Intellectual Conservative Politics and Philosophy » Maurice Ostroff

An Open Letter to Justice Arthur Chaskalson and Advocate George Bizos SC

Maurice Ostroff — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 14:40:00 +0000

Can a good man produce a bad report? Judge Richard Goldstone and the Goldstone Report.

Re: Your defence of Judge Richard Goldstone dated January 21, 2010

Kudos for defending Judge Goldstone's personal reputation; in particular against accusations that he collaborated with the apartheid regime. These accusations are not only irrelevant they are grossly wrong as confirmed by [...]

President Obama, Rabin's Legacy and the Words We Use

Maurice Ostroff — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:55:15 +0000

If progress is to be made in negotiations the mantra "end the occupation" must be replaced by the pragmatic term "territorial compromise," as contemplated by Yitzchak Rabin as well as in the careful wording of Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338.

President Obama's video message to the November 8 Rabin Rally in Tel Aviv was truly [...]

Send the Goldstone Report Back To the Drawing Board

Maurice Ostroff — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 10:03:00 +0000

The report of the Goldstone Fact-Finding Mission has serious defects that need to be corrected before it can be treated seriously by the public or the UN Human Rights Commission.

When the UN Human Rights Commission evaluates the report of the Goldstone Fact-finding Mission it can reach only one conclusion. Despite its 575 pages and over 220,000 words, [...]

Facts are Unimportant When They Contradict Our Preconceived Opinions

Maurice Ostroff — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 11:21:08 +0000

Is non-payment of rent grounds for eviction? What if the tenant is a Palestinian living in East Jerusalem?

A Google search for Israel evictions yields 195,000 results, almost all condemning Israel because two families were evicted from homes in Jerusalem's Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood on August 2, implying that this was done by the government solely for political reasons. [...]

Is the UN Fact-finding Mission into Gaza Impartial?

Maurice Ostroff — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 11:30:54 +0000

Here are the facts – you decide.

Israel is being widely criticized for refusing to cooperate with what it calls the "intrinsically flawed" UN fact-finding team led by Judge Richard Goldstone into alleged violations of international law during the recent Gaza war. As many consider Israel's allegation of bias by the Human Rights Council (HRC) to be merely [...]

An Unseemly Rush to Judgment

Maurice Ostroff — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 11:45:31 +0000

Critics of Israel seem to focus only on damaging media reports, while ignoring the wealth of credible evidence of the great lengths to which the Israeli army goes to minimize civilian casualties.

A recent statement by the South African Jewish Board of Deputies, the Zionist Federation and the Chief Rabbi, supporting Israel's military operation in Gaza, provoked a [...]

Can George Mitchell Replicate his Success in Northern Ireland?

Maurice Ostroff — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 12:12:28 +0000

It is evident that in adapting the Irish peace model to the Israel-Palestinian conflict an essential addition to the six Mitchell principles is required, namely an undertaking to replace incitement by messages of mutual understanding.

All who dream of a peaceful solution to the Israel-Arab conflict must wish former US Senator George Mitchell success in his [...]

The Main Obstacle to a Peaceful Solution with Hamas

Maurice Ostroff — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 16:57:13 +0000

President Sarkozy and other intermediaries should focus on the insidious role of incitement in the tragic violence that plagues the Middle East.

In his moving appeal on December 30, for an end to the tragic events in Gaza, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon was among very few opinion makers to recognize and focus on the most critical, but sorely [...]

Academic Freedom and Sloppy Research

Maurice Ostroff — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 12:00:51 +0000

The much discussed articles and latest book by Professors Mearsheimer and Walt, attacking the Israel Lobby, are glaring examples of misleading by omission of vital relevant data.

Of course there is no objection to academics expressing unpopular opinions, but it’s scary to realize that some university students are being taught by mentors who, in their public [...]

“God’s Warriors” Disappoints

Maurice Ostroff — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 11:50:04 +0000

The CNN special omitted from its six hours many experts in the field, leaving serious viewers more confused than before.

At the conclusion of the widely advertised CNN TV series God’s Warriors, dealing with the intersection between religion and politics, Christiane Amanpour said she tried to explain the phenomenon of millions of people who know how to make [...]