Finally.
Why South Africa? Well it’s one of the countries with a prolonged and well organised history of political struggle, where like the Palestinians, once every avenue of peaceful protest has been stifled by brutal force, the struggle for freedom and justice turns to violence.
A bit of Cape Town graffiti.
5 Likes
Wow, nice image. 100% agree with those points @PatB and not forgetting BRICS representative. (With a very competent Foreign Secretary these days, the title they use is Minister of International Relations and Cooperation: Naledi Pandor)
Hi folks, I picked this up from TLN h/t ceemac666 :
he makes a lot of good points - here’s one I thought worth mentioning:
"Regardless of how this case plays out in the ICJ – and here I am fully aware of the maneuvers that the United States and Israel will employ to avoid a fair trial – in the future Israel will be widely regarded as principally responsible for one of the canonical cases of genocide."
cheers
3 Likes
Generally a good article however, in my opinion Mearsheimer makes two mistakes. First, he says " For the record, I believed Israel was guilty of serious war crimes–but not genocide—during the first two months of the war, even though there was growing evidence of what Bartov has called “genocidal intent” on the part of Israeli leaders.5 But it became clear to me after the 24-30 November 2023 truce ended and Israel went back on the offensive, that Israeli leaders were in fact seeking to physically destroy a substantial portion of Gaza’s Palestinian population."
I think that gives Biden a get out as after his initial bellicose reaction to Oct 7th, the US position changed slightly around mid November. Perhaps if there is ever an ICJ investigation, Biden may be let of the hook, just because of this?
Second mistake, again, my opinion, he says “… but in the final analysis the power of international courts to coerce countries like Israel and the United States is extremely limited.” I disagree. One only has to look at the ICC warrant for Putin which stopped him travelling to the Brics summit in South Africa. Imagine the effect of an ICC warrant for Nutjobyahoo and his appalling cabinet not being able to visit any country which is a signatory to the ICC and there are 123 of them, including the UK.
2 Likes
I agree. Symbolically of utmost importance. If Israel is let off the hook they will make a seven course meal of it. Their ambassador to UK, I forget her name, says - in essence - what else are we supposed to do? The normalisation of collective punishment can’t go unchallenged.
1 Like
Tzipi Hotlovely! Sorry if you’ve just eaten your dinner.
1 Like
And finally, some of the other not so criminal GIC’s are getting on the bandwagon. Turkey, Malaysia and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation have joined in, announcing official support for South Africa’s case.
3 Likes
Hi @CJ1 I didn’t realise the OIC was so important.
The whole issue of what is going on in Gaza is just more sickening every day. Max Egan’s latest has been one of the best of the wide ranging reporting done so far. However, this comes with a health warning. Watch the 1st 3 minutes for a weekend laugh. DO NOT the rest watch unless you really have a strong stomach.
1 Like
Biden schmiden. Mearsheimer speaks of Biden as if he is a sentient policy-making world leader - or is that you PatB? Mearsheimer’s best work was done some time ago anyway, with Stephen Walt. What he writes and says these days is of quite variable quality. His latest appearance on Judge Napolitano’s site included his clear identification of the genocide, no qualification whatsoever, no problem, while suggesting that the US should make it a priority to ‘contain China’ and ‘manage the relationship’. I do have a problem with opinions that deny, apparently on some kind of principle, the possibility of agency to states/people to which they are opposed. (Hence my dislike of the 7 Oct. false flag theory).
Lol, I had, but thanks.
Not quite sure what your point is. If you’re asking if I think Biden is a “sentient policy-making world leader” perhaps as you don’t know me I’ll forgive the insult! I think, no, make that believe, that Biden, like so many other Western leaders are simply puppets of the deep state. They are useful idiots for the powers behind the deep state including the WEF, BIS, and the IMF.
As for “… problem with opinions that deny, apparently on some kind of principle, the possibility of agency to states/people to which they are opposed.” Please help me out here. I really do not understand the point although feel it is directed at me.
If I’ve misunderstood your point(s), perhaps you could spell it/them out?
1 Like
PatB I think I could usefully have made a more coherent job of that!
My impatience is with Mearsheimer, not (so much!) with you. I’ve noticed a tendency among all commentators to use ‘Biden’ as code for his autocue writers, his ‘spokespersons’, the State Department, the US government, its reps at the UN etc., the US deep state, the Zionist controllers of both, the evil bastards behind all of it; as if Biden was in fact personally responsible for anything at all. OK, he may be, a bit, but to say Mearsheimer maybe 'gives Biden a get-out’, as you wrote, I thought rather served to obscure the reality of the vast conspiracy and mass culpability.
The other thing was in relation to what Mearsheimer said to Andrew Napolitano about the US ‘managing the relationship’ with China, as if it is acceptable for a relationship between his state and another to be controlled by his state alone. Unthinking arrogance and hubris from Mearsheimer, reflecting the West’s denial of agency to the Palestinians since, oh, 1885?, and, more recently, in the 7 Oct. ‘false flag’ narrative.
Thanks for the clarification of your thinking, I’m much relieved because I’d rather not want to disparage what you or any other posters here write and I do not want you (or anyone else) to feel insulted by my comments. (Well, not at the moment. . . .)
Have a good 2024, power to your elbow and a pox on our enemies.
2 Likes
Thanks @AlanG for the clarification. Apologies if I misinterpreted what you posted and for the record, I would never knowingly give any of the “evil bastards behind it” a get-out.
2 Likes
Hi folks, in advance of tomorrow’s hearing at the ICJ this was a short but concise summary of the situation according to one humanitarian lawyer, Francis Boyle - h/t johnlilburne TLN:
This site is supposed to open up a window to view the proceedings live tomorrow at 10 am - who knows whether it will work:
https://www.icj-cij.org/calendar
cheers
4 Likes
Notwithstanding ICJ’s President Donoghue’s history, it seems to me that the South African actions are gaining momentum. Just watched the Aljazeera’s chief political correspondent with an excellent analysis of the situation. Sorry, no transcript.
1 Like
ICJ day 1
First oral address from the RSA legal team concluded a few minutes ago - the only glitch was the video of Netynyahoo incriminating himself , which stuttered to an end after a few seconds - I wonder who provides IT support to the Court?
tomorrow Israel’s liegal team!
cheers
2 Likes
listening now. Powerful statements from the South Africans.
https://www.youtube.com/live/4f_yoal4gx8?si=_mJ6Wy0KHxh5lmBh
1 Like
thanks @admin , I was hoping there would be a recording but hadn’t expected YT to host one!
cheers
1 Like