"The Children of Gaza" (Video)

A moving, must-see video that first aired on Channel 4 (UK)’s Dispatches on 15 March. BAFTA-winning filmmaker Jezza Neumann follows the lives of three children for over a year. The children are amazing: well-spoken, reflective, resilient, understandably vengeful and fearful, but very endearing. The toll this inhumanity has taken is also clear

UC Berkley Divest Video

Kabobfest has put together 30 pages of letters written by Jewish supporters of divestment.

http://www.kabobfest.com/2010/04/30-pages-of-jewish-letters-supporting-divestment-at-berkeley.html

South Florida Copycat Locksmith David Merkatz STILL in Business

As a blogger I have been following the locksmith scam for a little over two years now.

I've been keeping up as possible, reading and posting comments elsewhere, but today I stumbled across something that is just beyond the pale.

It involves what has occurred to a legitimate locksmith in Coral Springs, Florida in 2008. The legitimate locksmith is Richard's Locksmith and Safe.

The SCAM locksmith who also advertised as Richard's Locksmiths, is David Merkatz, or David Katz. He is STILL operating as a locksmith in South Florida.

First, let's look back on David Merkatz/Katz history.

In 1982, Merkatz/Katz thought he could drum up business for his car window replacement business by shooting out the windows of more than a thousand cars. Yes this indeed is the same David Merkatz/Katz.
http://www.nytimes.com/1982/12/19/nyregion/follow-up-on-the-news-big-glass-shootout.html

Follow up: Merkatz spent four months of weekends in Rykers
http://www.nytimes.com/1982/12/19/nyregion/follow-up-on-the-news-big-glass-shootout.html

In 2000, Merkatz/Katz shot and killed a dog while walking with his wife. No charges were pressed against him at the time.
http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2000-09-15/news/0009150008_1_loose-dog-two-dog-bites-animal-clinic

Although Merkatz had lost his license to carry a gun in Florida in 1988, he appealed that decision and won in 1990.
http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2007-01-30/news/0701290462_1_license-carrera-broward/4

BUT.........

The state revoked the license again in December 2003 after Merkatz pleaded guilty in Broward Circuit Court to grand theft and criminal mischief, felonies.

A Fort Lauderdale police report says Merkatz glued the locks of a state Department of Transportation office seven times. Unaware of who was causing the damage, the DOT called Merkatz, a locksmith, to make the repairs, the report states.

HOWEVER, in Florida the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services issues gun licenses. If you google "David Merkatz" "Department of Agriculture and Consumer Service" you will come up with PCA's Released 4/27/05 4D04-352-David Merkatz v. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Licensing. Evidently the State of Florida reissued his gun license. Or so it appears. Great.

In 2002 he had a bit of a run in with law enforcement again when he was caught by a private investigator, "masked, wearing a long coat" injecting glue into a lock of a business.
http://sheriff.org/about_bso/admin/media/newsdetails.cfm?pk=396&sType=M

I cannot find any follow up on the masked/long coat/glue case.

In November 2003 he was the driver of a "weaving car" which overturned on an offramp. He was sent to the hospital, one of his passengers died. (Scroll down to Fort Lauderdale)
http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2003-11-08/news/0311080014_1_miami-police-bank-robbery-exit-ramp

Why was the car weaving?

Now, before you watch the below video of what occurred to the real Richard's Locksmith, let's investigate a little further. David Merkatz, according to the NBC report, is operating as Boca Security Services.

Let's go to Sunbiz and look up David Merkatz, chronologically.

Foreign Profit Corporation

A ABBEY LOCKSMITH, INC. Filing Information Document Number F05000004666 FEI/EIN Number NONE Date Filed 08/11/2005 State NV Status INACTIVE Last Event WITHDRAWAL Event Date Filed 08/22/2005 Event Effective Date NONE Principal Address 5379 LYONS ROAD #124 COCONUT CREEK FL 33073 Mailing Address P.O. BOX 970020 COCONUT CREEK FL 33097-0020 Changed 08/22/2005 Registered Agent Name & Address None FL US Registered Agent Revoked: 08/22/2005 Officer/Director Detail Name & Address Title PST MERKATZ, DAVID 5379 LYONS ROAD #124 COCONUT CREEK FL 33073 Annual Reports That company, A Abbey Locksmith is no longer active. Go to Sunbiz to see if the name David Merkatz is listed currently as owning a business and you will not find him. With a little looking, googling Boca Security Services you will come up with http://www.bocasecuritylocksmith.com/ Taking that address to "who is" and BINGO, here you have it, David Merkatz is now going by David Katz and he is STILL in business even after the REAL Richard's Locksmith, Jack caught Merkatz/Katz on tape who "came by Jack's shop and shot out his van windows (with the gun Florida gave him back his license to carry), cut his gas lines and put and bullet through Jack's shop window". Updated: 3 hours ago Registrant: Abbey Locksmith, Inc. David Katz P.O. Box 970020 Coconut Creek, Fl 33097 US Phone: +1.9549490776 Email: @bellsouth.net Registrar Name....: Register.com Registrar Whois...: whois.register.com Registrar Homepage: www.register.com Domain Name: bocasecuritylocksmith.com Created on..............: 2006-04-08 Expires on..............: 2011-04-08 Administrative Contact: Abbey Locksmith, Inc. David Katz P.O. Box 970020 Coconut Creek, Fl 33097 US Phone: +1.9547463838 Email: @bellsouth.net Ficticious business name http://www.sunbiz.org/scripts/ficidet.exe?action=DETREG&docnum=G05210900246&rdocnum=G01192900309 But the who is directory lists David Katz/Abbey Locksmith which is bocasecuritylocksmith.com whereas David MERkatz was the owner of A Abbey Locksmith. Coincidence? I don't think so. Abbey Locksmith, Inc. David Katz P.O. Box 970020. Coconut Creek, Fl 33097. http://www.meytan.com/tr/www.bocasecuritylocksmith.com A Abbey Locksmith, Coconut Creek Florida, owner David MERkatz. David Merkatz is operating per the video as Boca Security Services. David Merkatz is STILL doing business in South Florida and can come to any city in the area any time you make the MISTAKE of calling one of his MANY listed "locksmith" numbers. Now for the video. Note, Merkatz/Katz has been charged but the case has still not come to trial. Why is this man still operating in South Florida? Do you know that currently Florida does not license locksmiths but that the Florida Locksmith Services Act is currently in committee? Read this and see if you agree: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:T27KVhoKK40J:www.adlocks.com/Blog/Docs/FL%2520HB%2520107%2520TALKING%2520POINTS.doc+Florida+Locksmith+Services+Advisory+Council&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=firefox-a In the mean time, there are many other phony locksmiths operating out there . Beware. A good tip is to plan ahead. Find a legitimate locksmith when there is no emergency. If possible, go to the actual address.Put the number in your phone book and cell phone. Should an emergency arise you already have the number of a legitimate locksmith in your area. Find one that operates 24 hours. That way, even if you aren't in that area, you can call the legitimate locksmith and ask if they will refer you to a LEGITIMATE locksmith where you need them. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. There are literally thousands of locksmith scams operating nation-wide. For more information you can do a Google search yourself using the term "locksmith scams". MORE:  David Merkatz/Katz has another website as well, it is http://www.browardsbestlocksmith.com/ Looking up the domain:   Administrative Contact:       Abbey Locksmith, Inc.       David Katz       P.O. Box 970020       Coconut Creek, Fl 33097       US       Phone: 1-954-7463838       Email:

David Merkatz/Katz/cashkatz also has a nice video for "Richard's Locksmith" to watch
http://revver.com/video/1137650/richards-locksmith-954-752-4114-richards-locksmith/

Israel Refuses the Term "Occuped Territories" at MU Water Conference

Arab-Israeli row thwarts Med water deal in Barcelona

A row about how to name the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories has scuppered a 43-nation scheme for managing Mediterranean water resources.

The Mediterranean Union conference in Barcelona had hammered out 99% of a draft text, delegates said.

But the deal failed when Israel and Arab countries disagreed over how to describe the Palestinian territories.

Israel objected to "occupied territories", while "territories under occupation" did not suit the Arab bloc.

Israel just thwarted the UN. What does the UN call this area? The Occupied Territories. In fact, they are referred to as the Palestinian Occupied Territories.

The United Nations has warned that almost 300 million people in the Mediterranean region will face water shortages by 2025.

Google Palestinian water to learn more.

The Mediterranean Union was launched by France during its EU presidency in 2008, to foster co-operation between European states, and countries in the Middle East and North Africa bordering the Mediterranean.

In Barcelona on Tuesday the Union's secretary-general, Ahmad Masadeh from Jordan, called for urgent action to guarantee access to water for all the region's residents.

Spain, the conference host, warned that the Mediterranean was prone to cyclical floods and droughts that required a "common strategy for a scarce resource".

Palestinians in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, have lived under Israeli occupation since 1967. The settlements that Israel has built in the West Bank are home to around 400,000 people and are deemed to be illegal under international law, although Israel disputes this.

Building settlements in occupied territories is ILLEGAL per international law.

Israel evacuated its settlers from the Gaza Strip in 2005 and withdrew its forces, but Israel and Egypt maintain an economic blockade on the Palestinians living there.

Not only do they maintain an economic blockade, but a naval blockade which prevents Palestinian fishermen from fishing more than three nautical miles out. All borders in and out of Gaza are also under full control, with Gazans unable to travel freely.

So YES, Israel's refusal to use the term "Occupied Territories" is in violation of UN terminology which is LEGALLY used.

Boycott Farmville

How many of you out there play the Facebook game Farmville?

Here's news. If you are a supporter of BDS (the Palestinian Global Call to boycott, divest and sanction Israel) you should boycott this game as well.

I got the info when I stumbled upon THIS article, "Farmville Could Cash in on Branded Crops"

Then, searching................

Next week, FarmVille players will have the ability to grow peanuts, thanks to ad agency Saatchi & Saatchi and an Israeli candy brand.

We’re told this is the first time a FarmVille crop has been directly linked to a brand. Saatchi Interactive in Tel Aviv is working on a rollout campaign for Elite Taami Nutz, a peanut-filled variant of a popular Israeli chocolate bar.

So what else is Saatchi and Saachi up to these days?

"When the word 'Israel' is said outside its borders, we want it to invoke not fighting or soldiers, but a place that is desirable to visit and invest in, a place that preserves democratic ideals while struggling to exist," said Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, during a September 2006 meeting with "public relations executives, branding specialists and diplomats" in Tel Aviv. Livni "recently put the image initiative on the government's agenda and will soon develop a budget for the program," according to the Israeli Consulate in New York's media and public affairs consul. "A staffer with the London-based global ad firm Saatchi and Saatchi is already working with the Israelis free of charge on the re-branding effort," the Washington Times reported.

Read more about "Brand Israel" HERE

Spread the word if you are a Farmville player and do NOT buy these "peanuts". This is the first brand advertising that Zynga's Farmville has chosen to align itself with. There are 82 million players worldwide. Farmville makes $$$$ off the players buying seeds and whatever else this game has you do. You stop playing and spread the word, it will send the message to Farmville.

UPDATE: The website Games.com has picked up this post. Written there:

So far, ad integration in Facebook games has been minimal, though we spotted a few sponsored items in Zoo World for the new Kirstie Alley TV show Big Life, and Bejeweled Blitz had a big ad/giveaway campaign with Mazda a few weeks ago as well. Holly Tree does make a compelling point -- if this peanuts promotion performs well for Zynga, we can probably expect to see a lot more of this type of advertising in our favorite Facebook games in the not-so-distant future.

Games.com, let me clarify something for you. I couldn't care less if Farmville or other games start incorporating ad sponsored products. They are a business at the end of the day in case players who are addicted to this game are unaware.

It is the PRODUCT and who is behind this, Saatchi and Saachi, which provides free advertising services for the aparthed state of Israel (Brand Israel) which are the reasons I am calling on players to boycott. Making moral choices when spending your money, non-violently resisting apartheid by boycotting products, and in this case, Farmville, which has chosen to associate itself with Israel in it's FIRST ad-sponsored seed product.

Read the comments HERE

While Farmville is an online game, read about the real lives of Palestinian farmers HERE, HERE,

Watch this BBC report on what Jewish settlers are doing to Palestinian farmers

Canadian Zionists Attempt to Un-Nominate "The Shepherd's Granddaughter"

In Canada comes the outcry from Zionist groups to remove a book about a young Palestinian girl from nomination for the Red Maple Award. While this book, "The Shepherd's Granddaughter" won the prestigious Canadian Library Award last year as well as the Society of School Librarians International Best Book Award, B'nai B'rith and Friends of the Simon Wiesenthal Center have "concerns" that "has clear potential to incite hatred and violence against Jewish and Israeli students".

Who is the author of this novel for young readers? Anne Laurel Carter, who "left Canada at seventeen to work on kibbutzim in Israel, a Jean Vanier home in France, and California".

Here we go, an orchestrated attempt to not only remove this book from nomination for the Red Maple Award, but to ban it entirely from Canadian schools as a few are demanding. Ummm, but the author worked on kibbutzim in Israel. Hmmmm,,, censorship of the Palestinian narrative even when it comes from someone with this background, nope, just can't have that being read.

Read the article HERE.

Read Quill and Quire's blogpost HERE.

UPDATE:

Controversial Mideast book stays in Toronto schools

Update, Monday, seems now there is going to be a formal school board review of the book which will take 60 days. Read http://www.parentcentral.ca/parent/education/article/794260--school-board-to-review-controversial-book-on-israeli-palestinian-conflict-again

Easter Message: The South African Christian Response to the Kairos Declaration

EASTER MESSAGE: A South African Christian response to the Palestinian Kairos Document April 3, 2010

World Council of Churches - 1 April 2010

In an Easter message, more than 60 South African church leaders and Christian, Jewish and Muslim lay theologians have conveyed their solidarity with Palestinian Christians in their Kairos call.

Recognizing Palestinian Christian “history of keeping the faith in the Holy Land”, despite the circumstances, they urged Palestinians to be steadfast and resist being “forced out of your own land”.

Responding to the Kairos Palestine document, they recall the words of Nelson Mandela who said: “our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians”. Conveying South African solidarity “with your cause”, they express conviction that “justice will come to the Holy Land, as it came to us here in the southernmost part of Africa”.

The Kairos Palestine document was launched in December 2009 in Bethlehem and reflects the Palestinian Christian’s word to the world about what is happening in Palestine.

Drawing on their own experiences, they define apartheid as “the denial of the humanity of one human being by another or the idea that there is a superior and an inferior human being”. Yet, they observe, the practical manifestations of Israeli apartheid are in many ways worse than South African apartheid ever was.

Endorsing the Kairos Palestine view that the occupation is a sin and evil, they strike a note of hope that “Jesus must be weeping at the injustice that he sees in Jerusalem and we are convinced that God is already intervening and will continue to intervene to establish his justice in the Holy Land”.

Rejecting Christian Zionism and Christian theologies that justify the Occupation as illegitimate’ and heretical, they commend the Kairos Palestine initiators for longing that those responsible for the occupation regain their God-given humanity.

Pledging to develop solidarity, they endorse non-violent resistance through the Kairos Palestine call for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement “as a way to put maximum non-violent pressure on Israel to lift the boot of oppression from the neck of the Palestinians”.

Listing what “we can learn from you”, they ask Palestinians to be prepared to consider what process of healing would be needed in the Holy Land once a political solution has been reached. Celebrating this year the 25th anniversary of the South African Kairos Document, they invite Palestinians to share their journey.

Among the signatories of the message are the Archbishop Dr Thabo Cecil Makgoba, Metropolitan of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa; Bishop Dr N.P. Phaswana from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa; Professor Tinyiko S. Maluleke, South African Council of Churches (SACC) president and executive director of research at the University of South Africa; and SACC general secretary Edwin Makue.

The South African response to Kairos Palestine is one among others that can be found on the Kairos Palestine website (www.kairospalestine.ps). It is significant because of the near-parallel experiences described by the South African theologians.

From South Africa to Palestine, a message of peace and hope

Our dear Palestinian brothers and sisters,

May grace and peace be yours in abundance through knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord (2 Peter 1:2).

Thank you for the document written by you, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the descendants of Jesus Christ and whose ancestors were the first to receive his message. Yours is a proud history of keeping the faith in the Holy Land, and we salute you for doing that despite the most difficult situation into which you have been placed. From our perspective, we can see how you are being pressurized and forced out of your own land, and we urge you to continue to resist that with love, and to continue to show what our Lord Jesus Christ taught us. We are with you in our prayers and other forms of support, and wish to strengthen this support to you. We admire all that you are and that you do. Justice will come to the Holy Land, as it came to us here in the southernmost part of Africa.

We wish now formally to respond to your Kairos Document, so beautifully written and so full of grace, in the form of this letter, signed by South African Christian theologians, both academic and lay. Our Muslim and Jewish sisters and brothers have decided to write separate responses to your Kairos document so as to free us all to speak in words and idioms that we hold dear, and we support each other in our responses. Some have however indicated that they wish to support this letter as well and their names are attached. We will submit this letter – together with your Kairos document – to our churches and other structures and will call on them to discuss it, to endorse it and to act upon it. We can learn many valuable lessons from your Kairos Document and it now comes as a breath of fresh air to us, 25 years after we launched the Kairos Document in South Africa. Where we serve on international church bodies and theological associations, we will also ensure that this important document coming from you will receive the necessary and appropriate attention. Our first President, Nelson Mandela, called Palestine “one of the great moral causes of our time” and also said that “our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians”. We therefore wish to stand in solidarity with your cause.

As we write this message, we are mourning the death of Steve de Gruchy, a signatory of the South African Kairos Document, who has been called home to the “new Jerusalem”.

1. Apartheid:

From our own experience of apartheid, we can clearly and without equivocation say that your situation is in essence the same as apartheid and in its practical manifestation even worse than South African apartheid. Why do we say this?

The essence of apartheid:

When we write to you about the essence of apartheid, we mean the denial of the humanity of one human being by another or the idea that there is a superior and an inferior human being. Flowing from this, it then becomes possible to effectively take other people’s land and make them stateless because they are regarded as either non-human or as less than human and therefore unimportant for consideration. This is what happened to us and is happening to you and for this reason we cannot find a better way to describe your situation as other than one of apartheid, previously declared as a crime against humanity by the international community.

The practical manifestations of Israeli apartheid:

But we can also say that the practical manifestations of Israeli apartheid are in many ways worse than South African apartheid ever was.

There was never a “security wall” built around Bophuthatswana or any of the other Bantustans. There was never a time when only certain people could drive on certain roads. There was never a serious debate about the right of exiles and refugees to return to South Africa. Therefore, over and above your situation containing the essence of apartheid, it is in many ways worse than apartheid, and we call on the world community to condemn the Israeli occupation as such.

Yours is also, in our view, a typical colonial situation whereby the colonizers claim the lives and land of the colonized. Furthermore, your situation is exacerbated by the West satisfying their guilt for the Holocaust at your expense. We reject this utterly and call on the West and their allies across the world to take responsibility for the situation that they have created.

2. Declaring the occupation a sin and evil

It naturally flows from this description of the occupation as apartheid that you are therefore absolutely correct in calling it a sin and evil and something to be repented of. Once the church has called something a sin, it can never be regarded as a mere disagreement or matter of opinion, but as something that is so fundamental that it is a serious impediment to a relationship with God and with others.

For this sin to be committed in the land where Jesus was born, raised, where he ministered, was crucified, rose and ascended, makes it necessary for us to take your situation even more seriously. Jesus must be weeping at the injustice that he sees in Jerusalem and we are convinced that God is already intervening and will continue to intervene to establish his justice in the Holy Land. The Holy Spirit will continue to strengthen you in your faith, hope and love and we therefore also urge you to keep on keeping on, as Archbishop-emeritus Tutu stated in his letter on the occasion of your launch.

3. Christian Zionism

Christian Zionism, the theological justification of the establishment of the State of Israel based on a particular understanding of the Bible and of the Christian faith and its relation to Judaism, can only be described by us as a modern-day heresy. This kind of Christianity rejects all modern scholarship of Biblical interpretation and chooses to make the Christian faith a servant of an evil ideology, similar to what happened with the theological justification of apartheid.

We have come to realize that opposing Christian Zionism is one of the greatest challenges for the Christian faith. The worldwide Jewish community is no more than 15 million people and many of them do not support the Zionist project, but there are about 50 million Christian Zionists, mainly in the USA, who distort and use the Christian faith to vigorously support and mobilize political and economic support for the State of Israel and we as Christians therefore need to take responsibility for this.

Together with you, we reject Christian Zionism and all other forms of Christian theology that provide justification for the Occupation as illegitimate and in our conscience and faith declare it to be a heresy.

4. The humanity of the enemy:

Throughout your Kairos document, we detect how you also long for those who are responsible for the occupation to regain their God-given humanity. We commend you for this since this seed can be the foundation for a new future for all the peoples of your region. While we think that this is a political problem that has to be solved politically, we encourage you to continue to build friendships across the many barriers in your society. We are particularly encouraged by the friendships that have developed between those in Israel and those in Palestine who are both committed to peace and justice.

5. Standing in the shoes of the Israelis:

You know much better than we do what it is that motivates the Israelis to do what they are doing. You also know much better than we do that which they fear, and that which prevents them to love. St Paul reminds us firstly in 1 Corinthians 13 that “love is patient”. Those of us who interacted with some white South Africans during the 1980s and earlier, know how much patience is required to exorcise fear from the minds of those who are fearful. We pray that God will continue to grant you that extra portion of love and grace to continue these dialogues so that greater understanding can result.

Having said that, we are of course reminded by St Paul that love does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. Regardless therefore of our empathy for their past, current and future pain, it does not minimize our strong opposition to and relentless resistance of what the Israelis are doing. It certainly does not justify their unjust actions either. May you continue to find the grace through the power of God’s Holy Spirit to seek, find, and proclaim truth and love both to those who suffer and to those who are in power and who use that power to oppress and exploit.

6. The role of the South African Jewish community:

We rejoice that there are many South African Jews who have stood up against the occupation and who have declared that the atrocities committed by the State of Israel are not in their name. We rejoice also that members of our legal fraternity have contributed positively to the debate in Israel and Palestine (John Dugard, Judge Seraj Desai et al). In particular we think of the work of Judge Goldstone, whose report serves as a reminder that there are certain generally accepted standards within the international and human community that apply to all and which cannot be flouted without severe censure. In fact, if we only selectively censure those who ignore these standards, then we weaken the possibility of censure in other situations that require it.

We are particularly concerned about the existence of a “South Africa Forest” in the Galilee, built on the destroyed Palestinian Village of Lubya. We reject this naming and will ask our government to request that this be withdrawn since our new democratic state does not identify with such a forest, built in the name of a false kind of environmentalism and at the expense of the rights and humanity of Palestinians.

In addition we are aware that money from here is processed through the Jewish National Fund and that monies donated to that fund are tax deductible here. This is not only an affront to you but is also an affront to us here in South Africa. We lose out on tax and also money is externalized for reasons that are an affront to our nation’s history and constitution. We will find ways to ensure that the operations of this fund be monitored and we will work hard to have the tax-exempt status of the Jewish National Fund (JNF) reversed.

7. Repentance:

We wish to repent for our lack of solidarity with you. This is a sin that we repent with regards to your situation, and also with regards to other situations. While we were celebrating our freedom in South Africa, at least a million of our Rwandan brothers and sisters were being killed, and yet we remained silent even about that situation.

We now commit ourselves to embark on a clear process to develop a spirituality and praxis of solidarity. We call on you and others to assist us and walk with us on this journey as well.

8. Non-violent resistance:

We support your call for the isolation of the Apartheid State of Israel. To this end we will do all we can to monitor the relations between South Africa and Israel, and to deepen the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement as a way to put maximum non-violent pressure on Israel to lift the boot of oppression from the neck of the Palestinians. Change will come from above and from below, and we urge you to continue all forms of non-violent actions against the State of Israel and against the Occupation.

9. How your Kairos Document challenges our faith:

Having read and reflected upon your Kairos Document, we thank you for challenging our understanding of faith, hope and love. There is much that we can learn from you.

The themes of election, promise, Promised Land, New Jerusalem and many other theological themes and how we engage with these is a wake-up call to many of us in South Africa who have – often unconsciously – adopted certain positions on all of these in our churches. One of our people, who served as an Ecumenical Accompanier, returned to South Africa and said that he does not know how to read the Bible anymore, in the light of what he saw and experienced. This is a challenge for us, and we ask you to help us to understand these themes more deeply so that our faith can be refreshed and strengthened.

Practical things we wish to see implemented in the Churches in South Africa:

1. We wish to see deeper Bible Study about the themes mentioned in your Kairos Document and in this letter.
2. We want the Churches to all consider what a spirituality and praxis of solidarity in situations of injustice outside of our country might look like, and to work towards implementing such a spirituality in all our congregations.
3. We want to deepen our theological reflection as a basis for practical actions in solidarity with Palestinians, initiate actions on behalf of the cause of Palestinians and to find ways to support your actions in solidarity and co-operation with you.

10. Links between South Africa and Israel:

We are becoming aware of some sinister links between South Africa and Israel, and are particularly embarrassed by some that seem to have been negotiated by a former priest. We will be investigating this in the following months and will intervene where possible so that the State of Israel – because of its apartheid policies – are treated in the same way that we asked for the South African apartheid state to be treated. We cannot understand how our government seems to have lost its moral compass with regard to its overt and covert relations with the state of Israel, despite the fact that that state was essentially part of our oppression.

11. A Truth and Reconciliation Commission needed for the Holy Land?

Because of our experience in South Africa, we had to find a way to break decisively with the past and even though our TRC process cannot be described as perfect, it can be described as one of the most successful processes of societal healing and the creation of a common history and uncovering of as much truth as possible. We therefore offer this experience to you, and ask that you begin to consider what process of healing would be needed in the Holy Land once a political solution has been reached.

While raising this possibility with you, we also have learnt lessons that this powerful tool could be distorted in order to impose limitations on its effect. For example, we are still reflecting on why the churches were so silent when reconciliation was appropriated by politicians for certain political and economic ends, the Gospel used to serve a certain purpose and how our political discourse afterwards insisted to speak of the reconciliation process as purely a process of political accommodation. In fact, now, 15 years later, it is becoming clear to us that it indeed was a process of political accommodation, but accommodation of the elites, not the desires for justice and human dignity of all our people.

These reflections we also need to share with you, in anticipation of your liberation.

12. The temptations of aligning too closely with those in political office:

Whilst we celebrate our freedom and our achievements since 1994, we have learnt some hard lessons in South Africa, and one of it is the demobilization – whether it is intentional or not – of civil society. This may not happen in your context, but it is important that we warn you about that danger. Economic and other factors may lead many of you to consider political office and while we do not think it is wrong for theologians and clergy to take up political office, there are many dangers in this, the chief ones being the need to sometimes compromise that which you feel strongest about. We therefore ask that you debate this matter thoroughly before a political solution is found so that those who decide to serve society either through political office or the civil service understands what the challenges are, and that you remain vigilant about the need for a strong civil society.

13. Building a society where all religions are respected

We admire your call for the respect of all religions and your rejection of a religious state. We realize that this is a bold and brave stand in your context, but it is also the position that we have adopted in South Africa. There are universal values on which the state can be built, where all religions can be respected. This must not be subject to the “tyranny of the majority” but ought to be adopted as a firm and unchanging principle, whether the end of the political negotiations produces a one or two state solution.

We are in a process of learning more and more what it means to build, sustain and protect the sanctity of our foundational values against the internal erosion thereof, usually in pursuit of power but claiming to be in the name of democracy, and we will also be willing to share some of these reflections with you.

14. Invitation:

Later this year, we will find ways to celebrate appropriately the 25^th Anniversary of the South African Kairos document and we invite as many of you as possible to join us in order to share your journey with us. We will engage with friends in the international community to help fund this invitation.

15. Blessings:

We will continue to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, and we ask that you continue to pray for South Africa and also for the rest of Africa. May the blessing of the God who requires unconditional love, justice with mercy, who brings reconciliation, peace and an abundance of hope, be with you now and for ever.

Signatories thus far:

1. Rev Edwin Arrison

2. Dr Stiaan vd Merwe

3. Prof Allan Boesak

4. Ms Elna Boesak

5. Terry Crawford-Browne

6. Rev John Frye

7. Dr Clint le Bruyns

8. Ms Dudu Masango

9. Rev Michael Oliphant

10. The Most Revd Dr. Thabo Cecil Makgoba, Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa

11. Fr Larry Kauffman

12. Fr Luke Pato

13. Ms Joyce Mokoena

14. Bishop Dr. N.P Phaswana (Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa)

15. Rev. Trevor Sibande (Lutheran)

16. Rev. France Mkhatshwa (Lutheran)

17. Rev. Mautji Pataki

18. Hermina Damons (Former Local Coordinator of EAPPI)

19. Gosiame Choabi (EA)

20. Puleng Mkhatshwa

21. Motlagomang Oliphant (EA)

22. Mandla Mndebele (EA)

23. Folathela Botipe (EA)

24. Rev Moss Ntlha

25. Fr Albert Nolan

26. Rev Solomuzi Mabuza

27. Rev Roxanne Jordaan

28. Prof Tinyiko Maluleke

29. Rev Laurie Gaum

30. Busi Ntini (EA)

31. Ismail Moola

32. Cassim Moola

33. Fathima Moola

34. Ahmed Moola

35. Zuleika Moola

36. Zaid Moola

37. Junaid Moola

38. Shahana Moola

39. Faheema Moola

40. Suraya Moola

41. Zahra Moola

42. Mohammed Moola

43. Ebrahim Moola

44. Mariam Moola

45. Naseema Mia

46. Obayd Mia

47. Tahir Mia

48. Mohammed Mia

49. Salma Mia

50. Ismail Dawood

51. Anisa Dawood

52. Reead Dawood

53. Prof Farid Esack

54. Rev Dr Dawid Kuyler

55. Dr Llewellyn MacMaster

56. Rev Desmond Lesejane (ELCSA)

57. Rev Courtney Sampson

58. Rev Janet Trisk

59. Prof Christo Lombaard

60. Eddie Makue, SACC

61. Prof John de Gruchy

SOURCE

Bold added by blog author.

Kairos Launch - Norway

What is Interfaith Work for Peace and Justice in the Middle East for Me

Now that it has been over four years that I have become actively involved in interfaith work for peace and justice in the Middle East, something occurred to me about ten days ago that has prompted me to explain not only to those who may question others like me, but to also coalesce in my own mind my thoughts governing my activism.

First, let's turn to what many see as "religious strife" in the Middle East (which has spilled over to resentment of varying degrees towards the US) and so-called "Islamic terrorism", for when individuals question me and other's motives for their work, it is most often framed within this premise, the problem is the Muslims, they hate Jews and Christians. While "Islamic" extremism certainly does exist, one has to have a deeper understanding of it's goals, , which are to overturn what they sense has been colonialism, support of puppet governments beholden to the West who not only has been active in controlling and overthrowing their own
political aspirations long prior to the sharp rise in "Islamic" extremism (as in the case of Mossadeq's democratic election by the Iranian people, his subsequent nationalizing of their own oil resources and subsequent CIA sponsored coup), but also has raped their national resources for their own profits and most recently and glaringly illegally invaded and occupied Iraq. In short, one must understand what is the driving force behind the phenomena, and that each case is different per the actual circumstances.

Then of course there is the centerpiece of Middle Eastern resentment towards the West, most notably the United States, whose long support of Israel whose own "democratic" aspirations depended on expelling 750,000 Palestinians from their land which till this day they have been denied their right of return which is enshrined in the Declaration of Human Rights, " Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country."



In a nutshell, which does not even begin to give service to the political problems in the Middle East, to simplify it into "religious strife" is to not know that it is political power and where it lies that is at the core of the issue. Take Lebanon for instance which is a glaring example. Are the problems in Lebanon based on religious strife or are they based on political power? In simple terms they are quite obviously based on political power because Lebanon's constitution is centered on giving power to religious factions when those factions (demographic changes) after many years do not reflect a "democracy" based on the will of all the people:

• The President, a Maronite Christian;
• The Prime Minister, a Sunni Muslim, and
• The Speaker of the Parliament, a Shi'a Muslim.

Efforts to alter or abolish the confessional system of allocating power have been at the center of Lebanese politics for decades. Those religious groups most favored by the 1943 formula sought to preserve it, while those who saw themselves at a disadvantage sought either to revise it after updating key demographic data or to abolish it entirely. Nonetheless, many of the provisions of the national pact were codified in the 1989 Ta'if Agreement, perpetuating sectarianism as a key element of Lebanese political life.

Hezballah itself, designated a terrorist organization by the US, did not rise out of religious hatred of Jews or opposition to what some deem the "Christian West". (I feel silly even explaining this here) It rose out of the years long Israeli occupation of Southern Lebanon and the West's condoning of it. Is their true basis anti-Jewish/anti-Christian? No it is not. It is political based on power and their lack there of when Hezballah rose in reaction. Now they too take part in Lebanese politics while my own government continues to label them a "Islamic terrorist organization". A label which prevents the US from interacting with them in any manner diplomatically. That too shall someday change I predict.

Now, back to why I am writing this post. It is prompted by an email I recieved from someone calling herself my friend who is fully aware of my interfaith peace and justice work and the fact that I lived in the Middle East, was married (now amicably divorced from) a Muslim, have many Muslim friends from all walks of life and consider my former-in-laws my family still because of our loving relationship which has lasted so many years. This email she sent was prompted by the recent massacre in Nigeria by Muslims of Christians. Needless to say, just in January there was a larger massacre by Christians of Muslims and one of the largest Nigerian massacres occured in Yelwa in 2004 when 600 Muslims were killed. Do the past massacres of Muslims justify what was done just two weeks ago? Absolutely NOT. However, again, in the case of Nigeria, the core issue is not religion, it is power, as stated succinctly by Nigerian Archbishop Josiah Idawoo, "Every crisis is automatically interpretted as a religious crisis. But we all know that, scratch the surface, it's got nothing to do with religion. It's about power."

Now for the email which I recieved from a "friend" who herself was married to a Musim, lived in Egypt, did not have a pleasant outcome whatsoever, but who always spoke highly of her mother-in-law who she said treated her so wonderfully while she lived in Egypt. But first, let's define "bigotry". For ease I will turn to Wikipedia:

A bigot is a person obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices.

The correct use of the term requires the elements of obstinacy, irrationality, and animosity toward those of differing devotion.

The origin of the word bigot and bigoterie in English dates back to at least 1598, via Middle French, and started with the sense of "religious hypocrite". Forms of bigotry may have a related ideology or world views.

Now for the first email which was sent to me which was prompted by her reaction to the massacre in Nigeria:

Last night on the news they were talking about muslims who went on a rampage, and killed 500 christians which consisted mostly of women and children. I just got the tail end of the news report. But I am furious with this mind set of the muslims of kill kill kill. I am done with them. That was the last straw for me. I wash my hands of muslims completely. I do NOT care if there are 2 good ones out of a million. They can go to hell in a hand basket for all I care. They are uncivilized, cruel, and lack a heart and soul so screw them all. I will NOT see my people killed and just turn my back on them another moment in my life by giving them the benefit of the doubt. The price is far too high. Damn them all for not putting a stop to all this blood shed. They can rot in hell.

Now to try and get through my day without dwelling on that miserable culture/humans that should be none existent.

My emailed response to her:

---

Well, toss in Hindus too *******

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article5186703.ece

http://richarddawkins.net/articles/3253

Hate is hate no matter where it comes from, including oneself. My own government just forced a major American arms manufacturer to remove Bible quotations from the arms they produce that are used by our military. I guess I'll just say screw all Christians because our military is KILLING people with guns inscribed with quotes from the Bible.

In my own humble opinion, anyone using their own faith in ANY case to hate ALL others from a faith different from their own is not abiding by what the creator of all mankind wished for us, no matter how we worship him, don't worship him, because as the most benevolent, the all-knowing parent, "He" wishes more for his children to love eachother than to fight amongst themselves over what way they love him or don't, for he is ALL merciful, ALL kind, and calls upon each of us in our own lives to live kind lives ourselves. Outrage at specific actions is understandable, but to dismiss ALL members of a faith no matter if they are your neighbor leading a decent life, a doctor, a scientist, no matter what they do, if they are leading good lives MY God calls upon me to love them.

She then emailed me back with a LONG rant about blood-thirsty Muslims, that anyone who symapthized with them was as "evil as they are", that she had contacted three Muslims who she was still in contact with to tell them not to contact her anymore "UP and UNTIL I see them take a stand against these terrorists" on and on. For XXXX every single Muslim is somehow a terrorist or not doing the job they need to do to protect CHRISTIANS from them, because she is a CHRISTIAN woman. They should all be deported back to their countries of origin whether or not they have done anything wrong whatsoever. She is DONE with them, end of story. I responded to her with link after link of fatwas, statements, poetry, you name it, Muslims who have INDEED spoken out against what the West refers to as "Islamic terrorism" Since then, no more emails. The long rant which she sent me needless to say was quite upsetting and I felt was a personal attack on my own interfaith work and core values as a human being.

Now I will close with my own "story", that which led me on my path. Others who work interfaith peace and justice have their own moral or experiential reasons. This is mine.

In March 1975, I found myself, a 20 year old American, in Beirut, marrying into a Muslim family who now after an amicable divorce, I still lovingly call my own, not only because of the daughter our marriage produced, but because of the loving relationship which grew and still remains in my heart and connections which still exist based on my actual time with them (we still see eachother whenever possible as well) . It was only two weeks after my arrival there that the long Lebanese civil war broke out. I found myself in a family of women because my husband had left back to Saudi Arabia for work and to prepare our home for us.

It was surreal, it wasn't what I had bargained for when I left the United States to marry him. Even though I knew my new life was to be lived in the Middle East, I had not anticipated ending up in a war zone. During the days, for the most part, the city was open for business. But at night we would sit on the balcony, unable to sleep, and watch from afar (we were in Ramla Baida, a predominately Muslim area, directly on the beach across from Spinney's super-market) the rockets and bombs going off. This is not to say that we did not witness horrific things with our own eyes. One night Spinney's was bombed. Most of the residents of the apartment building immediately went to the basement. We did not however and chose to pull our mattresses into the inner hallway where we were safer. After a short while, my mother-in-law disappered back to her own bedroom. Out of fear I went to her saying "Yama, ta'ale, ta'ale" (Mom, come come) it's not safe in here"


She responded (sorry my Arabic has become quite rusty) "Only Allah knows our time Habibti, come, lay down next to me" which I did. Feeling even more safe next to her calming presence than in the protected hallway.

There were several more instances which we witnessed from our balcony, but the most frightening was one afternoon. A jeep sped into the parking lot of Spinney's with machine guns firing. Several people were mowed down before our eyes. The gun men were Maronite Christian, Falange. For as in the case of other countries not only in the Middle East but elsewhere, civil war and strife lies along religious lines, which has morphed into a political power struggle based on power, lack of power, prejudices, and "human reaction", either to maintain power, or exert when political power has been taken away.

It was however upon leaving Beirut for the first time in July that my own life was directly threatened as a Christian, and my family's life as Muslims. We were leaving to Bahrain suddenly because my mother-in-law's mother had died there. Leaving Beirut was not a simple task however. In order to reach the airport (which was intermittently opened and closed), one had to go through areas controlled by the differently religiously factioned militias. Our area was Muslim, but to reach the airport, we had to venture into the Falange militia controlled area. This meant crossing their checkpoint. Which is where our life-threatening experience occurred.

We were a car with five women, a six month old infant, and our male Muslim driver. I was the only Christian in the car, but needless to say I am American.

As we approached we were stopped. A teenaged Falange militia member approached our car and ordered our driver out of the car. At first there was conversation between the driver and the older militia members. But quickly it turned into something more sinister as voices raised. All this time, the teenager had his machine gun pointed in the car at us. The militia then demanded money from our driver. My mother-in-law reached into her purse and gave them all the money she had, several thousand dollars. The shouting was going on, the one gun pointed at us had become several. Our lives were in the hands of the Falange militia.

Then we were allowed to pass.

This is my story. My life was in jeopardy because of my Muslim family yet with them they were MY family. I would not have been spared, of this I am sure.

This is my experience which I call "The Car", a specific car in this case, yet we are all each and every one of us travelling in our own or different cars as circumstances throughout our lives place us. But there is a much larger "car" called humanity, of which we are all a part. My God tells me that we are here to protect eachother against bigotry which attacks our own brothers and sisters in humanity no matter what faith they belong to. My response to XXXXX reflected that.

This as I wrote is my own personal experience. Others who either directly become active in interfaith work themselves or are not activists may also hold the same unbigoted views. I was told to learn how to "discern" by my friend. Quite coincidentally just a couple of days after receiving these two unsettling emails a dear friend of mine called to invite me to a meeting group on discernment. He himself is a retired Methodist minister who for decades has been active in interfaith cooperation and peace and justice as have many people I have come to know and respect over the years. Have they not "discerned"? Yes they have, their God also has brought them to the same conclusion and their own choices. He just called again. I told him why his invitation to the group had come at such a point in time that meant so much to me and why. His response to me, "Robin, sometimes the term discernment can be used as a club by those who wish to attack you and all of us".

Yes indeed Bill, it can. It was used as a club. I have discerned, I have experienced, I have chosen. I have chosen the path of my God who tells me as I wrote in my response, "He" wishes more for his children to love eachother than to fight amongst themselves over what way they love him or don't, for he is ALL merciful, ALL kind, and calls upon each of us in our own lives to live kind lives ourselves"

In peace to all of my Muslim brothers and sisters, in peace to all my brothers and sisters of all faiths.

THE GOLDEN RULE: a call for unity

Matthew 5:9

"The Occupation" video and commentary by Johnny Punish

Read:

American Shakedown: Israeli Contempt Continues While We Pay the Bill

"Sleepless in Gaza" First in the Series

On March 1st - this coming Monday-the premier episode of a 90 part series, "Sleepless in Gaza...and Jerusalem" will be launched on YouTube. It will be a video diary about four young Palestinian women, Muslim and Christian, two living in Gaza and two in Arab Jerusalem/West Bank. PINA TV Production camera crews will be covering Ashira Ramadan, a broadcast journalist based in Jerusalem; Ashira's friend in Gaza, the documentary film maker Nagham Mohanna; Donna Maria Mattas, a 17 year-old student at the Holy Family school in Gaza who dreams of growing up to be a journalist, and Ala' Khayo Mkari who works with Caritas in Jerusalem.
.
The intention of this series is neither rant nor rhetoric. It is rather an opportunity for all of us, who do not live in Gaza, occupied Arab Jerusalem and the rest of the West Bank, to grasp how these four young Palestinian women live out their daily lives, precisely because their lives are stories we journalists were taught almost dismissively to think of as "human interest" and almost necessarily conflict driven.

How, as human beings, these four Palestinians can also experience moments of personal and community achievement, and the warmth of friends and family life that in real life is possible even in the most difficult circumstances of siege and occupation.

Each episode runs 26 minutes and will be shot in Jerusalem/West Bank and Gaza, edited and uploaded the same day. So you will find a new sequence six days a week at www.youtube.com/SleeplessinGaza. On Friday, we all rest.

A "Sleepless..." trailer should be up on YouTube by the time you receive this letter. We also have just set up "Sleepless in Gaza...and Jerusalem" on Facebook. It's got such a long URL that Facebookers should note-- just type in “Sleepless in Gaza...and Jerusalem” in the Facebook search and you will be home. We don't have our own domain website yet, but our partners PINA TV Productions' website will serve as such for the time being at www.pina.ps. (SOURCE)