20 May 2007

Viva PSC-Wits Viva!

I just read the latest edition of the South African Jewish Report. (No, it's not my Sunday newspaper of choice; I just wanted to see whether the tabloid covered the Al-Nakba conference (see previous blog posting).) I was thrilled to see the following letter:

SAUJS ‘unprepared’ for Israel debate
I AM writing to you as a deeply concerned
member of the Christian Zionist community
who was present at the embarrassing debate
held between the South African Union of
Jewish Students (SAUJS) and the Palestinian
Solidarity Committee (PSC) at Wits on May 4,
on the very emotive topic of “Is Israel an
Apartheid State?”
First of all, the Jewish students handled
themselves in a manner that seemed extremely
unprepared, disorganised and, indeed, unintelligent,
while the speakers from the
Palestinian Solidarity Committee (while I do
not agree with their sentiment) were very
knowledgeable and managed to have a massive
impact on the crowd that sat before them.
More than that, I was also very concerned to
see how relatively few Jewish students attended
the debate, as it made Israel appear weak
and outgunned. Did the Jewish students just
not care, or were they simply not campaigned
properly?
I sincerely hope that the Jewish student
leadership of the future will come better prepared,
better supported, more able to connect
with the audience they appear in front of and
simply more captivating when it comes to the
use of a term that is so often abused by the
detractors of Israel to delegitimise the state.
Johan Pieter Coetzee
Johannesburg
Well done, PSC-Wits. But before their heads become too swollen, let me remind the Wits PSC that they were only able to perform this well because they have truth on their side. I guess half the debate is won when your argument is actually true, verifiable and cold hard fact as opposed to spin and propaganda. So, the SAUJS students performed badly even though they were coached by members of the South African Jewish Board of Deputies (as another article in the SAJR attests).

4 comments:

THE DICTATOR / EMBITTERED CORRESPONDENT said...

"Well done, Na'eem ! You certainly combine your position as spokesperson for PSC and director of The freedom Of Expression Institute quite brilliantly! But before your head become too swollen, let me remind The FXI that you are only able to perform this well because you have truth on your side."

THE DICTATOR / EMBITTERED CORRESPONDENT said...

Dear Na'eem Jeenah,

Please consider the following, bearing in mind that The PSC supports the boycott of Israeli goods.

I refer you to the following extract from http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1180527968249&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull



It took an American supporter of Israel, Nobel prize-winning physicist Steven Weinberg from the University of Texas, to finally stand up last week and say there were consequences for actions, and business couldn't continue as usual in the face of these boycotts.

Weinberg declined an invitation last week to give a guest lecture at London's Imperial College in July, explaining in a letter to the college that the reason for his decision was the agreement by the National Union of Journalists at its national conference in April to boycott Israeli products.

"I know that some will say that these boycotts are directed only against Israel, rather than generally against Jews," he wrote. "But given the history of the attacks on Israel and the oppressiveness and aggressiveness of other countries in the Middle East and elsewhere, boycotting Israel indicated a moral blindness for which it is hard to find any explanation other than anti-Semitism."


When one also bears in mind the virulently anti-semitic content of much of the anti-zionist propaganda, perhaps Steven Weinberg has a point?

I include some recent evidence of anti-semitsm from none other than the head of The Palestinian Islamic Council:

Palestinian Islamic Council in Lebanon Head:
"The Prophet of Allah has promised us that the Jews will gather in Palestine, and that the Muslims will fight them, and totally kill them. Even the stone and the tree will say: 'Oh Muslims, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him.' You might tell me that I am relying on supernatural hadiths. I believe this is not supernatural but is the core of our belief."


http://memri.org/bin/latestnews.cgi?ID=SD160107


In the circumstances, I hope that you re-consider your own position vis a vis the PSC campaign to boycott Israeli products in South Africa.

THE DICTATOR / EMBITTERED CORRESPONDENT said...

NA'EEM,
IF YOU'RE GOING TO BOYCOTT ISRAEL - DO IT PROPERLY!

Let me help you.


Check all your medications. Make sure that you do not have tablets, drops lotions, etc., made by Abic or Teva. It may mean that you will suffer from colds and flu this winter but, hey, that's a small price for you to pay in your campaign against Israel, isn't it?

 

While we are on the subject of your Israeli boycott, and the medical contributions to the world made by Israeli doctors and scientists, how about telling your pals to boycott the following.....


 An Israeli company has developed a simple blood test that distinguishes   between mild and more severe cases of Multiple Sclerosis.  So, if you know anyone suffering from MS, tell them to ignore the Israeli patent that may, more accurately, diagnose their symptoms.

 

An Israeli-made device helps restore the use of paralyzed hands. This device electrically stimulates the hand muscles, providing hope to millions of stroke sufferers and victims of spinal injuries. If you wish to remove this hope of a better quality of life to these people, go ahead and boycott Israel.

 

Young children with breathing problems will soon be sleeping more soundly, thanks to a new Israeli device called the Child Hood.  This innovation replaces the inhalation mask with an improved drug delivery system that provides relief for child and parent. Please tell anxious mothers that they shouldn't use this device because of your passionate cause.

 

These are just a few examples of how people have benefited medically from the Israeli know-how you wish to block. Boycotts often affect research.

 A new research center in Israel hopes to throw light on brain disorders such as depression and Alzheimer's disease.



The Joseph Sangol Neuroscience Center in the Sheba Medical Center at Tel HaShomer Hospital, aims to bring thousands of scientists and doctors to focus on brain research.


A  researcher at Israel's Ben Gurion University has succeeded in  creating human monoclonal antibodies which can neutralize the highly contagious smallpox virus without inducing the dangerous side effects of the  existing vaccine.


Two Israelis received the 2004 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Doctors Ciechanover and Hershko's research and discovery of one of the human cells most important cyclical processes will lead the way to DNA repair, control of newly produced proteins, and immune defense systems.

The Movement Disorder Surgery program at Israel's Hadassah Medical Center has successfully eliminated the physical manifestations of Parkinson's disease in a select group of patients with a deep brain stimulation technique.


For women who undergo hysterectomies each year for the treatment of uterine fibroids, the development in Israel of the Ex Ablate 2000 System is a welcome breakthrough, offering a noninvasive alternative to surgery.


Israel is developing a nose drop that will provide a five year flu vaccine.


These are just a few of the projects that you can help stop with your Israeli boycott. But let's not get too obsessed with my ducal

research, there are other ways you can make a personal sacrifice with your anti-Israel boycott.

 

Most of Windows operating systems were developed by Microsoft-Israel.  So, set a personal example. Throw away your computer!

Computers should have a sign attached saying Israel Inside. The Pentium NMX Chip technology was designed at Intel in Israel. Both the Pentium 4 microprocessor and the Centrum processor were entirely designed, developed, and produced in Israel.


Voice mail technology was developed in Israel.

The technology for the AOL Instant Messenger ICQ was developed in 1996 in Israel by four young Israeli whiz kids.


 Both Microsoft and Cisco built their only R. & D. facilities outside the US in Israel.


 So, due to your complete boycott of anything Israeli, you can now have poor health and no computer.


But your bad news does not end there. Get rid of your cellular phone. Cell phone technology was also developed in Israel by MOTOROLA which has its biggest development center in Israel. Most of the latest technology in your mobile phone was developed by Israeli scientists.


I also want you to know that Israel has the highest ratio of university degrees to the population in the world.


Israel produces more scientific papers per capita - 109 per 10,000 - than any other nation.

Israel has the highest number of startup companies per rata. In absolute terms, the highest number, except the US. Israel has a ratio of patents filed.


Israel has the highest concentration of hi-tech companies outside of  Silicon Valley. Israel is ranked #2 in the world for venture capital funds, behind the USA.

Israel has more museums per capita.

 

Israel has the second highest publication of new books per capita.

 

Relative to population, Israel is the largest immigrant absorbing nation on earth.

 

These immigrants come in search of democracy, religious freedom or expression, economic opportunity, and quality of life.

 

Believe it or not, Israel is the only country in the world which had a net gain in the number of trees last year.

 

Even Warren Buffet of Berkshire-Hathaway fame has just invested millions with Israeli Companies.


So, you can vilify and demonize the State of Israel. You can continue your boycott, if you wish. But I wish you would consider the consequences, and the truth.


Pro rata for population, Israel is making a greater contribution than any other nation on earth.

THE DICTATOR / EMBITTERED CORRESPONDENT said...

Dear Na'eem Jeenah,

I refer to The Cosatu press release that you have written..... "LAUNCH OF END THE OCCUPATION CAMPAIGN." It ends with the following words:

For more information or interviews, call:
Na'eem Jeenah - 084 574 2674

Can I please interview you, via email, about your views re Israel / Palestine and your dual portfolios as director of The FXI and spokesperson for The Palestine Solidarity Committee.

Viva etc
The Blacklistedictator