Observations

All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. All of the crisis situations in the world are matters of morality or conscience, and are populated by people who are good or evil. Many who observe do nothing.

Here are some thoughts for you to ponder at the start of a new week. Several people asked whether I thought that the Hamas and Israel cease-fire would hold. My view is that it will whilst the Hamas government of Gaza finds it expedient. As soon as they no longer believe it to be so they will resume their rocket attacks on the nearby Israeli town of Sedirot and the Southern Negev. They will privately be smirking that their cease-fire came immediately prior to Israel launching its military to suppress the incessant terrorist attacks coming from Gaza. Thus they achieved their objective of goading their powerful neighbor without being demolished by a powerful Israeli response.

There is no justification for undue optimism about the good intentions of Hamas, who still call for the destruction of Israel. Their acceptance of a ceasefire is a prelude to their re-arming and re-organization ready for the next round. Israel was politically forced to show willing in this macabre dance. If they had not been seen to show a willingness to seek a diplomatic solution the world would soon resound to the charge that Israel was war like, unreasonable and belligerent.

Unfortunately there will be a resumption of terrorist attacks by Hamas when they feel the time is right and the cycle of violence will resume. But remember there is a difference between defending yourself against terrorist combatants, which might accidentally lead to some civilian casualties, and Hamas attacking civilians. Let me remind you what Benjamin Netanyahu said, " If the Arabs put down their weapons today, there would be no more violence. If the Jews put down their weapons today, there would be no more Israel ".

A question that is being repeatedly discussed, even in polite circles, is why doesn’t anyone get rid of Robert Mugabe? This is a man with a track record of murder and infamy to his name. In 1982, his troops killed 20,000 members of the Ndebele tribe, their principal crime being opposition to his rule.

Moreover, the turbulence of recent years has amply tested the mettle of the leader of the opposition, and real President of Zimbabwe, MDC leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, who has undergone beatings, death threats and a false treason charge, who remains bloodied but unbowed as a leader and statesman. Tsvangirai withdrew from the election because he believed he had no alternative in light of the total unfairness of the current run off for the election. Prior to which, Thabo Mbeki, the South African president, suggested that Friday's run-off election in Zimbabwe should be halted for talks on a unity government, in which the MDC and Mr. Mugabe would share power. But those of us of with long memories know just how that might end up.

When I asked a very well brought up lady what she meant precisely by getting rid of Mugabe, she smiled demurely and said, “Kill him.” I realized that this was the consensus view when all the people we were with agreed with the lady. I am not usually a fan of political assassination but in this case I have to admit that the killing of Mugabe would be the exact equivalent of someone who might have saved the world tremendous suffering if they had assassinated Adolf Hitler. We would all be better off. The leader of Zimbabwe is evil personified.

One of the icons of the modern age reaches the venerable age of 90 this weekend, Nelson Mandela. This proud African has been given the moral authority of the world because he sought reconciliation after his 26 years incarceration instead of revenge. I would like to hold my personal birthday greetings to this man until he gathers up the strength to publicly condemn Mugabe and tell him to go. Until he and the current leaders of the South African government condemn the despot without equivocation, we have to suspect their motives and beliefs.

Another historic event of significance this week is the 100th anniversary of the Hyde Park march of some 250,000 supporters of the suffragettes. How could any man, child of their mothers, brother to sisters and father to daughters ever have done anything other than support the female of the species? With the benefit of hindsight it seems inconceivable that there was ever a time when women didn’t automatically have equal political rights. But even now, in our current world we still don’t give women equal jobs or pay whether by accident or design. I hope and pray that it won’t be another 10 years before this remaining injustice against our women is finally and irrevocably corrected.