Richard Calland on Israel-Palestine’s abnormal society

[View in browser]( [Mail & Guardian]( M&G Mornings | Thu 12 Oct   [Ron Derby] Reporting on the Israel-Palestine conflict happening over 8 000 kilometres away for a small, independent newsroom such as the Mail & Guardian, without a host of correspondents in the region, is always going to be difficult. Like most of our readers, we too have to rely on reporting from international publications such as the New York Times, Financial Times and broadcasters Al Jazeera and the BBC. But as far as we are from the conflict, it does hit close to home especially in a country like ours with our apartheid past. To get an understanding, I recommend reading Mail & Guardian columnist Richard Calland on the outbreak of “war” in Israel as its rightwing and war hawk prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called it. Israelis and Palestinians live in an abnormal society – just as apartheid South Africa was. Some might argue that there are pockets in our country that remain stuck in that time. Such a society is one that could explode if social tensions are ignored; again something we’ve experienced in recent times. What we’ve seen in Israel and Gaza over the past week has been tragic. Thousands of innocent people have lost their lives, something we all have to denounce. But as long as there is no resolution to the Israel-Palestine conflict that remedies an unjust and abnormal society, it will always stand on the precipice of yet another explosion that makes peace a very distant prospect and only leads to further despair and desperation. Ron Derby | Editor-in-Chief [@Ronderby]( ADVERTISEMENT [Beware the one-eyed Middle East critic]( The biggest myth of modern Israeli politics has been exposed — the oppression of Palestinians keeps Israel secure [// Read more]( Premium [Load-shedding obscures the understanding of South Africa’s air quality]( Authorities reported that most air quality monitoring stations were frequently offline due to ongoing power blackouts [// Read more]( [Senzo Meyiwa trial: Defence wants time to consult on admissibility of confessions]( According to advocate Sipho Ramosepele, his clients were tortured and coerced into signing pre-written statements [// Read more]( Recommended Reads [uMhlanga Oceans taxi rank dispute rages on]( Santaco has turned down the eThekwini Municipality’s latest plan for a taxi rank in the precinct [// Read more]( Premium [Justice department to challenge R5 million fine in court]( The department missed the deadline for appealing the fine imposed by the Information Regulator for failing to comply with the Popi Act [// Read more]( [‘We need honest answers to Joburg’s water crisis’]( Civic groups have started an online petition for immediate action from Rand Water, Johannesburg Water [// Read more]( Premium [Vuyo Zungula ready to play kingmaker in 2024 elections]( The ATM leader says the party has been growing since playing a pivotal role in holding President Cyril Ramaphosa accountable over the Phala Phala scandal [// Read more]( [Senzo Meyiwa trial: DNA evidence excludes all five accused]( State witness Captain Mmampshedi demurred when asked to comment on Zandile Khumalo’s earlier testimony that the hat belonged to one of the intruders on the day the footballer was killed [// Read more]( [Share]( [Share]( [Tweet]( [Tweet]( [Forward]( [Forward]( This email was sent to {EMAIL} [why did I get this?]( [unsubscribe from this list]( [update subscription preferences]( Mail & Guardian Media LTD · 25 Owl St · Braamfontein · Johannesburg, Gauteng 2001 · South Africa