SHOCKING STATS OF ISRAEL’S GENOCIDE

South Africa’s lawyers revealed the horror of Israel’s crimes in Gaza with shocking statistics. At the end of yesterday’s hearing in The Hague, barrister Blinne Ni Ghralaigh reeled off the magnitude of atrocities being committed.

Each day 247 Palestinians are being killed by Israel’s bombardment, nearly half of them children, while almost 4,000 homes are being destroyed. She went on to describe the deaths of pregnant women and infants having limbs amputated without anesthetic.

South Africa is making its case, at the International Court of Justice, that Israel’s committing genocide against Palestinians. Tel Aviv and its Washington backers refute the accusations. But South Africa wants the UN court to at least order Israel to halt its brutal massacre.

Surely it can’t refuse after hearing the barbaric scale of death and destruction that’s killed over 23,000 Palestinians?

HAITI 2010 EARTHQUAKE, 14 YEARS ON

On January 12th, 2010, the most destructive earthquake in Haitian history and one of the deadliest in the Americas took place. It caused widespread devastation, killing an estimated 222,550 people, injuring over 300,000 and leaving 1.5-million people homeless. The earthquake also caused widespread infrastructure damage.

Self-serving ‘humanitarian efforts’ in the aftermath played a huge role in the worsening of the tragedy.

Heritage Foundation, a think tank that has previously influenced US government policy, said this in the aftermath: “Amidst the suffering, the crisis in Haiti offers opportunities to the US.

Continued….In addition to providing immediate humanitarian assistance, the US response to the tragic earthquake in Haiti offers opportunities to re-shape Haiti’s long-dysfunctional government and economy as well as to improve the image of the United States in the region.”

Most of the $6.4 billion pledged for reconstruction landed in the pockets of foreign contractors, UN agencies, the US military and international NGOs. In the years after the earthquake, only 3.5% of international aid was allocated to disaster prevention. Privatisation of aid, land grabs and exploitation of labour became the order of the day.

Today, the US is actively agitating for an armed intervention in Haiti - to deal with what it calls a ‘gang problem’ there, and enlisting the help of Kenya to be the ‘Blackface of imperialism.’

Is the US really interested in the well-being of Haitians? Tell us in the comments.

Israel took the stand today, on the second day of hearings, at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the Hague to defend itself against South Africa's arguments. South Africa has accused Israel of genocide against Palestinians. Thus far, Israel's military has killed more than 23,000 Palestinians and has turned northern Gaza into an uninhabitable landscape, driving thousands south.

Tal Becker, legal advisor of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in his opening statement that South Africa put forward a 'distorted factual and picture.' He argued Pretoria's legal team is weaponising the term, 'genocide,' in its quest to 'erase Jewish history' and 'delegitimise' Israel.

Continued….Israel attempted to show South Africa enjoys close relations with H*m*s. It also argued Palestinian casualties in the Gaza Strip are a result of H*m*s embedding its militants within civilian infrastructure. Israel's legal team has asked the court to dismiss South Africa's request for an urgent provision to halt the war, calling it an attempt to deny Tel Aviv its right to self-defense and let H*m*s off the hook.

The ICJ is expected to issue a provisional ruling in a few weeks, while a final ruling may take years.

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SOUTH AFRICAN FM: WORLD AGAINST ISRAEL

South Africa’s foreign minister believes Israel will have a tough time convincing the world its bombardment of Gaza is just about stopping H*m*s. Too many innocent Palestinians have been killed for that argument to stand up, according to Naledi Pandor.

South Africa is laying out its case of genocide by Israel at the International Court of Justice, which is holding a two-day hearing. Yesterday it was told over 23,000 Palestinians have been killed at a rate of 250 a day.

Pandor also hit back at a slur campaign waged against her by Israel’s supporters, telling reporters: ‘Insults are the last refuge scourge of scoundrels.’ Her defiant tone in this clip summing up South Africa’s unwavering drive to stop the carnage.

Continued….Israel dismisses the allegations, saying its bombardment is a justified response to Hamas’ attacks on October 7th. America, which funds, arms and backs Tel Aviv, calls the court case ‘meritless’.

South Africa hopes the ICJ will order Israel to stop its bombardment as a provisional measure, before giving its final judgement.

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ISRAELI DEFENCE FUMBLES
ON DAY 2 OF ICJ PROCEEDINGS

Israel did not have a good day in the Hague. On top of having to defend its military's massacre of more than 23,000 Palestinian civilians, Israel’s British lawyer, Malcolm Shaw, had an embarrassing moment today. While presenting at the podium, he couldn’t find a page. Compare that to the South African legal team's coherence and eloquence during their opening address on 11 January at the Netherlands-based International Court of Justice.

Today marks day 2 of public hearings for South Africa’s case against Israel. It has charged the Zionist state with violating the 1948 Genocide Convention.

As the ancient saying goes, 'Whom the gods would destroy, they first make mad.'

MUSEVENI: FOREIGN ARMIES NOT WELCOME

Can brutal Western-backed African dictators ever say anything of value regarding Africa? Well, regarding foreign bases on the continent, maybe ...

Uganda has zero foreign military bases on its soil, which makes its President, Yoweri Museveni, a proud man. In this recent speech, he says African nations should take responsibility for their security and not rely on outside armies.

In fact, he warns they can make matters worse. And his remarks are backed up by figures. According to one report, before the U.S. went into Niger in 2002, there were less than 30 deaths caused by terrorism. That death toll now stands at over 7,000.

Continued….Overall, America has 29 bases located in 15 African countries (mainly in West Africa) that claim they’re needed to counter terrorism. France has bases in Djibouti, Chad, Senegal, Ivory Coast and Gabon. However, critics suspect their real job is to protect the interests of former colonial powers. And that’s seen French troops booted out of the Sahel following coups in Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso.

Uganda has recently fallen out with the West after being a close ally for decades, so it makes sense why Museveni is talking boldly of late. As the saying goes, better late than never or better still, even a broken clock is right twice a day.

What do you think of his comments?

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GAMBIA'S 2024 AFCON TEAM FLIGHT SCARE

Failed oxygen supply forced the Gambia national football team's Aire Côte d'Ivoire flight to do an emergency landing on 10 January, just 9 minutes after taking off. That, as well as the extreme heat, left players and team staff drenched in sweat. Some reportedly had passed out on board. The team was on its way to the Ivory Coast, where it will play its first game on Monday against neighbouring Senegal at the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations. The experience left a bitter taste in coach Tom Saintfiet’s mouth, who said he was not willing to risk his life to complete the two-and-a-half-hour flight.

The mainstream media including the BBC have been criticised for ignoring the first day of South Africa’s case against Israel at the ICJ for charges of genocide.

Many of the international media organisations only started covering day 2 when it was time for Israel to present their defence.

But social media users are not letting it go unnoticed. Look at this reply to the BBC’s post.

And let us know what you think in the comments.

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FOOTBALL: THE COLONIAL OWN GOAL

Football takes centre stage in Africa, with AFCON kicking off this weekend. But it’s fair to say the sport has been ‘more than just a game’ during the continent’s history. Even though it was introduced by colonial powers, it was quickly used against them to promote unity and Pan-Africanism. And the Confederation of African Football played a major part. We look at how football became a colonial own goal!

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GAZA’S AFRO-PALESTINIAN WONDERKID

Meet Gaza’s 9-year-old Afro-Palestinian journalist, Lama Abu Jamous, who has grabbed the attention of millions of social media users around the world, as she has documented life after more than 2 million Palestinians have been under Israel’s siege and military assault since 7 October.

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WHY SOUTH AFRICA’S GENOCIDE CASE MATTERS

In this clip, former South African MP Andrew Feinstein argues that “never again” applies not just to Jews - but to everyone. And that’s why his country’s action against Israel at the International Court of Justice is so important.

Himself the son of a Holocaust survivor, he argues that if Tel Aviv is found guilty of genocide, it will make it that much harder for the West - and the US in particular - to back the devastating Israeli campaign in Gaza.

He draws parallels between the experiences of Black South Africans under apartheid and those of Palestinians now. The White supremacist regime murdered thousands of Blacks for standing up for their freedoms. Feinstein notes one big difference, though: the regime needed a Black workforce to keep the economy afloat, whereas Israel’s deadly oppression has no such restraint.

All eyes are now on the ICJ. Why do you think the case matters, and what will it change?

video credit @doubledownnews

RIP SEKOU ODINGA

Rest In Power to veteran of the Black liberation struggle in the United States, Sekou Odinga (1944-2024). He was a key founder of both the Bronx chapter and the International Section of the Black Panther Party, which set up an embassy in Algeria. He would also later go on to become an active member of the Republic of New Afrika in the US, declaring “conscious New Afrikan” citizenship, and rejecting American identity.

Odinga is lovingly remembered as one of the heroes involved in freeing his fellow Panther, Assata Shakur, from prison, where she had been unjustly detained and tortured. In 1981 he was captured by the state and hit with nine RICO charges related to the act. He endured 33 years of state captivity, finally regaining freedom in 2014.

Continued….Sekou Odinga faced state torture and survived the notorious FBI Counterintelligence Program (COINTELPRO), emerging as a revered and inspirational figure in liberation struggles worldwide. His narrative serves as a testament to unwavering persistence, profound courage, and unwavering commitment truth and justice.

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