The Arab/Israeli conflict is not a struggle against apartheid or occupation.
I write to you with a heavy heart.
You are a revered leader in South Africa, but recently have added your iconic voice to the campaign for sanctions against Israel.
Archbishop, I believe you are making a terrible mistake. Without truth there can be no justice, and without justice there can be no peace. The Talmud says: “The world stands on three things: justice, truth and peace.” These three values are inseparable. Archbishop, I am convinced that the sanctions campaign against Israel is morally repugnant because it is based on horrific and grotesquely false accusations against the Jewish people.
The truth, archbishop, is that Israel is simply not an apartheid state. In the State of Israel all citizens – Jew and Arab – are equal before the law. Israel has no Population Registration Act, no Group Areas Act, no Mixed Marriages and Immorality Act, no Separate Representation of Voters Act, no Separate Amenities Act, no pass laws or any of the myriad apartheid laws.
Israel is a vibrant liberal democracy with a free press and independent judiciary, and accords full political, religious and other human rights to all its people, including its more than 1 million Arab citizens, many of whom hold positions of authority including that of cabinet minister, member of parliament and judge at every level, including that of the Supreme Court. All citizens vote on the same roll in regular, multiparty elections; there are Arab parties and Arab members of other parties in Israel’s parliament. Arabs and Jews share all public facilities, including hospitals and malls, buses, cinemas and parks. And, archbishop, that includes universities and opera houses.
The other untruth is the accusation of illegal occupation of Arab land. Like the apartheid libel, this is outrageously false. There is no nation that has a longer, deeper or more profound connection to its country than the Jewish people have to the land of Israel and the city of Jerusalem.
Archbishop, you and I as religious leaders always turn to the Bible as a source of truth. What does it mean that Israel is the “promised land”? It means, as we both know, that it was promised by God to the Jews – the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. This promise was first fulfilled by God more than 3,300 years ago, when Joshua led the Jewish people into the land of Israel. Since then there has been an unbroken Jewish presence in the land, albeit small during the Roman exile.
Three thousand years ago, there was no London or Paris, no Washington or Moscow, but there was a Jerusalem, capital of a Jewish state.
All the books of the Old Testament – Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, Isaiah, Jeremiah, etc. – describe the deep connection between the Jews and the land of Israel, including the West Bank, known in the Bible as Judea and Samaria – the area that contained the great cities of the two previous Jewish commonwealths, such as Jericho, Shiloh (where the Tabernacle stood for hundreds of years), Beit El (where Jacob had his vision of the ladder) and Hebron (where Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are buried with their wives Sarah, Rebecca and Leah).
Three thousand years ago, there was no London or Paris, no Washington or Moscow, no Pretoria or Cape Town, but there was a Jerusalem, capital of a Jewish state.
“If I forget thee O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its cunning... if I fail to elevate Jerusalem above my foremost joy.” Those words from Psalms are recited by Jews at every wedding. At every funeral, the statement of comfort given to the mourners refers to Zion and Jerusalem. Jews pray for Jerusalem three times a day, and also after every meal.
Archbishop, the Arab/Israeli conflict is not a struggle against apartheid or occupation. It is a century- long war against the very existence of Jews and a Jewish state in the Middle East. There have already been seven major Arab/Israeli wars since the birth of modern Israel.
Today the front includes an alliance between Iran, Syria and Hizbullah, the latter now with 40,000 rockets aimed at Israeli cities. Iranian officers train Hizbullah forces, while Iran pursues nuclear weapons and openly declares its intention to wipe out Israel. Hamas, the terrorist Palestinian government in Gaza, sides with Iran and Hizbullah in rearming with the declared aim of destroying Israel.
Since 1967, one aspect of this century- long conflict has been the demand for a Palestinian state. In spite of the deep historical and religious roots of Jews in all of Israel, generations of Jewish leaders have been prepared, for the sake of peace, to give up ancestral and covenantal land to establish a Palestinian state.
So why has there not been peace? The ANC taught us you can’t make peace on your own. No matter how deeply the ANC was committed to a peaceful resolution of the South African conflict, until the National Party was prepared to accept that black South Africans had a place in their own country, there could be no peace. And so too, until the Arab/Muslim world accepts that Jews have a right to a state of their own on their ancestral land, there will be no peace.
In 1948, the Jews accepted the UN resolution establishing a Jewish state and a Palestinian state, but the Arab world rejected it and five Arab countries invaded Israel to destroy it.
After that, the West Bank and Gaza were in Arab hands until 1967.
There was an opportunity then – every day for almost 20 years – to establish a Palestinian state. It never happened. And since then there have been numerous opportunities – each rejected by Arab leaders.
Why? Because this war has been more about the destruction of the Jewish state than about the establishment of a Palestinian state. Even today, so-called moderate Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas denies Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state.
In 2000, the Palestinian leadership launched a massive wave of suicide bombers into Israel, leading to more than 1,300 civilian deaths and 10,000 injuries. Proportionately, such carnage in South Africa would mean more than 10,000 killed and over 80,000 injured! Israel erected a security fence with checkpoints to shield it from such attacks launched from the disputed territories.
Archbishop, you compare these checkpoints to apartheid South Africa. But they are not about pass laws, which don’t exist in Israel. The checkpoints are on the border between sovereign Israeli territory and the disputed territories of the West Bank and Gaza in order to keep civilians from being murdered, and have been very successful in doing so. These checkpoints – like those found in all airports – are there to prevent suicide bombers from blowing up innocent people.
The writer is chief rabbi of South Africa.
Some basics about the apartheid issue. Jews have been ejected from almost all of the Arab countries including Yemen, Egypt, Iraq and Syria. No one disputes the right of these Arab countries to do that. Likewise, 19 of 20 countries controlling 99% of the area in the Middle East are predominantly Arab or Moslem, and again the prudence of this is agreed by all.
The basic question is whether the 1% of the area that is Jewish should become a mixed state. Thus we would have the 19 Arab/Moslem states and a mixed Arab/Jewish state. One would hope that the historical precedent of Jews ejected would not follow.
I am in complete agreement and just wish that the likes of the erstwhile Archbishop would concentrate on the thousands of Christians who are being tortured and killed in the Middle East.
Please leave Israel, which the only democracy in that frightening part of world, alone sir.
If you, Mr. Tutu, still represent Christians, you really scare me.
An ex -South African, who was, for more years than I care to count, involved in the real anti apartheid movement.
Rabbi Goldstein wastes his decency on this devil,of a species unbeknown to humankind.
Retired Archbishop Desmond Tutu is undoubtedly a bigot, however hard he tries (like so many others) to mask his antisemitism as anti-Israel politics.
He let his real feelings slip out, in a 2002 public speech in favour of divesting from Israel, when he said this about the American people: "People are scared in this country [the US], to say wrong is wrong because the Jewish lobby is powerful – very powerful." When he reprinted his speech, 3 years later, he slyly replaced his original reference to the "Jewish lobby" with the term "pro-Israel lobby."
That said, I do not believe he is an evil man; nor, as some writers have suggested here, the biggest bigot around. However, I think he is misguided. He makes the easy error of over-identifying with the Palestinians as fellow "oppressed underdogs", instead of recognizing that it is actually Israel which is the perpetually threatened and outnumbered nation in the region -- just as the Jewish People have ever been threatened and outnumbered in the Diaspora.
Rabbi Goldstein does well to remind Rev. Tutu to read his Bible, in order to recall the events and lessons of history. Sadly, Rev. Tutu is unlikely to respond.
Why in the world is so difficult for us to love? The simpliest thing on earth, we fail woefully. The world rather than taking care of the world with our resources, every nation, 195 nations. They all armed to the teeth with deady weapons to kill the people. Why is that? For God sake, we waste and waste our precious resources to decimate each other rather than making use of them to bring peace, to love and share. But, we kill and kill the people. God my country-Nigeria with resources, but kill the poor people. The beautiful state of Israel--armed with deadly weapons to kill. America, Russia, China, spent the resources belong to the people to develop weapons of mass destruction. Can we just stop it? Let us begin to love each other. It is as simple as breathing. Simple to love. Simple--simple and simple. Can we just stop killing each other? Stop it.
The beautiful state of Israel is armed with deadly weapons to defend itself from the aggressions of the six hostile nations which threaten it (five of you take Egypt and Jordan who have signed peace treaties and add back Hamas-controlled areas of Palestinian territory) and have continued to threaten it since the partitioning agreement of 1948.
Peace will begin if, and ONLY if, all the people of the world, especially all Muslims and particularly all Palestinians recognize the literally God-given right for Israel--and Jews--to exist. Until that day, they will continue to wage a war of hate against Israel, and Israel will be forced to respond to the extent of preventing the attacks as much as possible.
Golda Meir once said that we do not hate the Palestinians, we hate that they force us to hurt their children. Nobody in Israel wants to see Palestinian children die. Nobody. In keeping with the tradition set by Joshua of Nun, the IDF takes great measures to prevent the accidental deaths of civilians. No sane person wants to see babies dead, especially knowing that they unleashed the attack which caused it. Israelis do not dance in the streets when Palestinian children die--can the same be said of Palestinians?
Archbishop Tutu is a great man who felt strongly about a terrible situation in South Africa. Nobody will argue that the former apartheid state there was monstrous. But Israel is not even a tiny bit like the old South Africa, for the reasons mentioned in the article above by Rabbi Goldstein. Please reread the article and understand Rabbi does not write with words of hate but of love and mutual respect.
You are right, Dr. Sobomehin, that love and respect ARE what will help bring peace. But the Palestinians will need to learn to love their own people more than they hate Israelis and Jews, or we will never see peace. Stop firing rockets so Israel can stop having to fight back!
He claims to be a Christian?
Tutu has been a Jew hater for years. He has always hated Israel. Now all he does is act as a parrot using the Arab BIG LIES as his excuse for attempting to force Israel into what the people behind the BDS movement wants. Tutu is not a Christian if he can say the things he does. Archbishop? Where did he get that from, a Cracker Jacks box? As far as this Jewish woman is concerned, there is no difference between Tutu and Adolph Hitler and his bunch. The truth is that EVERY ARAB COUNTRY IS AS APARTHEID AS THEY CAN BE. NO OTHER RELIGION OTHER THAN ISLAM IS PERMITTED. JEWS AND CHRISTIANS ALONG WITH OTHER RELIGIONS ARE PROHIBITED. I'd LOVE to see Tutu try to open a church in any Arab country. THAT is apartheid.
I'm not reading the rest of your words against our beloved Bisho Tutu. He is not a Jew hater. You got that wrong. Bishop Tutu is honest--wanted peace in this world as i do. Where do you stand regards peace and justtice. Bishop Tutu loves Jews as verybody in the world. He wants peace, justtive and love for everyone. I love too.
Bishop Tutu is the biggest bigot I have ever come across and not only is he a bigot, but a Jew hater and an Israel basher! I cannot stand the man - he doesn't deserve to be a man of the cloth.
Please! You must not write that way, especially as a Jew. Rabbi Weinstein writes and speaks very powerfully, but tactfully. Your feelings are your own and however valid they are, don't respond the way the haters of the Jewish respond. You're giving fuel to anti-Semites. Please!
As an ex-South African living in Toronto, I say yasher koach to the Chief Rabbi for a brilliant letter to Bishop Tutu. It is time that someone put the Bishop in his place. Perhaps the letter written to Alice Walker by Mr MacEoin should also go to the Bishop to explain matters further. Unfortunately I do not know how to reach the Bishop but maybe the powers that be could help with that.
DEAR RABBI GOLDSTEIN, YOUR COMMENTS ARE TOO POLITE. REEREND TUTU HAS BEEN AN OUTSPKEN ANTI-SEMIT FOR YEARS. YOUT REMARKS ARE TOO CONSIDERATE. YOU ARE GRACIOUS AND POLITE. HE IS STILL AN ISRAELI HATER AND AN ANTI-SEMITE. THAT WILL NOT CHANGE. TUTU SHOULD BE IN JAIL WITH THE OTHER BIGOTS OF THE WORLD, BUT THEN WHAT WOULD WE WRITE ABOUT?
Rabbi Goldstein has said it all. Please Bishop Tutu - read the above carefully. There is no falseness in what has been said - and as that is the case, a man of your standing should have no problem accepting the facts.
I must say find it incredible that Archbishop Tutu, along with the leaders of other "Christian" denominations take the side of the Islamist extremists of Palestine against the democratic state of Israel. It should be obvious to anyone with an ounce of commonsense the fate which would befall all Christians in any state which is controlled by Islamists, as we are now seeing every day in the news from Egypt. Does he imagine that once the "Palestinians" have control of their own state they would be prepared to live in peace alongside Christian "infidels?" Talk about cloud cuckoo land! How often do Jews murder Christians and demolish churches in Israel? Get real Archbishop, please!
In a climate of fear it is difficult for anyone to do anything and so stagnation is safest. Everyone has the ability to hold whatever views they choose. Everyone has their own style and this is unque to themselves. One cannot become a clone of copy of another one; it is not natural. If one is expressing themselves then that is from their inner selves and how they feel to a situation or certain issues. A person would be unwise to completely base their life on religion without considering themselves and their own essence. To consider others on the basis of them constituent of religion is foolishness and nonsense. Everyone should having dressed appropriately now sit down under a canopy in a lawn, sup tea and munch on cake and biscuits whilst watching some sports and entertainment.
"Mysteries" is indeed a mystery...and utter nonsense, as well. Cake and biscuits...humph.
Dear Rabbi Goldstein. I agree with you. But I only ask if the Palestinians of the Westbank have enough space for there country, or will there be a compensation for the settlements? I am very much concerned about Israel, because this concernes us all, as the Prime Minister of Canada told in his speech of this month.
Bishop Tutu was, when he made this statement, in a position to make it based on factual truth, not mere rhetoric. Sadly, it seems Bishop Tutu, along with so many anti-Israeli, and anti-Jewish leaders, has eye problems - He cannot discern truth from lies, and thereby propagates the untruth further by repeating it. When faced with the truth, will he admit his error, publicly, where the untruth was intially declared?
Anti-Semitism is a very difficult disease to cure. It is quite obvious from his many past pronouncements that Tutu is morally and mortally afflicted with it. I doubt that a hundred Rabbi Goldsteins can effect a cure.
A neutral and positive point is to consider that both the traditional Palestine area and Southern Africa have had British Isle rule upon them. Good Governance and system maintainence unknown before the arrival ot British Isle peoples has helped many folk immensely. The rights of the ordinary folk are respected and there are diverse forms of education, employment and entertainment helping and uplifting culturally oppressed folk. This has been the greatest event that occured in these regions and is imcomparable to Shaka the Zulu king, continental West European rule for South Africa or Arab Caliphate, continental West European Crusader or OttomanTurk rule for traditional Palestine. Afternoon tea anyone ?
The arab israel dispute is a complex affair. It is on the levels of religion, culture, ethnicity and system of government. It is as complex as Southern Africa with it's mixture of different ethnic groups and religions. When Jewry was compelled to leave the near east through political oppression and economic situation the area in later times had a great influx of Arabs. They filled the vacuum and set themselves up in the area. The Arabs were their before in differing sub-ethnic groups but increased in larger numbers after the conquest of the area. Under the Ottoman Turks Jewry was allowed to immigrate into the near east lands. Both Jewry and Arabs have many common culture and Jewry being in the midst of Arab culture also took on some aspects of Arab culture. Later with colonial rule Jewry further increased in number. Jewry had a different style from the Arabs and wanted to have land to rule themselves that is not by foreign powers. The Arabs thought that rule of the region would fall to them since they have been prominent in the area for a great deal of time. To the Arabs any Jewish rule was not acceptable for since the days of Arab conquest they were the as ascendant even under Ottoman rule. With such animosity and claims of rights and lands after the formation of the nation states and the subsequent wars the situation is tense. South Africa also has many different claims from its various ethnic groups and the situation there is tense.
That was clear and contundent!
Thankyou Rabbi W. Goldstein by taking your time and putting everything on its place, that was a great lecture for Archbishop Tutu, I hope he will be more considerated and kind with the State of Yisrael and the Jews people. May G-d bless you Rabbi Warren Goldstein.
It is God's Land He Decides who gets it!!
Genesis 12 Clearly states, God Him self commanded Abraham to move to Canaan. It is a ultimate ownership of the land of Canaan to the nation of Israel. It is by Gods decree! so, no matter what all the most wise rulers of this age, might say, belief, think,or preach. The final word was already given, a decree by the most High judge. All people who study bible know that when God speaks it will happen no matter what.
I would be very curious to see what, if any, answer the Chief Rabbi received!
South Africa's leaders join with all the nations who are against Israel!! They are so blind because they don't know their bibles and therefore God's covenant with Israel. Shame!!
In my humble opinion, the rabbi's plea for Archbishop Tutu to see the Jewish (Israel) / Arab (Palestinian) conflict as a one that is much more complex than race and has existed before South Africa was even on the map is a wasted effort. Remember, Archbishop Tutu had embraced Arafat as a real hero. When he recognized that terrorist as an honorable man I knew he was not even handed and I lost all respect for him.
My dad always said, "There is no fool, like an old fool" Tutu and Carter and a number of others like them prove the truth of the statement. I was also struck by an incident when my son was a litttle boy in Brooklyn. Daily on the school bus (provided through 2nd grade) the children always teased unmercifully a child they called "Fat Paul." My son stood up to the bullies for him day in and day out. There came a day when the bullies decided to bully my son. What do you think "Fat Paul" did when this happened? Did you guess right? He joined the bullies against my son. This is story that fits Tutu, and many of the other Western traitors. I don't know why, but my son remained unchanged. Thirty some years later he remains the same. Wouldn't you think these self-proclaimed religious people could live up to the same standard as a 7 year old?.
I think I have a perspective worth sharing. I live in Canada and am half Mohawk Indian and Half Jewish (mother's side). Some of you were talking about apartheid type policies, we can talk about the reservation system in Canada and the USA --keeping all the desirable lands for non-Natives and hiding us away in remote wastelands. People of every country come to Canada and profit from our missery. The whole world knows this has been going on for hundreds of years. When Europeans first started coming here 500 years ago, we had no concept of ownership of Mother Earth. We are her children and all of us have equal right to the land and resources. But greedy people see things differently; they cheat and lie and then say they possess the earht we all walk on! We have the privelidge of walking on Mother Earth and we have the responsibility to treat each other as children of the same mother. The rest of the politics and finger pointing and rights claiming don't matter if we could think this way. BTW, the third most populous people group in Ottawa, Canada is Arab--fine people, we all get along well here--why can't that happen elsewhere? People's agendas and thirst for power cause too much suffering.
I do not dispute that the Torah bequeaths Israel to the Jews. I do not dispute the fact that Israel is the ancient homeland of the Jews. What I do dispute is the Rabbi's inability to see that in Israel--while the law may not discriminate, the Culture does. Much like the effect of Jim Crow laws in the US--which were primarily cultural, although the anti-misegnation laws were statutory, there is in Israel discrimination against Arabs--whether they are Chritian or Muslim. So there is a form of Apartheid in Israel--and wishing it away will not make it less oppressive or onerous. What is occuring in the Middle East is horrid--for Jews and for Palestinians. But as a Jew, I cannot accept the tactics of a government which oppresses countless innocent Arabs. The bombing, the bulldozing the blockades and the dehumanization of a group of people has not worked. There needs to be another way. Perhaps Israel needs to take the moral high road--if for no other reason than to save its soul. At the very least, dissent regarding Israeli govenment policies should be encouraged and not the cause of vitriol and specious attacks on the dissenters. Where there is no discussion there is no justice--justice which incorporates compassion.
This is a great letter, but I hope a copy was sent to Archbishop Tutu and others. If this just appears on Jewish web sites or periodicals, then you are just preaching to the choir.
A brutally honest indictment of your fellow cleric's libel. There are many eloquent opponents of the myth and propaganda incessantly spewed forth by "respectable journalists" dedicated to our destruction/salvation. Likewise, the comments, even from anonymous writers, are honorable, particularly within the context of today's world of cyber filth. Robert Epstein's worthy post calls for a "response" from Tutu. Sadly, there will NEVER be a substantive response to the irrefutable truth contained in Rav Goldstein's brilliantly concise demolition of Tutu's libels. Our "stubborn refusal" to acknowledge the false/failed messiah for 2000 years has been a justification for crusades, exiles, inquisitions, blood libels, pogroms, etc. What they all have, is the "knowledge" that we stubbornly refuse to acknowledge their "truth". For them, are arguments are irrelevant when we don't have their spirit.
In comparing the Security Fence to an Apartheid measure, he is unconsciously admiting that the West Bank is legitimately Israel's even though she has waived her right to it - Apartheid being an internal matter in a state. However, like many another denier of truth he contradicts himself without being aware of it.
I would add a few points. 1. Oppression in Arab Countries Today Jews face continue discrimination in Moslem countries. Iran where many Jews had a home for centuries hosts a conference calling the Holocaust a fraud and Jews live in fear in countries like Iraq, and Yemen where they had lived for centuries. 2. Historic Oppression Jews did not just decide to create a country. Called the wondering people, following the birth of Christ, they endured 2000 years of ghettos, laws limiting occupation, pogroms, expulsions, forced conversions, and a partially successful attempt to eliminate the entire race called the holocaust. Historically they faced persecution with the tract by Martin Luther, The Jews and Their Lies but one example. 3. Worship Today there are over 100 countries where Christians and Moslems may worship their religions without fear of persecution. Why shouldn't there be one where Jews may likewise practice. When the holocaust occured, many Jews sought to flee, but "none is too many" was the response of some countries. Now by constitutional mandate, Jews have at least one country where they can emigrate and practice their religion. Why with all the many countries, with all the land they have, do Moslem leaders insist on staking their claim in Israel. Why is 19 Moslem countries in the Middle East too few, and one Jewish country too many?
I agree fully with number 18, Anonymous comments. I agree Archbishop Tutu is a hypocrite. He should clean-up his backyard & stand for equality, not reverse apartheid, or whatever it is called in ANC parlance.
Who cares what Tutu thinks, says or does?
He is nothing to us. He will never understand the truth. Don't waste your breath on him.
This is the man who saw check points in Israel and associated them with his experience in South Africa. Somehow I do not think that he was in possession of a rocket and wanting to blow up the governing whites at those checkpoints in South Africa. Experience tells people in Israel otherwise and yet israel treats all in a lawful manner. Tutu is also the one who made a speech at a museum in israel and he said that Jews should forgive those who committed the Holocaust atrocities. And here is the best part of what Tutu said right after that: He said that we should learn a lesson and not make others suffer. Now, how can you have such a juxtaposition? Forgiveness for the Holocaust? It is impossible to do that. Who would dare do that? I am sorry Archbishop Tutu but only those murdered, along with their relatives can forgive and to that you have to then add all the Jews starting with Abraham and they must forgive. That is the only way that forgiveness is possible because the murderous act(s) was performed on individuals and on the Body called Israel. As such it includes the past, present and future. As such this forgiveness can only take place in a time that is out of time. Therefore only when we are united can this be possible. Archbishop Tutu, maybe you can convince your new Muslim friends that Israel's constant tries at peace should be met with 0 rockets. Archbishop Tutu, are you sure that Jews are not the ones who you should be trying to protect? You did say that you read the Bible on a daily basis. Which Bible do you read then?
This heretic so called Archbishop enjoys the support of all back-slidden western capitals and their powerful ant-Semitic, anti-Christ media. They have been using him ever since the days of aparthied as a double agent, as he continued to decieve fellow Africans and ultimately helped isolate Mandela and sweet-talked him into signing away their revolution. This man does not consider what the word of God says at all. He hates his neighbours to the point of wishing them invaded by his greed powerful west masters. He hates Israel and is a friend of her terrorist neighbours, yet God is very very clear on his judgement conserning those who hated Israel. This foolish clown has no regard even for leaders of his own country except for the one he helped tame. Tutu long sold his heart and soul to his western gods and is simply preaching what they want to hear him spread. A western (invention) icon hated by all God fearing people, who love Israel.
The clergy should spread words of peace amongst nations not hate and derision. Mr Tutu has no idea what he is talking about-apartheid belonged to S Afrca alone-let Desmond Tutu investigate the tension between Christian Arabs and Muslim Arabs in Israel before condemning theJews. What Rabbi Goldstein did not point out is that the PLO was formed long before the "67 war-their mandate was formulated long before the term"occupied territories"
I agree with every word the Rabbi said.
Seriously? A Rabbi from South Africa is trying to inform Archbishop Tutu? Now I have TRULY seen it all!
Rabbi Goldstein's letter is clear and to the point. But are we going to get an official response from archbishop Tutu? As expressed by others who commented on the letter, things are not going so well in South Africa, and it would appear that the age old habbit of using the Jews as a scapegoat is rearing its head again, and this time by an archbishop. I pray that the archbishop will re-read his Bible and ponder on its historical contents and read the history of modern Israel, putting any misconceptions and prejudice aside, then respond to rabbi Golstein.
He is not a particularly orthodox Christian and has obtained his reputation by using his office for political purposes. Who does he represent? His title may be grandiose but in numerical terms does he even represent his own denomination?
So why does the archbishop believe the Arab/Muslim propaganda?
Maybe Archbishop Tutu should consider using his spiritual power to clean up the mess in South Africa. Maybe then he should stick his nose elsewhere. Let me start by recommending that Archbishop Tutu should begin by teaching his own people the definition of reverse discrimination. Right now white people are doing everything to leave South Africa because of the discrimination and violence they face on a daily basis. I am also surprised that Archbishop Tutu has nothing to say about the Christian churches and synagogues being guarded because of the threat of damage by the so called freedom loving South Africans with their new found freedom. But, life for the white minority is not the only issue. The majority of South Africa has not seen the promised reforms but rather they have seen corruption. I have not heard about this from Archbishop Tutu. But, then what better way to ensure that focus is taken away from South Africa but by pointing a finger on Israel. Media is too afraid of the word "racial discrimination" which Archbishop Tutu might not have a problem throwing out, but when it comes to Israel it seems that all is fair to BBC, Tutu et al. I challenge Archbishop Tutu to take a test. We shall take a Palestinian and place him where we want in South Africa and he can place a South African and place him anywhere within Israel. Now, I ask Archbishop Tutu which soul he will vouchsafe for? My bet is that the South African in Israel will be quite safe. What do you say Archbishop? I therefore ask that you mind your own business and clean up your own mess at home and stop pretending that you have something to say about someone else's state of affairs. It is called hypocrisy.
I would really like to hear or see the response from this excellent letter. If Archbishop Tutu is sincere and has conviction in his beliefs, whatever they are, he will respond.
Ask Archbishop Tutu to respond.
Each day, this letter should be repeatedly sent to Archbishop Tutu until he responds. As well, let the world know that we wait eagerly for his answer.
I am convinced that Archbishop Tutu is a paeceful man, but I beg to differ with him. I am stating that every thing Israel does is good, but which country does what is good all the time?. When you have been to Israel you will experience that it is a peaceful country because all the nationals are continually persuing peace. As Rabbi Goldstein said, if the Arabs wanted a Palestnian state what were the Jordanians doing all the time they occupied part of Jerusalem/Israel? All their plan is to destroy Israel, which cannot happen, God is in control of all that is happening and He will ensure that His promises come to pass. We need also to be aware that we are serving The Hebrew God and no one else, therefore anyone who wishes to destroy the People of Promise, will actually be fighting against God. Boycotting goods will hurst all of us because if we fail to pray for the peace of Jerusalem we will be doomed. May God help the gentile nations to seek God's will in the wonderful land. It is because they are there, rightly so, that is why we visit and it is in the news every time. It is really the centre of the world. God bless Israel!
No one is as blind as he who chooses not to see! Tutu has been influenced by the ANC and does not care about religion nor morality regarding the Chosen People of HaShem, thus he is a puppet of the ANC and expressing their views. When South Africa faced tough times in the past, Israel was there to support us, now our goverment has turned their backs on Israel. In the Torah its written that if you Bless the Jews, HaShem will bless you, but if you curse the Jews, HaShem will curse you... no wonder South Africa is getting worse every day, how can we ask HaShem's Blessings if our government and Tutu curses HIS people, the Jewish Nation? Tutu, you will one day stand before HaShem and then will be required to answer for your actions and words spoken... AM ISRAEL CHAI!!!
These people, Tutu, Carter, and the host of others who wishes to judge Israel and lay claim to the solution of the chasm of problems preventing peace in our great nation seem in common to carry the underlying need of self-aggrandizement. In their narcissism, they all wish their pseudo-solutions and criticisms to be the feather in their own caps. If ever their are to be solutions (outside of Messiah) they will not be provided by charismatic persons but rather by humble ones, who would shrink from the spotlight. And thus we see another almost unfathomable complexity that is the modern state of Israel.
Don't even bother responding his "newspeak" it sounds like yasar wrote his script.
We have to watch out carfully.
As a former Christian and now Jewish, I urge us all, the Jewish people, to watch out carfully. we live in on hour there it become clear who are our friends and who are not. How much pain have not we as the Jewish people gone through? We should not listen to thosewho not only wish to kill, our body but also out souls.
I am really not worried about this. Most young African Americans don't even know who he is. They are more worried about their own lives, like normal young people everywhere.
THIS BRILLIANT THEOLOGIAN visited Yad Vashem in 1989. What lesson did he learn and then preach? "Our Lord (sic) would say that in the end the positive thing that can come is the spirit of forgiving... saying: God, this happened to us. We pray for those who made it happen, help us to forgive them and help us so that we in our turn will not make others suffer." When the world's ear tunes to the Anglican Church for its imprimatur on proper thought, the result is global moral tone-deafness. Anglicans have long taught that the "cure" for anti-Semitism is the conversion of the Jews. During World War II, archbishop Headlam (rhymes with "bedlam") condemned the Nazi "folly" of Kristallnacht (recalled particularly this time of year). But he couldn't finish a sentence before adding that Jews were the cause of Russian Communist violence and that Jews used Judaism to defame Christianity. The Rambam famously wrote that the spread of Christianity may indeed serve a beneficial world purpose. But with such archbishops, Christianity hardly needs Jewish help to defame their faith. When young writers ask advice from successful authors, they are often told "write what you KNOW". The Reverend Tutu might consider that this specific counsel is also a general piece of sound wisdom.
has tutu responded to the letter?
no question this esteemed religious leader from SA has only ever made anti-israeli sentiment....he is another Jimmy Carter ('the coward')...I wonder if his finances are uncovered you will see he has received funding support from some arab country etc...his behavior needs to change..his comments are outlandishly incorrect..I was just in Israel and the positive way the Israeli Arabs are treated is truly something to behold..their businesses are supported, they get the same education opportunities, health care etc etc..they are not reviled as a rule. No way it is an apartheid state. One of my friends is a surgeon in Haifa...50% of the trainig doctors are Arabs!!! I can guarentee you they get better med. education than any Arab in any Arab country. While Israel protects and respects all religions and protects the religious sites of other religions, the same cannot be said for the way Jewish sites have been treated when in the hands of the Arabs (ie Jordans treatment of Jewish holy sites in Jerusalem pre 1967). Israel is truly an incredible country with incredible people...Tutu needs to open his eyes and shut his mouth...he is a bad person spreading offensive lies .
I am sure Archbishop Tutu is well aware of all that Rabbi Goldstein has told him in this excellent letter. However, his virulent anti-Semitism is much stronger than his religious or moral beliefs as he has demonstrated on many occasions.
I am a Roman Catholic and I completely agree with your assessment of Archbishop Tutu 's sanctions against Israel. Please Archbishop Tutu do not do this to the people and Nation of Israel! They stand alone on Hallowed ground surrounded by nations promoting hatred, killing and terrorism. I would hope you would sanction them. I know I will.
Even though everything this open letter says is true and logical, Tutu will believe what he chooses to believe. I would be very surprised if he reverses his position.
Let us not forget that the Palestinian state already exists and it is Jordan, 80% of its population being Palestinians. West Bank Palestinians would be willing to go to Jordan if the Arabs would allow it.