A letter writer thinks a day of reckoning beckons, another thinks Israel had little choice, but whatever, admire this beautiful winter garden

Go see the stunning winter display

How does your garden grow in winter?

Dull, drab and lifeless? Have your exotic plants on which you spend so much time and money gone to sleep? What harm we do in our beautiful, but sterile gardens.

What a pity that we don’t live in harmony with nature!

I suggest you take a drive to Bishop­towe in Pietermaritzburg and see a gem of a garden hidden in the canefields.

This aloe garden is stunning, breathtaking and out of this world. You’ll wonder at what creative hands owner Femma Hackland has. No care, no water, no pesticides, yet they put on a spectacular display and it’s a magnet for birds, bees and butterflies.

How could anyone who loves nature say our indigenous plants are not beautiful?

Go and see it. You may end up like Hackland and dig up the exotics in your harden and fill it with aloes and other indigenous plants. And see what fame these bush plants have brought Hackland.

The garden is open to the public every weekend in June. | T Markandan Kloof

A day of reckoning is coming

After re-reading Daniel Jonah Goldhagen’s Hitler’s Willing Executioners, followed by my current read, also by him, Worse Than War: Genocide, Elimininationsm And The Ongoing Assault On Humanity, I have a feeling of deep despair and a feeling of deep irreconcilable discomfit. This question simmers within my DNA.

What is a genocide and why is the world silent and reticent about Israeli actions in Gaza, Palestine? What is a genocide?Genocide is an internationally recognised crime defined by the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.

It refers to specific acts “committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group”.These acts include:

Killing members of the group.

Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group.

Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part.

Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group.

Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.

The crucial element in defining genocide is the “intent to destroy.” This means that the perpetrators must have a proven intent to physically destroy a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group, either entirely or in part.Why are world powers not curbing what Israel is doing in Gaza, Palestine?

The situation in Gaza is complex, and there are multiple reasons cited for why world powers have not taken more decisive action to curb Israel’s actions:

Political and Strategic Alliances: The US, the pre-eminent world power, has a long-standing strategic alliance with Israel and provides significant military and financial aid.

This strong diplomatic and political backing often leads the US to use its veto power in the UN Security Council to block resolutions critical of Israel.

Definition of Genocide and Legal Challenges: While many human rights organisations and some UN experts have raised concerns about potential genocide in Gaza and have called for investigations, the legal determination of genocide is extremely difficult and requires proof of “intent to destroy.”

This legal complexity can be a barrier to unified international action.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is currently hearing a case brought by South Africa alleging genocide against Israel, which adds a legal dimension to the ongoing debate.

Veto Power in the UN Security Council: The UN Security Council, responsible for maintaining international peace and security, can authorize interventions or sanctions.

However, its five permanent members (China, France, Russia, the UK, and the United States) hold veto power. As mentioned, the US has frequently used its veto to protect Israel.

Differing Interpretations of International Law and Self-Defense: Israel maintains that its actions in Gaza are in self-defence against Hamas, which it designates as a terrorist organisation.

Different world powers have varying interpretations of the laws of armed conflict and the extent to which Israel’s actions fall within permissible self-­defence, especially concerning civilian casualties and humanitarian access.

Internal Divisions and Political Considerations: Within various countries and international bodies, there are often deep divisions on how to approach the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Domestic political considerations, public opinion, and lobbying efforts can influence a government’s stance.

Fear of Regional Escalation: Some world powers may be hesitant to impose stricter measures on Israel due to concerns that it could further destabilise the already volatile Middle East region and potentially lead to a wider conflict.

Focus on Humanitarian Aid and Diplomacy: While direct intervention to stop the conflict has been limited, many world powers have focused on diplomatic efforts, calls for ceasefires, and increasing humanitarian aid to Gaza. However, the effectiveness of these measures in halting the conflict is a subject of ongoing debate.

It’s important to note that the situation is constantly evolving, with ongoing diplomatic efforts, international legal proceedings, and shifting public and political opinions around the world.

In the end like the Simon Wiesenthal Centre, which hunted down the perpetrators of the European, AKA Nazi, holocaust and held them to account, there will be a internal Palestinian equivalent that will hold all those, including enablers, to a terrible reckoning. | Saber Ahmed Jazbhay Castlehill

Don’t blame Israel, they had little choice

Under international law, Israel includes Gaza, Judea and Samaria.

Israel’s borders were defined in 1920 at San Remo, when a series of mandates were created following the defeat of the Ottoman Empire in World War I. The British Mandate for Palestine was defined as the reconstituted homeland of the Jews.

In 1922, the League of Nations ratified the San Remo accords.

In 1923, Britain severed 78% of the mandate and recognised Transjordan’s independence under the rule of Emir Abdullah.

In 1945, article 80 of the UN charter stated that what was promised the Jews at San Remo, except for Transjordan, could not be over-ridden.

The 1947 UN partition plan (resolution 181) was a recommendation to split the mandate between Jews and Arabs, in violation of article 80. The Zionists agreed, but the Arabs, under the leadership of Nazi War criminal, Haj Amin al-Husseini, (who had by then escaped from French captivity to Beirut) refused and launched a war to ‘drive the Jews into the sea.’ Five Arab armies joined in. They failed. This humiliation became known as the Nakba.

Fighting lasted from 1947 to 1949, ending with an armistice. Jordan and Egypt occupied Judea, Samaria and Gaza. Thirty thousands Jews in these territories were killed or forced out, their synagogues destroyed and their properties turned over to Arab squatters.

Israel recaptured the area in 1967 and offered to make peace but Arab leaders meeting in Khartoum vowed ‘no peace, no negotiations and no recognition of Israel’.The 1995 Oslo accords allowed 100 000 PLO supporters to set up shop in Israel while working on a final peace deal.

At the 2000 Camp David Summit, between Bill Clinton, Ehud Barak and Yasser Arafat, the Arabs were offered everything they asked for, but Arafat baulked and started the second intifada, murdering 1 300 Israelis and wounded thousands more.

Trump’s Peace to Prosperity Plan in 2020, reorganised the map. It gave the Palestinians slightly more land than they occupied in 1967, plus a $50 billion development plan. The Palestinian Authority (PA) rejected the plan, offering no alternative.The Israeli government is fighting terrorism in Gaza and the PA areas. It is standing-up to the Islamist UN and left-wing politicians and NGO’s.

It has opened the door for the Arab League to help the Palestinians make peace among themselves, accept the consequences of the October 7, 2023 attacks on Israeli citizens and accept that Israel is an integral part of the Middle East. | Len Bennett Ottawa, Canada

DAILY NEWS