled against Israel. There are a few
fundamental flaws with the tribunal taking place currently. A tribunal implies
in its very definition that a judicial process is taking place. One where both
sides of a story are heard and a non-biased judge or panel will come to a
conclusion of the events portrayed.
This so-called tribunal was hosted on a Saturday. As many of
you know this is a religious day for Jews. Many will not work, will not drive,
will not use the phone and definitely will not attend an event on this day.
Also no Jewish organization could be expected to attend an event on a Saturday. This should
make one realize that already we are missing something very important from the
tribunal, namely the other side to the story. There could not have been adequate representation. They may say that there are Jewish
representatives. Lets get this straight, the self-hating Jews Ronnie Kasrils,
Noam Chomsky and Stephen Friedman are most certainly not who I, nor most of my
community members would choose to represent us! How dare they claim the term
Tribunal when this is the furthest thing form the truth? This is the height of discrimination!
Something else shattering this illusion of an unbiased
judicial process is who the head of the tribunal is, namely Desmond Tutu. Yes
during the REAL apartheid era he was a freedom fighter, taking a stand that
many were too scared to take. This, however, is not what is occurring today. On
numerous occasions Tutu has shot his mouth of, criticizing and even worse
condemning Israel for numerous crimes. He is not fit to head a “tribunal”. The
“tribunal” organisers have collected an array of “stars” to speak. Lets not kid
and pretend they are coming from a neutral position. Each one of them has on
more than one occasion come out criticizing Israel. They are not fit to be the
only ones present by a long stretch. So convenient that no representatives from
Israel could attend.
Now to defend Israel! In an article in News24 today, Tutu
says Israel have forgotten the scriptures, He says he cannot handle the way the
Israelis are treating the Palestinians. This old man is most definitely
deluded, showing the signs of his senility and probably a bit of early
dementia. Israel is the one true democracy in the Middle East. Israel gives
EQUAL rights to all of its citizens regardless of race, religion and sexual
preferences. Israel provides human rights to all her prisoners, prisoners are
given an education, health care, visitation rights etc. Lets put this in
contrast to the neighbors Tutu loves so much. The “democratically” elected
Hamas government has a charter declaring its desire for the destruction of the
state of Israel. Hamas kidnapped a soldier, kept him for 5 years with out those
human rights previously mentioned. Hamas glorifies those who kill innocent civilians.
Hamas does not tolerate Jews or Christians in their territories and definitely
not homosexuals. Hamas IS AN INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNISED TERROR
ORGANISATION!!!!! But who gets condemned….Israel. Crazy much!?
About this claim that Israel is an Apartheid State because
of its border policies, naval blockade of Gaza etc. Let me explain this, Israel
is a sovereign state. Just as America is, just as Great Britain is, u get the
picture. America has a wall going across its border with Mexico, is anyone
complaining….NO! The wall Israel built is along its border, protects it
citizens who are continually attacked by those who call for Israel’s
destruction. Do you really think its ridiculous that Israel would try to
protect its citizens!? The controls in place at the border are strict but can
you blame Israel? Have the Palestinians shown enough goodwill to demand free
entry into a sovereign state? I think not! Of course the Palestinians do not
enjoy the same rights as Palestinians who live in Israel and are Israeli
citizens, maybe that because THEY DO NOT LIVE IN ISRAEL! They live in lands
controlled by Fatah and Hamas. Maybe the world attention should be turned to
these organisations. In fact from numerous
accounts, when Israel entered these territories in 1967 these people had no
sanitation, access to health care, electricity and other infrastructure…in the
last 44years who has helped developed these areas? You guess it, the big bad
Israel.
Tutu should change his focus, maybe take a history lesson or
two and then run these tribunals to determine the real culprits behind the
suffering of these “poor” Palestinians.
If you want to run a “tribunal” then do so by all means BUT
make it fair, listen to BOTH sides of the story. By excluding one side from the
proceeding you are not furthering any peace process, which you so greatly
desire. Instead you are planting the seeds of further misunderstanding and
hatred.
Desmond Tutu, How far you have fallen!
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