RUTHFULLY YOURS

Dr Alan Mendoza is Executive Director of The Henry Jackson Society
It always amazes me how quickly after the UK Parliament shuts down for the summer recess – as it did this week – both the pace of work in politics and the news headlines change.

After weeks of knife-edge Conservative Brexit drama, Trump visitations and Labour anti-Semitism crises, today’s BBC homepage offered comment on “blood moon” sightings and the longest heatwave in Britain’s history since the infamous summer of 1976. Given the weather, perhaps it is indeed a good thing that the hot air from Westminster is being vented elsewhere for a change. But rather than using the summer as a time of malaise, perhaps our politicians should consider it an opportunity to do something different and more worthwhile.

There are few other periods in our 24/7 society when our leaders get a chance to take a break from the frenetic pace of political life today. They should use it to recharge, but also to think. For there is currently a policy vacuum in the heart of British politics that requires filling urgently.

Ever since the EU referendum of 2016, the political agenda has been filled with but one issue: Brexit. The one attempt our political parties had to refocus attention – the General Election of 2017 – turned out disastrously when the British public returned an unimpressed verdict on their efforts through a hung Parliament. Since then, neither major party – nor any of the minor ones – have come up with a political idea that has really caught the imagination.

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Of all the world’s unstable countries perhaps the most concerning is Pakistan. Not just because of the extent of the religious zealotries that exist there, the power of the clerics or the unstable nature of successive governments. But primarily of course because on top of all this the country is a nuclear power, armed with munitions which many extremist groups in the country would be very glad to have in their immediate control.

It is for this reason more than any other that political events in Pakistan deserve considerable attention from the wider world—and the reason why anybody seeking the highest offices there should be subjected to an unusual degree of inspection.

As of today Imran Khan has claimed victory in this week’s election in the country. Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said that his own party will not contest the results, despite the usual claims and evidence of corruption at the polls. If Imran Khan is to now take control of the country the wider world will have to spend far more attention on him than it has to date.

To date most of the international coverage has focused on Mr Khan’s celebrity and his former fame as a cricketer. Certainly this all helped him to get a platform in his home country—a country where, like most others, celebrity is an enormous advantage in any election. But it is the layers beneath the famous skin that need to be probed deeper.

Throughout his career in recent years Mr Khan has proven himself adept at manoeuvring around the perilous tracks of Pakistan’s domestic politics. But such navigation is hugely compromising. It has included him having meetings with—and appearing on stage with—extremists who should not be on anybody’s invite list. And of course all of this has presented challenges of its own. To what extent have some of Khan’s public appearances and statements been a necessary evil and to what extent are they the product of sincere and indeed fundamental belief? This is not an easy question to answer. But perhaps over the coming years, once he has been in power, we will be able to see the answer for ourselves. It is much to be hoped that Khan has been engaging in necessary politics in recent years. If not, then Pakistan and the wider world are in for a period which will be perilous even by their standards.

http://gatewaynews.co.za/thousands-of-christians-march-to-union-buildings-singing-viva-israel/

Thousands of Christians took to the streets in Pretoria on Wednesday in a solidarity prayer rally for the State of Israel.

Their message to the government was loud and clear: No Israel, no vote.

“Enough is enough. The government has pushed us too far.” These are the words of Masindi Mmbengwa, leader of the Unity Fellowship Church, who expressed his Christian movement’s support for Israel. He said millions of South African Christians were opposed to the government’s continued plans to sever ties with Israel, adding that it was time the government “took notice”.

“We are going to retaliate… this march is the beginning of the real war and we are going to say NO!” he said.

A petition with over 40 500 signatures was handed to a government official at the Union Buildings, calling for the government to cease efforts to sever ties with the State of Israel and to reinstate South Africa’s ambassador to Israel.

Signatories to the petition included members of civil society, political parties, religious institutions, schools and student groups from across South Africa, who declared their support for continued relations between Israel and South Africa.

The event was almost called off following the late-notice and unexpected cancellation of the venue hire by Freedom Park, where the rally was scheduled to take place.

The singing, chanting and toyi-toying crowds made their way slowly to the Union Buildings carrying placards with slogans saying: “No Cutting Ties”, “Send back the SA Ambassador to Israel”, “No to Downgrade” and ”I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you.”

Reverend Kenneth Meshoe, leader of the African Christian Democratic Party, roused the crowds with messages to the ANC, Hamas, the Palestinian Authority (PA), Iran, the people of Israel and fellow South Africans.

He said the ANC had allowed Hamas to inform them and influence them. “This was a mistake. Instead of listening to Hamas, listen to us Christians. We are here representing millions of South Africans and we want the relationship with Israel to be strengthened.”