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@Globalsumudf Israel has kidnapped Mandla Mandela grandson of Nelson Mendala for standing against apartheid in Palestine |
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| SOUTH AFRICA demands the RELEASE of Nelson Mandela's Grandson Mandla, who was ABDUCTED on the Global Sumud Flotilla |
Showing posts with label Nelson Mandela. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nelson Mandela. Show all posts
Sunday, October 5, 2025
Israel has kidnapped Mandla Mandela grandson of Nelson Mendala for standing against apartheid in Palestine
Thursday, August 7, 2025
“Diversity can be a source of common strength, a wellspring from which we deepen our awareness of humanity.” Nelson Mandela's words resonate as strongly today as ever.
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| On this day in 1994, @NelsonMandela delivered a lecture at the World Conference on Religion and Peace. His words resonate as strongly today as ever. |
Friday, July 18, 2025
Stop forcing us to be wage slaves for Israeli racism and escalating war... #MandelaDay is an opportunity to honor Mandela's commitment to freedom, justice & equality.
Dear America.
Today July 18th is Mandela Day, honoring of one of the most
influential leaders in modern history who courageously led a peaceful
and resilient protest movement against a brutally cruel and oppressive
Apartheid regime.
Mandela spoke up for social justice and equality for all people.
It is in our hands to help good dreams come true- the hope of all who
realize that poverty, inequity, injustice, and violence can and should
be be reined in and stopped: Start by stopping the trillions wasted on
war and corporate corruption that is polluting our world and even our
discourse.
There is nothing admirable or wise about America funding, arming and
then ignoring Israel's callous war on the men, women, and children of
historic Palestine.
Our own long past colonial settler days were quaintly backward
primitive times way before the advent of bulldozers, machine guns,
drones, jet fighters, computers, international law... and The Universal
Declaration of Human Rights.
In 1948 newly created Israel could
have and should have chosen to include all indigenous Arabs-
Jewish, Christian, Muslim- as part of the process to make a real
democracy with true security
for all human beings... BUT Zionists did the opposite by creating a
massive refugee crisis which they continue to make worse day after day,
year after year- decade after decade.
The
United States voted for both UN General Assembly Resolution 194 in 1948,
reaffirming Palestinian refugees’ right of return, and for the
establishment of UNRWA in 1949. That was a good idea and the right thing to do. Let freedom ring!
Invest in good ideas such as a just and lasting peace. In the Middle
East that depends on full acknowledgment and respect for UN Resolution
194- The Palestinian refugees inalienable right to return to original
homes and lands.
Stop forcing us to be wage slaves for Israeli racism and escalating war.
Sincerely,
Anne Selden Annab
NOTES https://anniesnewletters.blogspot.com/search/label/Notes
The Golden Rule... Do unto others as you would have them do unto you
"𝙄𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙠 𝙙𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙮. 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙤𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙥𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙗𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙙." ... Nelson Mandela ... "We can in fact change the world and make of it a better place"
July 17th, 2025: Israel just bombed the very Gazan church Pope Francis used to call daily during the genocide. They injured the very priest, Gabriele Romanelli, who used to update the Pope on the situation. 2 church goers were killed, 6 wounded.
ENGLISH - poem by Khawla in Grief
Trump’s $1tn for Pentagon to add huge planet-heating emissions, study shows. Exclusive: 17% increase in military spending will add emissions equivalent to those of some entire countries
“The Israeli economy is structured to sustain the occupation that has now turned genocidal...” GLOBAL ACTION is needed to stop Israel !
The Guardian view on the children of Gaza: when 17,000 die, it’s more than a mistake- Israel’s military blamed the deaths of six Palestinian children on Sunday on a technical error. But a staggering toll continues to mount
“For too long, international law has been treated as optional – applied selectively to those perceived as weak, ignored by those acting as the powerful. This double standard has eroded the very foundations of the legal order. That era must end,”
Israel plans to confine Gaza residents in a closed concentration camp atop Rafah ruins
Israel cuts power, water to UN agency for Palestinian refugees... The United Nations has reiterated UNRWA’s commitment to neutrality and rejected Israel’s ban, emphasizing the agency’s vital role in delivering humanitarian aid.
Israel is telling the truth ?
"Israeli monsters killed have buried all these children under the rubble. Some were killed, the others can still be heard, but no one is able to rescue them. Believe it or not, Israel has banned rescue tools from entering into Gaza! " Reem Kelani
Dr. Ezzideen from Gaza "... And then I saw them. Not rebels. Not criminals. Children. They ran, ran like hunted things, toward that truck. They climbed it with hands that have never held toys. They fell to their knees as if before an altar. And they began to scrape. One had a broken lid. Another, a piece of cardboard. But the rest, the rest used their hands. Their tongues. They licked it. Do you hear me?"
As an American she could travel wherever she wanted to travel in Israel, but as a Palestinian she could not...
"Radical Israelis from nearby settlements intentionally set fire near the town’s cemetery and the Church of Saint George, which dates back to the 5th century. Taybeh is the last remaining all-Christian town in the West Bank. These actions are a direct and intentional threat to our local community first and foremost, but also to the historic and religious heritage of our ancestors and holy sites. In the face of such threats, the greatest act of bravery is to continue to call this your home. We stand with you, we support your resilience, and you have our prayers. The Council of Patriarchs and Heads of Churches calls for these radicals to be held accountable by the Israeli authorities, who facilitate and enable their presence around Taybeh."
Pro-Palestine Activists Are Facing Horrifying Abuse Online Speaking out for Palestine triggers a torrent of racism, misogyny, and violent sexual threats. “I was terrified that someone would do something to me,” one activist says.- Samaa Khullar in The Nation
24-country median: 62% unfavorable towards Israel VS 29% favorable towards Israel ... "Another survey confirming opposition to a genocidal state and society. The fact that these figures dont correspond to state policy reflects how supporting Israel necessitates authoritarian rule & that it is a matter of time/generation before the pendulum swings." Noura Erakat
"Israel must stop killings and home demolitions in occupied West Bank" & "Gaza: Palestinians seeking food continue to be killed by Israeli military" United Nations Human Rights & more
Creating Apartheid Israel ... "A Land Without a People…"
Trumped
Israel Bans Starved Palestinians from Gaza Sea in Escalating Starvation Campaign July 12, 2025: “It is part of a systematic policy aimed at starving the population and targeting one of their most vital sources of livelihood: fishing.”
USA/Israeli Harassment Campaigns seek silence support for Human Rights, the Rule of Fair and Just Laws, Real Democracy, Palestine... and the list will not stop there: Your turn is coming.
" Ever since the failure to implement the 1948 UN resolution 194, which gave Palestinian refugees the right to return to their homes in what became Israel, we have been disappointed again and again." Gaza Raja Shehadeh
Israeli settlers kill American-Palestinian visiting relatives in West Bank - Ambulances were reportedly stopped from reaching Sayfollah Musallet after attack in which another Palestinian man was shot dead
“Of course I’ve been critical of Israel. It has been committing genocide and crimes against humanity and war crimes” UN's Francesca Albanese slams US sanctions as retaliation for exposing Gaza war crimes
UN General Assembly Resolution 194, adopted in December 1948, resolved that Palestinian “refugees wishing to return to their homes and live at peace with their neighbours should be permitted to do so at the earliest practicable date, and that compensation should be paid for the property of those choosing not to return and for loss of or damage to property which, under principles of international law or in equity, should be made good by the Governments or authorities responsible”. https://www.un.org/unispal/document/auto-insert-177019/
Dear America- The Texas floods killing children are a heartbreaking natural disaster, whereas Israel armed with American weaponry killing children is a cruel choice made by human beings who really should know better.
LETTERS https://anniesnewletters.blogspot.com/search/label/letters
Slavery,
Segregation and Forced Displacement are wrong. Wrong then and
wrong now
This Earth Day please start noticing how much pollution and injustice war creates.
Building a Culture of Peace ...
"The United Nations was not created to take mankind to heaven, but to save humanity from hell." ~Dag Hammarskjöld, second Secretary-General of the United Nations
"Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world..." https://www.un.org/en/about-us/universal-declaration-of-human-rights
"𝙄𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙠 𝙙𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙮. 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙤𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙥𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙗𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙙." ... Nelson Mandela ... "We can in fact change the world and make of it a better place"
Nelson Mandela was a great activist and became South Africa’s first democratically elected president. Nelson Mandela Day was formally declared by the United Nations General Assembly in November 2009, with the inaugural celebration taking place on July 18, 2010. The resolution was inspired by a global campaign launched by the Nelson Mandela Foundation to recognise Mandela's contribution to peace, freedom and social justice. https://www.thedailyjagran.com/lifestyle/nelson-mandela-day-2025-most-inspirational-nelson-mandela-quotes-on-life-success-and-freedom-10253572
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Nelson Mandela Day 2025: Inspiring Quotes By Nelson Mandela On Life, Success And Freedom
“Do not judge me by my successes, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again.”
“It always seems impossible until it's done.”
"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
“What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.”
“Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies.”
“For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.”
“There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.”
"I have taken a moment here to rest, to steal a view of the glorious vista that surrounds me, to look back on the distance I have come. But I can only rest for a moment, for with freedom come responsibilities, and I dare not linger, for my long walk is not ended.”
“Lead from the back — and let others believe they are in front.”
“When a man is denied the right to live the life he believes in, he has no choice but to become an outlaw.”
“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”
“A good head and good heart are always a formidable combination. But when you add to that a literate tongue or pen, then you have something very special.”
“No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”
“I am not a saint, unless you think of a saint as a sinner who keeps on trying.”
“There is no passion to be found playing small - in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.”
“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.”
“ As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.”
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@UN Friday’s #MandelaDay is an opportunity to honour Mandela's commitment to freedom, justice & equality.
Each of us can learn from & be inspired by Nelson Mandela’s legacy, and take action to achieve a better future for all people.
un.org/en/events/mand |
"It is said that no one truly knows a nation until one has been inside its jails. A nation should not be judged by how it treats its highest citizens, but its lowest ones." Nelson Mandela
Tuesday, February 11, 2025
On this day in 1990, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, a revolutionary leader, was released from prison after 27 years... " It only seems impossible until it's done." Nelson Mandela
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On this day in 1990, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, a revolutionary leader, was released from prison after 27 years. |
"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Nelson Mandela
"No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite". Nelson Mandela
"My dream would be a multicultural society, one that is diverse and where every man, woman and child are treated equally. I dream of a world where all people of all races work together in harmony." Nelson Mandela
"It is in your hands to create a better world for all who live in " Nelson Mandela
Monday, January 27, 2025
Sunday, September 1, 2024
Nelson Mandela grandson Zwelivelile comes out in support of South Africa coal embargo on Israel
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| Chief Zwelivelile Mandela, grandson of former South African president & anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela |
"The Palestinian people and their struggle were always close to Madiba's heart. He considered it the greatest moral issue of our time," Zwelivelile tells The New Arab.
"I have no doubt that the ongoing genocide would pain him very much — the daily sight of mangled and maimed bodies, the cries of orphans, and the lament of parents burying their innocent babies and young children. These are matters that would weigh heavily on his heart," says Zwelivelile.
"I do not doubt that he would call out the cold-hearted apartheid Israel killing machine, its war crimes, crimes against humanity, and ethnic cleansing."
Zwelivelile said his grandfather would condemn the complicity of the West for supplying bombs of mass destruction, stating that Mandela would pressure Netanyahu to withdraw from occupied Palestinian land, release all Palestinian political prisoners, accept the right to return for all Palestinians in the diaspora, and most importantly, recognize Palestinians' right to self-determination.
"We
all know that ending the occupation and an immediate comprehensive
ceasefire is the only path to finding a lasting solution," added
Zwelivelile, imploring that the world should boycott all countries and
corporations that are complicit in the genocide in Gaza and all the
occupied Palestinian territories.... READ MORE https://www.newarab.com/features/mandela-would-be-mourning-gaza-furious-israel-grandson
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Sunday, December 10, 2023
Today, Human Rights Day marks the 75th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration. If there was ever a moment to rekindle the hope of human rights for everyone, it is now.- Forge a path of hope, unity and justice with Morgan Freeman
“The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a blueprint for a better future,” says Morgan Freeman, who narrates this call for action, commemoration and understanding.
Today, Human Rights Day marks the 75th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration. If there was ever a moment to rekindle the hope of human rights for everyone, it is now. Human Rights 75 has been a year-long look at ways to reinvigorate human rights, showing the ways it meets the needs of our time, while advancing the Declaration’s promise of freedom, equality and justice for all. The countdown may be at an end, but now is the time to hear the pledges and look to the future of human rights in the High Level Event starting tomorrow 11 December. Join us and hear what recommitments to human rights are made.
https://www.ohchr.org/en/human-rights-75/human-rights-75-countdown
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ALWAYS PLEASE GO TO THE LINK TO
READ GOOD ARTICLES or quotes IN FULL: HELP
SHAPE ALGORITHMS (and
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Palestine]
Monday, November 29, 2021
I Support Palestine Because I Believe in Basic Human Rights & The Rule of Fair and Just Laws... International Day of Solidarity with #Palestine November 29, 2021
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| 1920 Good old days.. Coffee shop #Palestine |
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| 1930 Women embroidering a dress, Ramallah, Palestine - every village had its own patterns & designs. |
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| 1940s Sheep sellers at the Damascus Gate - Jerusalem, #Palestine. |
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| 2021 Arrested development and poverty take a $57 billion economic toll in #Palestine due to Israeli policies & Israeli violence |
FULLY Understanding & Respecting the Right of Return is the Key for Building a Just and Lasting Peace in the Holy Land... For Everyone's Sake.
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The key for returnEmbroidery by Hejar Abu Saleem [Ajjur, district of Hebron], Amman Jordan |
When 700,000 Palestinians fled from or were thrown out of their homes during the Nakba in 1948, they took their house keys with them, convinced that they would come back after a week or two and re-open their front doors. The keys have been passed on from generation to generation as a reminder of their lost homes and as lasting symbols of their ‘right of return’. The Palestinian right of return or compensation was internationally recognized by the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 194, adopted on 11 December 1948.
Monday, September 22, 2014
The Day After #PeaceDay 2014
Marking International Day, UN affirms people's right to 'imagine' world at peace. The theme of this year’s International Day of Peace is “Right of Peoples to Peace” in honour of the 30th anniversary of the General Assembly
Declaration on the Right of Peoples to Peace.
All human beings are born free and equal
in dignity and rights.They are endowed with reason and conscience and
should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
If a problem ever seems too big, too insurmountable, remember Nelson Mandela's words: "It always seems impossible until it's done."
"The only way to honor our tragic histories is to create a
future for our children free of man-made tragedy. This means
making peace fully, completely and without reservation,
between Israel and Palestine." American Task Force on Palestine's
born in Jerusalem Dr. Ziad Asali: To honor a tragic
history, we must work for peace
Emanating from the conviction
of the Arab countries that a military solution to the conflict
will not achieve peace or provide security for the parties, the
council:
1. Requests Israel to
reconsider its policies and declare that a just peace is its
strategic option as well.
2. Further calls upon Israel
to affirm:
I- Full Israeli withdrawal from all the territories occupied since 1967, including the Syrian Golan Heights, to the June 4, 1967 lines as well as the remaining occupied Lebanese territories in the south of Lebanon.
II- Achievement of a just solution to the Palestinian refugee problem to be agreed upon in accordance with U.N. General Assembly Resolution 194.
III- The acceptance of the establishment of a sovereign independent Palestinian state on the Palestinian territories occupied since June 4, 1967 in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with East Jerusalem as its capital.3. Consequently, the Arab countries affirm the following:
I- Consider the Arab-Israeli conflict ended, and enter into a peace agreement with Israel, and provide security for all the states of the region.
II- Establish normal relations with Israel in the context of this comprehensive peace.
Monday, April 28, 2014
“Forgiveness is not an occasional act, it is a constant attitude.” ― Martin Luther King Jr. ... FINDING alternatives to conflict and revenge: The Forgiveness Project
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| "Forgiveness" by Carl Vilhelm Meyer |
“Forgiveness is not an occasional act, it is a constant attitude.” ― Martin Luther King Jr.
Forgiveness is definitely a theme that is happening all around
us, from the Tutu Global Forgiveness Challenge that begins May 4th, to
the tour of an important documentary; "Beyond Forgiving," to the
international Forgiveness Project; "The F Word Forgiveness Exhibition."
Mission
To open up a dialogue about forgiveness and promote understanding through awareness, education and transformation.
Aims
Awareness – raise the debate about forgiveness by collecting and sharing personal stories.
Education – encourage and empower people to explore the nature of forgiveness and alternatives to conflict and revenge
Transformation – engage civil society, as well as transform hearts and minds
The F Word: Images of Forgiveness Exhibition is a thought provoking collection of arresting images and personal narratives exploring forgiveness in the face of atrocity. First launched in London in 2004, it has since been displayed in over 300 venues worldwide.
Drawing together voices from South Africa, America, Israel, Palestine, Northern Ireland and England, the exhibition examines forgiveness as a healing process, a journey out of victimhood and, ultimately, a journey of hope.
The exhibition is available for hire in the USA and Canada and the rest of the world through The Forgiveness Project in the UK. In addition, the speakers bureau and programming is also available and developed around individual requirements. Visit the F Word's partner page to review an inventory of the stories depicted within the exhibit.
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“Without forgiveness, we remain tethered to the person who harmed us... Until we can forgive the person who harmed us, they will hold the keys to our happiness, they will be our jailor.”
Desmond & Mpho Tutu, The Book of Forgiving
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| What is the Charter for Compassion? |
Archbishop Tutu,
along with his great friend Nelson Mandela, set the perfect example for
forgiveness, both through their own experiences and by setting up the
Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which forgave people who had
committed atrocities and allowed them to apologise to their victims.
The
Tutus have spent their lives working with victims and perpetrators of
wrongs, which has shown them how the act of forgiveness can profoundly
transform individuals and our world. Now, Arch and his daughter the
Reverend Mpho Tutu are issuing a Global Forgiveness Challenge to people all over the world.
"There is nothing that cannot be forgiven, and there is
no one undeserving of forgiveness.” - Desmond Tutu. One of the most
important lessons I have ever learned is the power of forgiveness.
As Arch said: “Forgiving is not forgetting; it’s actually remembering - remembering and not using your right to hit back.”
Friday, March 28, 2014
Noah Habeeb: Critics of Students for Justice in Palestine ignore crucial facts
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Tufts University
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Op-Ed | Critics of SJP ignore crucial facts
Published: Thursday, March 27, 2014
Just when you thought it was over, here’s a new opinion on Israeli Apartheid Week (IAW).
I, too, came back from spring break expecting the discussion to have
dissipated, only to find yet another criticism of Students for Justice
in Palestine (SJP) in the op-ed section of the Daily. First, let me be clear that I am not a member of SJP. I find that their tactics during IAW
are an example of activists preaching to the choir. The demonstrations
and events only seem to resonate with those inclined toward their cause,
while students who are uninformed or neutral tend to be put-off by IAW. Having said that, the many op-eds published in the Daily are evidence alone that IAW resulted in campus dialogue. To claim that SJP has inhibited such discussions is, in my view, inaccurate.
As noted in Haaretz two weeks ago, Nobel Peace Prize winner Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu said, “I have witnessed the systemic humiliation of Palestinian men, women and children by members of the Israeli security forces ... their humiliation is familiar to all black South Africans who were corralled and harassed and insulted and assaulted by the security forces of the apartheid government.”
He’s not the only one. The African National Congress, the political party of Nelson Mandela and the current ruling party of South Africa, issued a press release titled “ANC in solidarity with the people of Palestine — supporting Israeli Apartheid Week.” It read in part, “The ANC is proud to join the over 75 South African organizations, trade unions, civil society groups, schools, universities, religious communities, NGOs and other formations in participating in this year’s 10th International Israeli Apartheid Week.”
In addition... READ MORE
Monday, December 16, 2013
"While attention is paid to the religious dimension of the city, Jerusalem was more than that. It was the Palestinian's metropol - the hub of their commercial and cultural life. It was the center of the West Bank, housing the region's major employers, and its medical, educational, financial, and social institutions. And so, when in 1994 Israel severed Jerusalem from the rest of the West Bank it was as if the region had lost its heart. To understand the significance of this closure, imagine the impact on residents of northern Virginia and Montgomery County, Maryland if they were suddenly cut off from entering Washington, DC." Dr. Zogby of AAI
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| AAI Remembering Nelson Mandela’s Extraordinary Legacy |
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TO READ GOOD ARTICLES IN
FULL: HELP SHAPE ALGORITHMS
(and conversations) THAT
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http://www.aaiusa.org/dr-zogby/entry/mandela-and-arafat-ii/
Dr Zogby
Mandela and Arafat II
Monday December 16, 2013
Last week, I wrote a piece about a poster
that has been hanging in my office for more than two decades. It
features a photo of Nelson Mandela embracing PLO Chairman Yasir Arafat
taken when the two leaders first met following Mandela's release from
prison. The poster also included a quote from Mandela in which he
likened his struggle against apartheid to the struggle of the
Palestinian people. I noted that I was pleased to have had the poster
signed by both men.
Some readers raised objections to the piece and made
disparaging remarks about the Palestinian leader - the kindest of which
was to point out the obvious fact that "Arafat was no Mandela." While
that statement was, of course, true, it missed the point. I wasn't
comparing Arafat to Mandela, I was quoting Mandela who was pointing out
the similarities between the South African and Palestinian peoples'
struggles.
Some of the other comments were so ignorant of history
and reality and so focused on the failings of Arafat that I was reminded
of a time eighteen years ago when I was testifying at US Senate Foreign
Relations Committee hearing on the state of the Palestinian economy.
After I finished my remarks, a Senator challenged me asking, "Why aren't
the Palestinians able to get their economy going? Why can't Arafat be
more like South Africa's Nelson Mandela or Russia's Boris Yeltsin?"
The questions were "no brainers" that could only have
been asked by someone who was either unaware of the Palestinian reality
or so blinded by prejudice that they could not or would not see that
reality even it were pointed out to them. I thought it best to assume
that my questioner was simply unaware and so I answered respectfully.
The fundamental difference between Arafat's situation
and that faced the South African and Russian leaders was that when
Mandela and Yeltsin assumed the presidency in their respective
countries, they inherited states that were fully sovereign entities with
functioning institutions and sustainable economies. They controlled
their own borders, were able to freely import and export goods, collect
revenues, and establish mutually beneficial state-to-state relations.
In contrast, what the Palestinian leader received as a
result of his agreement with the Israelis were several tiny cantons of
densely populated and largely underdeveloped areas of the West Bank and
Gaza that remained surrounded by Israeli-controlled territories.
Palestinians did not control their borders and were, therefore, unable
to conduct normal commerce with the outside world.
In my capacity as co-chair of Builders for Peace (a
project launched by then Vice-President Al Gore to promote private
sector investment in the Palestinian territories), I had learned
first-hand how Israeli control over imports and exports and even the
movement of goods within the territories created severe impediments to
investment and economic development in the West Bank and Gaza.
Additionally, within a year of the signing of their
agreement with Israel, Israel denied most Palestinians access to
Jerusalem and its surrounding areas. While attention is paid to the
religious dimension of the city, Jerusalem was more than that. It was
the Palestinian's metropol - the hub of their commercial and cultural
life. It was the center of the West Bank, housing the region's major
employers, and its medical, educational, financial, and social
institutions. And so, when in 1994 Israel severed Jerusalem from the
rest of the West Bank it was as if the region had lost its heart. To
understand the significance of this closure, imagine the impact on
residents of northern Virginia and Montgomery County, Maryland if they
were suddenly cut off from entering Washington, DC.
The two realities - the Palestinian and the South
African - were so profoundly different. The only way they might have
been comparable was if Mandela had become the mayor of Soweto, with the
apartheid regime still governing the rest of the country. But Mandela
and the ANC did not assume control of just the areas of the country
populated largely by blacks, he and his movement won the right to
compete in elections and then the right to govern the entire country.
In contrast, the best that Arafat could hope for and
what he agreed to settle for was the right to establish an independent
state on the 22% of Palestine that Israel had occupied in the aftermath
of the 1967 war. That is what he believed he would get. But what he got
instead was the "right" to establish a captive "provisional
self-governing authority" on less than one-fifth of that 22% - with
limited rights to operate beyond those areas.
By the time I was testifying (about three years after
Palestinians had signed their agreement with the Israelis), Palestinian
income levels had declined, unemployment had sharply increased, as had
Israeli settlement expansion in the occupied lands, and Palestinians had
grown restive and increasingly frustrated at the failure of peace to
change the quality of their lives.
There were, to be sure, profound errors made by the
Palestinian leader - not the least of which was the trust he placed in
the agreements he signed. But the mistakes in judgment, the lack of
strategic vision, and the reliance on violence do not, alone, explain
the reasons for the Palestinian dilemma. Arafat was handed a bad
situation over which he had little control and few tools at his disposal
and told that he was expected to perform like Mandela and Yeltsin! He
was, in reality, being set up to fail. To place the blame solely on his
shoulders is either ignorant of reality or just downright cruel.
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