The question of a freed slave

N. Simon

I'm just amazed this man's story hasn't made it to any of the mainstream newspapers.

It would go against the MSMs pro-Islam agenda if it were to happen.

How sad in this day and age, that only these blogs tell the truth, and kudos to our Mel for making this possible.

Thom

Genesis 12:3 - "I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." One hopes the Bishop understands this now, in his gravely ill state. No religious creed, no adherence, however zealous, can stop God from keeping his promises.

Stuart

Incredible! Amazing! Brave! Even Carter after his book "Peace Not Apartheid" has stated that he did not call Israel an Apartheid State. Palestinian proposed State IS! Can a Muslim/Arab live in Israel? Yes! Can a Jew live in a Palestinian State? No! Doesn't Tutu acknowledge the fate of Palestinian Christians? Only four weeks to go to the annual Bethlehem jibe at Israel.

Alcuin

Mr Deng should copy his letter to Dr Rowan Williams, who seems to have a similar moral blind spot. And a copy to BBC News would not go amiss, particularly Alan Johnston and Jeremy Bowen.

Geoff Miller

Keep up the good work and say it like it is. Sadly the liberal inhabitants of La-La land have their fingers resolutely stuck in their ears.

Mickmac

When Jews can freely and safely travel anywhere in the Muslim world then and only then should Israel be attacked for it's walls,fences and checkpoints.

BJ

Can anyone identify what Desmond Tutu has ever said on the subject of Israel/Palestine which could possibly justify Melanie Phillips saying he has "rabid prejudice" or "appalling prejudice against Israel which frankly is an incitement to hatred"? Indeed did he even say that Israel was an apartheid state? I have just looked at some of his interviews in 2002, he says some of his experiences in travelling around the "Holy Land" reminded him of apartheid South Africa, and here he is clearly referring to the situation in the occupied territories . He also reports the distress (surely not unreasonable) of Palestinians at losing their land to Israeli settlers. His conclusions are balanced and sensible. For example, "The Archbishop said while he condemned suicide bombings by Palestinian militants against Israel, Israeli military action would not bring security to the Jewish State" (and five years later it hasn't). and listen to this example of incitement to hatred "Israel must strive for peace based on justice, based on withdrawal from all the occupied territories and the establishment of a viable Palestinian State on those territories side by side with Israel both with secure borders". "Black Nazi Pig" was apparently daubed on the walls of St George's Cathedral in Jerusalem when he visited. An example of rabid prejudice if ever there was one!

Ahmad Hamdan

"(The Palestinians) would be crushed like grasshoppers ... heads smashed against the boulders and walls." -- Isreali Prime Minister (at the time) Yitzhak Shamir in a speech to Jewish settlers New York Times April 1, 1988 "We must expel Arabs and take their places." -- David Ben Gurion, 1937, Ben Gurion and the Palestine Arabs, Oxford University Press, 1985. "[The Palestinians] are beasts walking on two legs." -- Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin, speech to the Knesset, quoted in Amnon Kapeliouk, "Begin and the 'Beasts,"' New Statesman, June 25, 1982. Aren't these the great leaders of Israel, those who have created this state? Those who are heros for israleis and jews?Can you say that this is not racism? And, please, you claim being part of the civilized world, and of democracy, so please, I am begging you, publish this one...

J.Isaacs

Excellent article. Ahmad Hamdan is using the scatter-gun approach across decades and clearly out of context. At the same time he takes the trouble to refer to Israelis and Jews with small initials. Could this be demonisation writ small?

Ahmad Hamdan

J. ISAACS, I am sorry for using small initials, but it is the habbit, and I apologize if I hurt you... Being out of context, may be, but may be not.. You accuse Muslims of being racist against Israelis and Jews, and that they are full of hatred towards Jews. Aren't these are the words of the leaders that Jews and Israelis consider as heros? Aren't these words were said during the establishment and for the maintenance of Israel? If you are speaking about hatred against Jews by Arabs and Muslims, then this IS hatred against Arab and Muslims by Jews. So, there is no party who have the absolute truth, or who is right all the time. Both commit errors, both are human beings, and both should make compromises to be able to live as real neighbors, and be able to think about the future. But for this to happen, Both should consider the other party as equal, and stop to think that one party is above the other. Hatred against Israel DOES exist, no body can deny this, and I am one of those who try to work on this problem within my society. But hatred against Muslims ALSO EXIST, and once you try to work on this, problems will get easier to be solved.

Stuart

It is wonderful to have the opportunity to "crush" the quotes used by Ahmad Hamdan. They are popular in Arab and Islamist circles, but not contextualised and not true. "crushed like grasshoppers" said Shamir in April 1998 to describe what action the police would take against Palestinian rioters. NOT concerning The Palestinians in total. The quote was a mis-quote. (Source Wikipedia):- "We do not wish and do not need to expel Arabs and take their places. (said Ben Gurion in a) Letter to his son Amos (5 October 1937), as quoted in Fabricating Israeli History: The 'New Historians (2000) by Efraim Karsh This was extensively quoted as "[We] must expel Arabs and take their places" after appearing in this form in The Birth of the Palestinian Refugee Problem, 1947-1949 (1987) by Benny Morris, p. 25. "are beasts walking on two legs" is a selective quote from what Begin said in the Knesset. He was referring to attacks on Israel children by Palestinian Terrorists in which he said:- "No more. We will defend our children. If the hand of any two-footed animal is raised against them, that hand will be cut off, and our children will grow up in joy in the homes of their parents." He NEVER said "beasts walking on two legs". It was distorted. Now that you realise you have been quoting myth as fact I hope you will have the grace to correct yourself in the future.

J. Isaacs

I have made no accusations against Muslims, but merely asked whether Ahmad Hamdan's use of English demonises Israelis and Jews. He admits using small initials is "the habbit" as is, presumably, using a capital "P" for Palestinians. This is, despite his apology to me alone, the very opposite emblem to that of the equality he seeks. For someone "trying to work on the problem" of the hatred of Jews in his "society" (an impression not received from his earlier post), possibly he should start work on "the habbit" nearer home than this blog. However, as the English proverb goes - old habits die hard.

Ahmad Hamdan

But what about Palestinian children killed by F-16 and Apatchis. What will be done for the hand of any two-footed animal which is raised against them? Will that that hand be cut off, so that these children would grow up in joy in the homes of their parents?

Ahmad Hamdan

And by the way, selective quotes are always used when referring to Muslims and their religion. So if you don't accept selective quotes about what is yours, try to learn to stop using them about what concerns other people. You should try to respect others if you want to be respected, you can't force me to respect you and love you, if you hate me and think that you are superior.

Anthony Posner

Ahmad Hamdan,
You write about love and respect...
Do you think that Jews should be allowed to build synagogues in Saudi Arabia?

Ahmad Hamdan

Anthony Posner, Saudi Arabia is sacred for Muslims, just as Vatican for Christians. Why you ask for synagogues to be built in Saudi Arabia, and you have no problems with The Vatican? Also, is the major problem about synagogues in Saudi Arabia? Or is it the problem of acceptance and mutual respect? Will the construction of synagogues in Saudi Arabia resolve the problem, the whole conflict? Or will it be the establishment and the garantee of security as well as the establishment of Palestine as a real country, and the banishing of arms of mass destruction from the whole region, and I mean the WHOLE region, aithout any exception? We have much more in common than we believe (I mean Muslims and Jews). But our real problem is that each of us thinks that he only is right, and he only has the right, and that he is the only and ultimate victims. We should try to work on what is common between us, and try to build mutual respect and acceptance, to be able to live side by side in that region.

BJ

Can anyone enlighten me about what Desmond Tutu has said which justifies Melanie's description of his "rabid prejudice" against Israel which is "an incitement to hatred" ?

Mailman

Ahmad,

Firstly, comparing the vatican (a city) to Saudi Arabia (a country) shows your ignorance on the matter. A better comparison would have been to compare Italy and Saudi Arabia (both countries)...and just so you know, [said in a whispered tone] there are mosques in Italy.

Please point out if the same "curtesy" is given to Jews in Saudi Arabia?

Mailman