When if ever will South African Jews not embrace victimhood?

Tragically, many Australian Jews take comfort from this same delusion, almost enjoying imagining it’s 1933. All the time. This piece from a South African newspaper highlights the dilemma and hopes for a much better future: Of all the studies conducted on the position of the Jewish establishment during apartheid, perhaps the most authoritative has been…

South Africa mulls imposing sanctions on apartheid Israel

Via The New Age newspaper: The South African government might consider supporting sanctions against Israel as it explores a variety of peaceful methods to step up support for the Palestinians’ fight for freedom and independence. “We want to step up our support of the Palestinians and are investigating a number of peaceful ways to upgrade…

Solidarity with Palestine from those in South Africa who know

Right on: COSATU, South Africa`s largest trade union confederation, wishes to send solidarity and fraternal greetings to our Palestinian comrades in struggle as they meet for the important trade union conference that will include the establishment of the Palestinian Coalition of Trade Unions for BDS. Those of us that have had the chance to visit…

Insider’s view of Libya’s unlikely revolutionaries

UK Guardian journalist Chris McGreal – whom I know and respect from his fine reporting in Palestine and South Africa – writes about the latest revolution; Libya: Few revolutions have been more inspiring. After years of reporting uprisings and conflicts driven by ideology, factional interests or warlords soaked in blood — from El Salvador to…

Chomsky on the need for effective BDS

Noam Chomsky wonders when the US will ditch its Zionist ally. Only when US businesses think a true anti-apartheid struggle catches on. It’s coming: While intensively engaged in illegal settlement expansion, the government of Israel is also seeking to deal with two problems: a global campaign of what it perceives as “delegitimation” – that is,…

Ben-Gurion University is ripe for boycott

South Africa knows a thing or two about apartheid. No wonder growing numbers of people there won’t tolerate similar or worse behaviour in the Zionist state: Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Unisa vice-chancellor Barney Pityana and author Breyten Breytenbach have added their voices to calls for the University of Johannesburg to sever academic ties with Israel’s Ben-Gurion…

Chinese repression isn’t the way forward

The Western capitalist model is inherently problematic with massive over-consumption and a gross disregard for human rights (if corporations get in the way). But this really isn’t an alternative and viable model: The “discipline” of China’s authoritarian political system should be considered as a potential recipe for economic growth in Africa and other developing regions,…

Post apartheid troubles in South Africa

When democracies start trying to silence brave journalism, be afraid: Royal sex scandals rarely come riper. A government minister is caught in bed with the king’s wife – in fact, one of the king’s 14 wives. Ndumiso Mamba, justice minister in Swaziland, is forced to resign and could yet face much worse from King Mswati…

The history of apartheid continues to resonate

I can’t help but read this story in the New York Times about the World Cup and wonder about years ahead, when Israel has left its apartheid behind. People will look back and wonder how it ever happened. And those who backed and supported to the last drop of blood will not be forgotten. Who…

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