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Page 1 of 2 The Freedom of Expression Institute is pleased to note that the SABC has responded to its call for clarification on the agreement between the broadcaster and the South African Jewish Board of Deputies. We note with satisfaction the SABC’s assurance that there was no agreement with the SAJBD either on preventing certain commentators on the Middle East from appearing on SABC stations or on what we saw as a danger of pre-broadcasting censorship, with the pro-Israeli lobby being able to determine the form of reporting on the Middle East. Our concern has always
been that the SABC does not violate its licence conditions, the Broadcasting Act and its editorial policies and these were the concerns we raised.
These concerns were prompted by the statement issued by the SAJBD’s National Director, Wendy Kahn (see http://www.supernatural.blogs.com ) wherein she elaborated on what she said were “concrete undertakings” given to her organisation by the SABC in writing. In responding to the SAJBD statement, the FXI was careful not to accuse the SABC of having violated its licence conditions, editorial policies and the Broadcasting Act but to call on the broadcaster to explain and clarify the SAJBD statement and to warn that if the SAJBD claims were correct, then such violations would have occurred. While we welcome the clarification issued by the SABC, we note that its statement raises more questions. Firstly, the timing of the agreement, whatever its terms, seems to have been an attempt by the SABC’s Managing Director of News and Current Affairs, Snuki Zikalala, to remove one party to the complaint against the SABC (and against his blacklisting of commentators) that is to be heard by Icasa. Secondly, the SABC seems to have made a special effort to expose Benjamin Pogrund and Bassem Eid, pro-Israeli commentators recommended by the SAJBD, to its editorial staff. In order to be fair, the SABC needs to ensure that the pro-Palestinian perspective, recommended by the pro-Palestinian lobby in South Africa, is given an equal exposure. Thirdly, if the SABC regards this meeting and agreement with the SAJBD as a necessary process of consultation, then that consultation should be done properly, adequately and fairly and should include the pro-Palestinian lobby as well. Fourthly, we are extremely concerned that the SAJBD believes it can recommend” and “suggest” to the SABC that the public broadcaster should violate its policies and the Broadcasting Act and unapologetically and proudly announces that it made such recommendations. Such violations are the implication of the SAJBD’s suggestions to the SABC that the broadcaster should choose from only a narrow group of “moderate” commentators on the Middle East, effectively commentators that the pro-Israeli lobby is happy with. This is a clear indication that SAJBD is willing to use censorship and blacklisting as a tool to pursue its agenda. Its attitude also brings into question its complaint to Icasa. The complaint, it now appears, had nothing to do with ensuring transparency and accountability of the public broadcaster but had everything to do with simply furthering a pro-Israeli bias. That an organisation within civil society can proudly “recommend” such censorious practices to the public broadcaster is a matter of grave concern. Finally, we take objection to the SABC’s suggestion that the FXI’s statement was based on “a deliberate misrepresentation of the facts”. Our media release was based on the statement issued by the SAJBD and we made it clear that we wanted to hear the SABC’s side of the story. Indeed, if anyone is guilty of misrepresentation of a the facts, it is the SAJBD. Its claims of “concrete undertakings” given to it by the SABC have now been shown to have been neither “concrete” nor “undertakings” but to be an ambiguously phrased attempt to appease sections of the Jewish community which were critical of the withdrawal of its Icasa complaint. Readers have left 25 comments. 1. THE BLACKLISTED DICTATOR
ANTHONY POSNER, Unregistered Wikipedia makes it quite clear that Na'eem Jeenah is essentially an Islamic activist. The question arises whether an " Islamic activist" and spokesperson for The PSC should be director of The FXI . Likewise, would it be fair if someone at SAJBD or SAZF ( South African Zionist Federation) was running The FXI ? Of course it wouldn't ! It is evident that Na'eem Jeenah's various allegiances outside of The FXI are helping to impact on the stance that The FXI is now taking with regard the The SABC / SAJBD.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Na'eem_jeenah
2. THE BLACKLISTED DICTATOR
ANTHONY POSNER, Unregistered Re the above FXI editorial:
It seems that The FXI is blaming The SAJBD and doing its best to absolve The SABC ? The FXI has backed off a bit re its criticisms of The SABC. Die Juden are to blame!
3. THE BLACKLISTED DICTATOR
ANTHONY POSNER, Unregistered I refer to the following from the above FXI editorial: (Die Juden..Die Juden!!)
"This is a clear indication that SAJBD is willing to use censorship and blacklisting as a tool to pursue its agenda. Its attitude also brings into question its complaint to Icasa. The complaint, it now appears, had nothing to do with ensuring transparency and accountability of the public broadcaster but had everything to do with simply furthering a pro-Israeli bias. That an organisation within civil society can proudly “recommend” such censorious practices to the public broadcaster is a matter of grave concern."
4. Mr
Mxolisi Zulu, Unregistered I did not see any "Die Juden.. Die Juden" in the FXI's article. The FXI claims its mandate is to fight against censorship. If any organisation, whether it is the SABC or the SAJBD, promotes censorship then I would like to think that the FXI will take a stand against that organisation. Your "anti-semitic gevaar" tactic is disgusting. You will end up like the boy who cried wolf. When you alert people to genuine anti-semitism, no one will believe you. 5. THE BLACKLISTED DICTATOR
ANTHONY POSNER, Unregistered Mxolisi,
Thanks for your advice..
Are you also suggesting that the FXI is not pursuing an anti-zionist agenda? 6. Mr
Mxolisi Zulu, Unregistered I have been reading the FXI's website for years. I think it pursues a freedom of expression and anti-censorship agenda. I dont think it is an "anti-zionist agenda". 7. THE BLACKLISTED DICTATOR
ANTHONY POSNER, Unregistered Mxolisi,
Na'eem Jeenah, Director of The FXI is also spokesperson for The Palestine Solidarity Committee. Are you seriously suggesting that these two portfolios are compatible? 8. BLACKLISTED DICTATOR
ANTHONY POSNER, Unregistered Mxolisi,
The following is now on the IT"S ALMOST SUPERNATURAL BLOG:
"FXI - A FRONT FOR THE RADICAL PALESTINIAN LOBBY IN SOUTH AFRICA."
Perhaps, you should reconsider your view that The FXI dies not have an "anti-zionist agenda"? Both Jane Duncan and Na'eem Jeenah have made it patently clear that they do.
9. BLACKLISTED DICTATOR
ANTHONY POSNER, Unregistered It is pertinent that nobody, either on this site or The Supernatural blog, has argued that it is legitimate for Na'eem Jeenah to hold multiple portfolios. It is obvious that the case is indefensible. I would imagine that even Jane Duncan (exec director of The FXI ) is unable to support Na'eem Jeenah with regard to this matter. 10. BLACKLISTED DICTATOR
ANTHONY POSNER, Unregistered The PSC in South Africa has based their demonization of Israel on the argument that Israel is an apartheid state.
Benjamin Pogrund, is a fly in The FXI/PSC ointment, since he has serious South African anti-apartheid credentials. Even anti-zionists like Ferial Haffajee, Stephen Friedman, Jane Duncan and Na'eem Jeenah cannot deny that Pogrund's anti- apartheid cv is extremely impressive. More impressive, in fact, than their own!
As a result, Pogrund's assessment that Israel is not an apartheid state is of particular concern to them as it casts a shadow on the merit of their vitriol.
Israel's detractors have, of course, been using the "apartheid" label to undermine Israel's legitimacy and Pogrund has the knowledge, experience and intellectual ability to oppose this propaganda.
The fact that Pogrund is here with Bassem Eid ( Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group) upsets The "FXI/PSC" even more because Eid is not in The Hamas camp.
With regard to the Israeli / Palestinian conflict, The FXI has been systematially doing everything in its power to destroy freedom of expression. The last thing in the world that it wants is for Benjamin Pogrund to be allowed to express his "non PC non PSC" "apartheid"
views on the SABC !
11. BLACKLISTED DICTATOR
ANTHONY POSNER, Unregistered "Pogrund began a career as a journalist in 1958, writing for the Rand
Daily Mail in Johannesburg, where he eventually became deputy-editor.
The Rand Daily Mail was the only newspaper in South Africa at that time
to report on events in black South Africa townships. In the course of
his work he came to know the major players in the Aparthied struggle
and gained the respect and confidence of leaders such as Nelson
Mandela[1]. Pogrund's reporting of police conduct in the Sharpeville
massacre in 1960 was considered a "breakthrough. He was chief author of
a 1965 series on beating and torture of black inmates. During his
career reporting on Apartheid in South Africa he was put on trial
several times, put in prison once, had is passport revoked and was
investigated as a threat to the state by security police"
Pogrund also wrote a biography of The PAC's Robert Sobukwe.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Pogrund 12. BLACKLISTED DICTATOR
ANTHONY POSNER, Unregistered For the record my first comment "Wikipedia..." was published as a letter in The Citizen,
Iqbal Jassat ( Media Review Network) replied as follows:
"Anthony Posner complains about Na'eems Jeenah's association with The FXI.
Posner suspects that Jeenah's profile as an "Islamic activist" is problematic for The SAJBD. What a strange sense of logic!
It's no different from the weak, defeatist approach adopted by Soth Africa's racist past, who constantly clamoured against those seeking to question an ideology of hate.
Many respaected academics, journalists and others were hounded and persecuted
as a consequence of intolerance displayed by apartheid era agents.
Does Posner desire that intolerance of critics of Israeli apartheid results in barring Jeenah's links with the FXI?
If so he certainly cherishes a foolish desire to turn SA's momentous strides back to the tyranny of the past." 13. BLACKLISTED DICTATOR
ANTHONY POSNER, Unregistered I will leave it up to readers of these comments to evaluate the respective merits of my argument and Iqbal Jassat's (Media Review Network) . 14. BLACKLISTED DICTATOR
ANTHONY POSNER, Unregistered I refer to The Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group website to question The FXI's statement that Bassem Eid is a "pro Israeli" commentator:
"The PHRMG derives great strength from the experience of its Executive Director, Bassem Eid. Mr. Eid worked as the senior fieldworker for the Israeli information center in the occupying territories, B'Tselem for seven years. During this time, Mr. Eid earned international recognition for his documentation and publication of a wide range of human rights issues.
Mr. Eid is the co-author of the B'Tselem report on the Palestinian Preventive Security Service, "Neither Law nor Justice," and was involved in research for nearly every B'Tselem publication from 1989 to 1996. In appreciation for his work for B'Tselem and as a journalist, Mr. Eid was awarded the 1992 Emil Grunsweig Human Rights Award by the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI).
Mr. Eid was also awarded the 1996 McGill / InterAmicus Robert S. Litvak Memorial Human Rights Award for his outspoken human rights advocacy. More recently, in 1999, the Gleitsman Foundation's Board of Judges presented Mr. Eid with the International Activist Award, in recognition of "his long effort to bring peace to the Middle East." This award was jointly received with ten other activists, including Mahmoud Abbas; Abu Mazen, Yossi Beilin, Faisal Husseini, Ahmed Qurei; Abu Ala and Uri Savir. 2002 nformazione Senza Frontiere (Information Without Boundaries), granted by an Italian organization for freedom of press in the world in Siena-Italy."
15. BLACKLISTED DICTATOR
ANTHONY POSNER, Unregistered "The Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group (PHRMG) was founded in December 1996 in response to the deteriorating state of democracy and human rights under the newly established Palestinian Authority. The group was founded by a diverse group of well-established Palestinians, including Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) members, newspaper editors, journalists, a union leader, veteran human rights activists and religious leaders. The political composition of its founders is diverse - including members of many Palestinian organizations and institutions - thereby ensuring the non-partisan character of the organization.
The PHRMG documents human rights violations committed against Palestinians in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem, regardless of who is responsible. In effect, the PHRMG has dedicated much of its work to the monitoring of human rights violations committed by the Palestinian Authority. The PHRMG has instituted a number of projects to deal with the ongoing human rights violations. The projects include monitoring unit, freedom of expression and democracy center, settlers watch hotline and legal unit, etc… Our future projects in the coming two years include peace building development, peace building and conflict resolution monitoring, reforms to the Palestinian judicial system, democracy center, public education and out reach unit, etc…
The PHRMG believes that in spite of the ongoing Israeli occupation of the Palestinian Territories and the need to denounce Israeli human rights abuses, such scrutiny is essential in the current process of state building, to ensure that the future Palestinian State will be a truly democratic one. In the long run, the protection of human rights can only strengthen the Palestinian Authority.
Due to the absence and/or poor reliability of traditional democratic mechanisms, the PHRMG's principle strategy since its foundation has been to appeal to Palestinian public opinion and to international opinion in order to bring about positive change in the human rights situation. Violations of Palestinian human rights by both Palestinian and Israeli authorities persist with little accountability and, for the foreseeable future, the PHRMG will maintain and improve upon its traditional human rights monitoring and outreach activities." 16. BLACKLISTED DICTATOR
ANTHONY POSNER, Unregistered In the light of the above two comments,
it is evident that Bassem Eid is not, a "pro Israeli commentator".
The FXI should carefully consider how its extreme partisan agenda is affecting its credibility.
Unfortunately, nobody (other than perhaps The PSC and The Media Review Network) can take The FXI seriously whilst is remains so determined to skew the facts. 17. BLACKLISTED DICTATOR
ANTHONY POSNER, Unregistered The IFEX should be immediately alerted to the fact That The FXI ( Freedom Expression Institute in South Africa) has dubbed Bassem Eid ( Executive Director of The Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring) Group) as a "pro Israeli" commentator. I believe that this statement could seriously damage the human rights and freedom of expression of Palestinians.
As a result I call upon members of The IFEX to immediately issue an action alert with regard to The FXI's attempt to destroy the reputation of Bassem Eid and The PHRMG.
18. BLACKLISTED DICTATOR
ANTHONY POSNER, Unregistered The logic of the attached VOC report (and The FXI obviously subscribes to it) is that Bassem Eid and Pogrund are spokesmen for "apartheid" Israel. They must therefore be stopped from putting forward the "Zionist / apartheid" viewpoint.
It seems that only those who believe in Israel's destruction should be allowed on The SABC. This is "freedom of expression" as far as The FXI is concerned.
According to this logic there can be no debate on The SABC re whether Israel is actually "apartheid".
One would have to conclude that The Hamas viewpoint is the only one that The SABC should be allowed to broadcast.
I wonder, however, whether Hamas should also be allowed to broadcast it's anti-semitic charter on The SABC? Or would Jane Duncan (exec director of FXI) think that would be a step too far? Perhaps The FXI can now clarify its position on whether Hamas's anti-semitic charter should be broadcast on The SABC?
VOICE OF THE CAPE
"According to the PSG and PSC, during the Apartheid era the SABC was partial to the Israeli state and to Zionism. “As South Africans who fought for a democratic dispensation in South Africa, we expect that our public broadcaster will stop putting forward the Zionist viewpoint and will end the broadcaster’s bias in favour of the illegal Israeli occupation. Did the world’s media insist on ‘balance’ whenever they interviewed a member of South Africa’s liberation movements? Did they also insist on the presence of a spokesperson on behalf of Apartheid South Africa?
The public broadcaster in a society that has just overcome legislated racism and is struggling to throw off the shackles of centuries of dispossession and of poverty must be on the side of those who are victims of racism, colonialism and apartheid and cannot pretend to want to be balanced. When faced with the reality of an oppressive apartheid regime with vast resources for propaganda, the SABC must give the stronger voice to the oppressed and subjugated,” the joint statement signed by Mercia Andrews, Makoma Lekalakala and Salim Vally concluded." VOC
19. BLACKLISTED DICTATOR
ANTHONY POSNER, Unregistered http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas
Antisemitism is a recurring theme in the Hamas Covenant.[65] Hamas' critics argue that Hamas is "full of hatred towards the Jews."[66] Critics also state Hamas is primarily anti-Zionist, but perceives Judaism as wholly embracing Zionism, and therefore has often failed to distinguish between the two.[67]
The Covenant cites The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, the propagandist book falsely attributed to Jews, stating it embodies a "Zionist plan" for "limitless" territorial expansion:
Today it is Palestine, tomorrow it will be one country or another. The Zionist plan is limitless. After Palestine, the Zionists aspire to expand from the Nile to the Euphrates. When they will have digested the region they overtook, they will aspire to further expansion, and so on. Their plan is embodied in the "Protocols of the Elders of Zion"
Other examples in the Hamas Covenant include:
Introduction: Our struggle against the Jews is very great and very serious. It needs all sincere efforts. It is a step that inevitably should be followed by other steps. The Movement is but one squadron that should be supported by more and more squadrons from this vast Arab and Islamic world, until the enemy is vanquished and God's victory is realised.
Article 7: ... the Islamic Resistance Movement aspires to the realisation of God's promise, no matter how long that should take. The Prophet, God bless him and grant him salvation, has said: "The Day of Judgment will not come about until Muslims fight the Jews, when the Jew will hide behind stones and trees. The stones and trees will say O Muslims, O slaves of God, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him. Only the Gharqad tree would not do that because it is one of the trees of the Jews."
Article 28: ... when the Jews conquered the Holy City in 1967, they stood on the threshold of the Aqsa Mosque and proclaimed that "Mohammed is dead, and his descendants are all women." Israel, Judaism and Jews challenge Islam and the Moslem people. "May the cowards never sleep." 20. BLACKLISTED DICTATOR
ANTHONY POSNER, Unregistered The following, from The Voice of The Cape, is the view of The PSC. It is also, inevitably the view of The FXI as Na'eem Jeenah is PSC spokesperson:
"The PSC stated that SAJBD was not a “moderate” or religious organisation representing all South African Jews. “It has extremist views on Israel, the Middle East and the role of the Bush regime in the region and ignores international law. The SAJBD continues promoting occupation and war crimes including the murder of civilians. It has also sought to suppress many South African Jews who are critical of Apartheid Israel. Its attempt to secure this ‘deal’ with the SABC once again shows that far from being committed to a free press and democracy in South Africa, it seeks, like foreign agents do, short term support for Israel through manipulation, spin and deceit.”
Anthony Posner writes:
So The FXI sees The SAJBD as operating like "foreign agents"!
Mxolisi, I wonder where I have heard that one before? Or is it just another one of my "anti-semitic gevaar" tactics??
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