Latest news with #RenevaFourie
IOL News
5 days ago
- Politics
- IOL News
MKP, Morocco Alliance A Betrayal of the Saharawi Struggle
Sahrawi refugees attend the military parade celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Polisario Front and the outbreak of the armed struggle for the independence of Western Sahara in Aousserd in Tindouf southwest of Algiers, Algeria, May 20, 2023. Image: AFP Reneva Fourie The Umkhonto we Sizwe Party's (MKP) growing relationship with the Kingdom of Morocco, as laid out in the document titled 'A Strategic Partnership for African Unity, Economic Emancipation and Territorial Integrity: Morocco', was recently strengthened during a high-profile visit to Morocco by MKP leader, Jacob Zuma. This deepening alliance raises serious questions about the MKP's ideological commitments and political motivations, especially in light of Morocco's controversial political stance and human rights record. MKP's partnership with a country with deep links to Israel – and one that has been complicit in the ongoing occupation and human rights violations against the Saharawi people – is a marked departure from the party's earlier messaging as a champion of anti-colonialism and African self-determination. Rather than standing in solidarity with the oppressed, MKP now appears to be embracing and legitimising imperialist interests, thereby aligning itself with Western political and economic agendas on the continent. Morocco's relationship with Israel is particularly contentious and is rejected by significant segments of its population. On 10 December 2020, the US government announced a normalisation agreement between Israel and Morocco. By 22 December 2020, the two countries signed a joint statement committing to initiate direct flights to enhance economic collaboration and establish full diplomatic ties. As part of this arrangement, the US agreed to recognise Morocco's annexation of Western Sahara and endorsed Morocco's autonomy proposal as the only framework for negotiations. Among Morocco's acts of complicity in Israel's current genocide in Gaza is allowing an Israeli warship to dock at Tangier for refuelling and resupplying while en route from the US. In openly supporting Morocco's position on Western Sahara, the MKP has abandoned its previous support for the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR). The party's endorsement of Morocco's so-called autonomy proposal, a model widely spurned by the Saharawi people, represents a profound betrayal of Africa's last colony and a reversal of MKP's previously stated values. This change in posture was publicly confirmed by former MKP Secretary-General Floyd Shivambu during a media briefing held on 19 June. Shivambu alleged that following his removal from the party, MKP reversed its pro-Western Sahara position and quietly adopted a pro-Moroccan outlook. More alarmingly, he revealed that this change was transactional. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ He said: 'You can see that statement which is issued in the name of MKP is written by the Moroccan embassy here in South Africa to impose a position on MK on the basis that there would be money exchanges. ' This revelation endorses speculation around the commodification of MKP's foreign policy. A party that earlier claimed to be rooted in progressive, pan-Africanist values now appears to be for sale to the highest bidder. In aligning with Morocco, MKP is turning its back not only on the Saharawi people but also on SA's historical and principled stance in support of decolonisation, justice, and international law. The betrayal is not just political; it is also historical. MKP's formation was controversial from the start, particularly due to its appropriation of the name 'Umkhonto we Sizwe', the military wing established by the ANC and SACP, that had fought bravely against apartheid. In adopting this name, the party sought to draw legitimacy from a liberation movement it does not authentically represent. Now, the MKP is further distorting history by omitting key facts, such as the role of Algeria's National Liberation Front (FLN) – which had resistance bases operating from the Moroccan border – in training Nelson Mandela. By erasing this history, MKP not only misleads the public but also insults the legacy of those who fought for Africa's true liberation. The MKP's foreign policy shift brings it uncomfortably close to the Democratic Alliance (DA), a party long criticised for undermining SA's official positions on international solidarity. Like the DA, MKP now travels abroad to make pronouncements that directly contradict SA's stated policies and undermine the dignity of its people. One of the most disturbing displays of this was the presence of the South African flag next to that of Morocco during an MKP press briefing in the country. The use of national symbols in partisan activities hosted by foreign governments is deeply deceptive. It not only misrepresents the country's position but also compromises its sovereignty and diplomatic integrity. SA's position on Western Sahara has long been consistent with international law. Since 2004, it has officially recognised the SADR and called for a United Nations-backed referendum on independence. The UN classified Western Sahara as a non-self-governing territory as early as 1963. General Assembly resolutions 2072 and 2229 emphasised the need for a self-determination process. In 1975, Spain conferred administrative control of the territory to Morocco and Mauritania, ignoring UN resolutions and the rights of the Saharawi people. This led to the formation of the Polisario Front, a staunch ally of the FLN and ANC. Although Mauritania relinquished its claims in 1979, Morocco has persisted in its occupation, with regular reports of oppression, imprisonment, and abuse of the Saharawi people. MKP's current position places it in direct violation of domestic, continental, and international legal frameworks. The leaders of the MKP are well aware of this legal and historical context, but have chosen to repackage it to justify the newfound leaning towards the ally of the US and Israel. Morocco's strategy of using economic incentives to shift foreign policy in its favour is not new. Since becoming king, Mohammed VI has led a diplomatic offensive that also encompasses Sub-Saharan Africa. The SADR had initially received recognition from 84 UN member states. Some have since either frozen or revoked their recognition. The MKP is among those that have succumbed to Morocco's seduction. By turning its back on the people of the SADR and disregarding SA's official foreign policy, the MKP is also abandoning the very people it claims to represent. This betrayal must be seen for what it is: a dangerous pivot toward political expediency and opportunism, masquerading as a strategic partnership. In doing so, MKP has positioned itself not as a defender of African liberation, but as a willing participant in its erosion. * Dr Reneva Fourie is a policy analyst specialising in governance, development and security. ** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL, Independent Media or The African.
IOL News
14-07-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
SAPS Turmoil: Cyril Ramaphosa Banks On Latest Probe To Pacify A Restless Nation
President Cyril Ramaphosa addressing the nation on Sunday evening. His decision to appoint a judicial commission of inquiry into the turmoil in the SAPS will mean nothing if it does not deliver swift and fearless action, says the writer. Image: GCIS Dr. Reneva Fourie Last Sunday, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi shook the country when he stood before the media and highlighted the existence of criminal syndicates operating inside our law enforcement structures. He demonstrated that optics matter. What followed from the Union Buildings was a response that felt too calm, given the moment's urgency. President Cyril Ramaphosa's address to the nation a week later was measured and careful. He announced the formation of a judicial commission to investigate the infiltration of law enforcement and the wider criminal justice system. He placed Minister Senzo Mchunu on leave. And he promised accountability. For millions of South Africans who live under the rule of fear, violence, and economic desperation every day, this announcement has to become more than just another costly performance of concern. It must be a genuine turning point. It must be the moment where justice stops being a privilege enjoyed by the powerful and starts becoming a lived reality for the poor and vulnerable. Mkhwanazi's revelations were nothing short of devastating. A 'sophisticated criminal syndicate' had allegedly infiltrated the police, prosecutors, and even elements of the judiciary. He further accused the Minister of Police of interfering in sensitive investigations and disbanding the very task teams set up to fight political killings in KwaZulu-Natal. The revelations exposed corruption and the betrayal of our Constitution, as well as the hopes of every South African who still dares to believe in justice. In response, President Ramaphosa announced the formation of a commission of inquiry led by Acting Deputy Chief Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga. The commission will investigate the extent of this corruption and whether senior politicians have benefited financially or politically from the syndicate's operations. It will also look at how state institutions were manipulated to protect criminals and punish whistleblowers. All of this is necessary. But it will mean nothing if it does not deliver swift and fearless action, especially since no clear timeframe was provided. Too often, we have seen commissions gather evidence, compile reports, and then disappear into silence, while the criminals they expose remain free and sometimes even get promoted. South Africans will not tolerate more silence. We will not accept more commissions that soothe the public while the ground beneath us remains unsafe and bloodstained. In many informal settlements, townships, and rural areas, criminality is the daily reality. People are robbed on their way to work, their children are recruited into gangs, and their homes are violated by (mostly) men who know the police won't come. Gender-based violence is rampant, workers are extorted, and community leaders live under threat for speaking out. The rot in law enforcement is not a new phenomenon. It has been growing in the shadows, fertilised by political interference, weak oversight, and a hollowed-out intelligence system. Yet, in the midst of all this, it is essential to acknowledge the tens of thousands of honest and hardworking police officers who continue to serve in these challenging conditions. Some men and women put on their uniforms every day knowing they will face danger without backup and hostility without support. They work long shifts for poor pay and little recognition. Some are killed in the line of duty. Others are silenced when they refuse to look away from wrongdoing. These are the officers who deserve our sympathy and our support. These are the people we must protect when we say we want to clean up the police. Because they, too, have been failed by a system that rewards loyalty to politics over allegiance to justice. The President has put the Minister of Police on leave of absence and will appoint Professor Firoz Cachalia to take over in August. While this sends a signal, it is not enough. Every politician named or implicated in this, or any other, corruption scandal must be removed from public office, immediately investigated, and if necessary, prosecuted without mercy. If a poor person can be arrested for stealing a loaf of bread, then a politician who enables murder, extortion and organised crime must go to prison without hesitation. But cleaning house is not only about punishing individuals. It is about fixing the system that allowed this rot to spread. We cannot discuss police reform without addressing Crime Intelligence. For years, this branch has inadequately prevented, detected, or arrested organised crime, and provided appropriate support to honest officers. It has often been used as a political tool rather than a national safeguard. If we do not start here, if we do not clean intelligence from top to bottom, we will never win this fight. It is also essential that this commission extends beyond Pretoria boardrooms and hears from the people most affected by the crime crisis. Community leaders, whistleblowers, grieving families and residents who have watched their communities fall under criminal control must be called to speak, not as victims but as citizens whose voices matter. The President ended his speech by affirming his commitment to the rule of law and the safety of all South Africans. That is a worthy commitment. But for those of us in the forgotten parts of this country, more than words. We need protection. We need justice. We need change. The implementation of the decisions of this commission may be the last real chance to show that South African democracy still has the capacity and the courage to protect itself from collapse. It cannot become another delay tactic. The files that have allegedly been put on hold must be reopened. Investigations must proceed. Prosecutors must act now. Justice cannot wait for a final report that may arrive too late to be of any consequence. The President must not allow political considerations to override what is right. He must act with courage. Because the people are watching. And because we cannot survive another betrayal. Justice must become the norm, not the exception. It is time to prove that the law still lives in this land. * Dr Reneva Fourie is a policy analyst specialising in governance, development and security. ** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL, Independent Media or The African.
IOL News
14-07-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
SAPS Turmoil: Cyril Ramaphosa Banks On Latest Probe To Pacify A Restless Nation
President Cyril Ramaphosa addressing the nation on Sunday evening. His decision to appoint a judicial commission of inquiry into the turmoil in the SAPS will mean nothing if it does not deliver swift and fearless action, says the writer. Image: GCIS Dr. Reneva Fourie Last Sunday, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi shook the country when he stood before the media and highlighted the existence of criminal syndicates operating inside our law enforcement structures. He demonstrated that optics matter. What followed from the Union Buildings was a response that felt too calm, given the moment's urgency. President Cyril Ramaphosa's address to the nation a week later was measured and careful. He announced the formation of a judicial commission to investigate the infiltration of law enforcement and the wider criminal justice system. He placed Minister Senzo Mchunu on leave. And he promised accountability. For millions of South Africans who live under the rule of fear, violence, and economic desperation every day, this announcement has to become more than just another costly performance of concern. It must be a genuine turning point. It must be the moment where justice stops being a privilege enjoyed by the powerful and starts becoming a lived reality for the poor and vulnerable. Mkhwanazi's revelations were nothing short of devastating. A 'sophisticated criminal syndicate' had allegedly infiltrated the police, prosecutors, and even elements of the judiciary. He further accused the Minister of Police of interfering in sensitive investigations and disbanding the very task teams set up to fight political killings in KwaZulu-Natal. The revelations exposed corruption and the betrayal of our Constitution, as well as the hopes of every South African who still dares to believe in justice. In response, President Ramaphosa announced the formation of a commission of inquiry led by Acting Deputy Chief Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga. The commission will investigate the extent of this corruption and whether senior politicians have benefited financially or politically from the syndicate's operations. It will also look at how state institutions were manipulated to protect criminals and punish whistleblowers. All of this is necessary. But it will mean nothing if it does not deliver swift and fearless action, especially since no clear timeframe was provided. Too often, we have seen commissions gather evidence, compile reports, and then disappear into silence, while the criminals they expose remain free and sometimes even get promoted. South Africans will not tolerate more silence. We will not accept more commissions that soothe the public while the ground beneath us remains unsafe and bloodstained. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ In many informal settlements, townships, and rural areas, criminality is the daily reality. People are robbed on their way to work, their children are recruited into gangs, and their homes are violated by (mostly) men who know the police won't come. Gender-based violence is rampant, workers are extorted, and community leaders live under threat for speaking out. The rot in law enforcement is not a new phenomenon. It has been growing in the shadows, fertilised by political interference, weak oversight, and a hollowed-out intelligence system. Yet, in the midst of all this, it is essential to acknowledge the tens of thousands of honest and hardworking police officers who continue to serve in these challenging conditions. Some men and women put on their uniforms every day knowing they will face danger without backup and hostility without support. They work long shifts for poor pay and little recognition. Some are killed in the line of duty. Others are silenced when they refuse to look away from wrongdoing. These are the officers who deserve our sympathy and our support. These are the people we must protect when we say we want to clean up the police. Because they, too, have been failed by a system that rewards loyalty to politics over allegiance to justice. The President has put the Minister of Police on leave of absence and will appoint Professor Firoz Cachalia to take over in August. While this sends a signal, it is not enough. Every politician named or implicated in this, or any other, corruption scandal must be removed from public office, immediately investigated, and if necessary, prosecuted without mercy. If a poor person can be arrested for stealing a loaf of bread, then a politician who enables murder, extortion and organised crime must go to prison without hesitation. But cleaning house is not only about punishing individuals. It is about fixing the system that allowed this rot to spread. We cannot discuss police reform without addressing Crime Intelligence. For years, this branch has inadequately prevented, detected, or arrested organised crime, and provided appropriate support to honest officers. It has often been used as a political tool rather than a national safeguard. If we do not start here, if we do not clean intelligence from top to bottom, we will never win this fight. It is also essential that this commission extends beyond Pretoria boardrooms and hears from the people most affected by the crime crisis. Community leaders, whistleblowers, grieving families and residents who have watched their communities fall under criminal control must be called to speak, not as victims but as citizens whose voices matter. The President ended his speech by affirming his commitment to the rule of law and the safety of all South Africans. That is a worthy commitment. But for those of us in the forgotten parts of this country, more than words. We need protection. We need justice. We need change. The implementation of the decisions of this commission may be the last real chance to show that South African democracy still has the capacity and the courage to protect itself from collapse. It cannot become another delay tactic. The files that have allegedly been put on hold must be reopened. Investigations must proceed. Prosecutors must act now. Justice cannot wait for a final report that may arrive too late to be of any consequence. The President must not allow political considerations to override what is right. He must act with courage. Because the people are watching. And because we cannot survive another betrayal. Justice must become the norm, not the exception. It is time to prove that the law still lives in this land. * Dr Reneva Fourie is a policy analyst specialising in governance, development and security. ** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL, Independent Media or The African.
IOL News
27-06-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
'Iranian struggle is interwoven with broader geopolitical chessboard'
Iranians chant slogans and wave national flags as they celebrate a ceasefire between Iran and Israel at Enghlab Square in the capital Tehran on June 24, 2025. Image: AFP Reneva Fourie On 13 June, Israel launched an unprovoked attack on Iran. Following a series of missile strikes between the two countries, Trump gave the green light to an unprecedented and illegal bombing campaign targeting Iran's nuclear facilities in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan on 22 June. Iran retaliated, striking American military bases in the region. It did not take Trump long to declare a ceasefire effective 24 June, the sustainability of which remains uncertain. The war should never have happened. The fires of war that raged across West Asia demonstrated a deep failure of global leadership, a significant erosion of international law and the questionable morality of leaders like Donald Trump. Despite positioning himself as a champion of peace, Trump has been fully complicit in the unfounded aggression against Iran. Just as the United States supplied significant armaments, intelligence and political support to enable Israel's ongoing, brutal genocide in Gaza, as well as attacks in the West Bank, Lebanon and Syria, and directly attacked Yemen, it enabled the Israeli bombardment of Iran. Furthermore, the US proceeded to bomb sites crucial to Iran's peaceful nuclear energy programme, which were under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), knowing fully that they were not military installations. They were serving Iran's civilian nuclear energy programme – crucial for medicine, industry, and scientific development. The operation, involving B-2 stealth bombers and Tomahawk cruise missiles, was fuelled by hubris, ambition and a blatant desire to reestablish US dominance through the use of force. As with the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq and the general instability caused in West Asia, Trump and his allies act with impunity, invoking humanitarianism while slaughtering civilians, talking democracy while toppling elected governments, and preaching peace while arming allies. Trump's actions in Iran are symptomatic of a broader trend of the West's total disregard for the very legal structures it once built. They were a declaration that international law would remain subject to the whims of imperialist powers. The IAEA, once viewed as a neutral overseer, failed to condemn the US's bombings. The United Nations (UN) is now functionally impotent, paralysed by US veto power. The International Criminal Court has at last gotten the courage to issue an arrest warrant against Netanyahu. Still, the US has, as a result, imposed sanctions against key ICC staff and refused them entry into the US. This is not merely a lapse of diplomacy but the open collapse of the post-World War II international legal order. Iran's resilience is remarkable. It has endured decades of sanctions, sabotage, and assassinations. Its scientists have been murdered, its diplomatic offices targeted, and its infrastructure crippled. Yet Tehran has not built nuclear weapons. Instead, it has worked to achieve energy independence and scientific advancement. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ The recent attacks on Iran are not about nuclear non-proliferation; they are about control. The grooming of Reza Pahlavi, son of the former Shah, as a potential replacement for the Islamic Republic's leadership signals the regime change intentions. Ultimately, Iran's defence of its sovereignty and territorial integrity triumphed. Undoubtedly, the meeting between the Iranian foreign minister and Putin contributed to Trump's sudden declaration of a ceasefire. Whether Iran will be given a break from the ongoing American-Israeli-European efforts at destabilisation remains to be seen as the terms of the ceasefire agreement are unclear. Vigilance has to be maintained as the Iranian struggle is tightly interwoven with the broader geopolitical chessboard. Iran is not isolated. Its fate is tied to that of Palestine, Lebanon, Syria's former government, Yemen, and even powers like Russia and China. If Iran falls, it will not stop there. It could lead to the eventual destabilisation of Russia through the creation of terrorist corridors from the Middle East into Central Asia and even the provocation of civil war in China via Xinjiang. These plans are openly discussed in think tanks and are likely to be expressed through military policy. The current generation of Western leadership, Trump foremost among them, appear tragically disconnected from the horrors of war. They launch drone strikes from safe rooms, drop bombs from computer consoles, and discuss regime change as if it were a board game. But the human cost is not abstract. It is measured in the bodies of Palestinian children, in the rubble of Iranian cities, and in the famine-stricken streets of Sanaa. Israel's recent battlefield setbacks, which should have prompted a reassessment, have deepened its striving for bloodshed. As the massacre in Palestine continues unabated, the backing by Trump and other Western leaders has rendered even modest diplomacy to bring peace to Palestine and the region at large difficult. As international law burns, the only voices of restraint now emerge from the Global South, countries that remember colonisation, that know the price of conflict, and that understand that today's ally could be tomorrow's victim. The military aggression witnessed in West Asia was never Iran's fight alone. It is the fight of every sovereign nation that believes in dignity, self-determination, and peace. The Global South must break its silence and unite against Western imperialist tyranny. That includes building independent financial systems, revitalising non-aligned movements, and reclaiming the UN.
IOL News
20-06-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Israel, Iran Conflict: Peace is a Fantasy When Faced With a War Machine Addicted to Dominance
Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men inspect the damage at the site of an Iranian missile strike in Bnei Brak, east of Tel Aviv, on June 16, 2025. Iran unleashed a barrage of missile strikes on Israeli cities early on June 16, after Israel struck military targets deep inside Iran, with both sides threatening further devastation. Image: JOHN WESSELS / AFP) Dr. Reneva Fourie Israel has gone completely rogue, making it the greatest threat to world peace. Having all but obliterated Gaza, it is now turning its aggression towards the Islamic Republic of Iran. Iran is defiantly responding with its Iron Dome penetrating Fattah-1 hypersonic missiles. Defiance is a characteristic of most in West Asia. Its people have paid dearly for daring to assert their political independence, safeguard their resources, and give their support to Palestine. The cost has been staggering: millions of lives lost – victims of Western-instigated wars cloaked in the language of human rights, democracy, and counterterrorism. Over the past few months, that same machinery of destruction has intensified its focus on Gaza. Israel, the United States' key proxy in the region, has unleashed devastation on a shocking scale. Tens of thousands of Palestinians have been massacred with impunity. It began when Hamas, the governing party of Gaza and a key component of the Palestinian liberation movement, launched an attack in response to Israel's decades of repression. What followed was not proportional 'defence'. It was genocide. Civilians – mostly women and children – were annihilated or buried under rubble. Survivors were starved and denied clean water. Humanitarian aid was blocked, hospitals were bombed, and neighbourhoods were razed. While the world fixated on hostages taken by Hamas – many of whom were later killed by Israel's indiscriminate bombings – the real humanitarian catastrophe was being ignored. Israel detained thousands, including children, and subjected them to systematic torture and sexual violence as it continued its military rampage, emboldened by unconditional US and European support. International outcry, court rulings by the ICJ, and arrest warrants from the ICC were brushed aside. Nothing could stop the West's killing spree; not law, not diplomacy, not conscience. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ But Israel's aggression extends beyond Gaza and the West Bank. It has steadily eroded Syrian sovereignty, assassinating Iranian advisors who were legally assisting the Syrian government. Together with the US and Turkey, Israel facilitated regime change in Syria, deposing the elected Ba'ath Party in favour of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an extremist outfit with little public legitimacy. Hezbollah, an unwavering defender of Palestine, saw key members of its leadership wiped out and much of southern Lebanon reduced to rubble under Israeli bombs. And then there is Yemen. When Ansar Allah declared solidarity with the Palestinians, their resistance was met with significant military force. The US, unashamedly, used its might to pummel one of the poorest nations in the world. At the heart of Western aggression lies Iran – a country that has shown enormous restraint in the face of years of provocation, assassination, and sabotage. Its military and political leaders have been murdered, not on battlefields, but in targeted killings. Its scientists – brilliant minds working to advance nuclear energy for peaceful medical and industrial purposes – have been gunned down simply for daring to dream of self-sufficiency. A Palestinian man carries a wounded child in Al-Bureij camp in the central Gaza Strip after the area was targeted by an Israeli strike, on June 17, 2025, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. Image: Eyad BABA / AFP Iran's pursuit of nuclear technology is not a prelude to war. It is an assertion of dignity. Its nuclear programme powers homes, fuels hospitals, and propels research in oncology and aerospace fields. Yet that progress has become a threat to the West, not because of its military potential, but because it symbolises independence, ingenuity, and resilience. Washington cannot tolerate a West Asian power that surpasses it in science or dares to challenge its monopoly on influence. It is conveniently ignoring the reality of Iran's nuclear programme, elevating its military capability above civilian use. Ironically, the US, as well as Israel, apartheid South Africa and others, produced significant nuclear military capability during the Cold War era. Although Israel has not confirmed or denied having nuclear weapons, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) reported that Israel possessed 90 nuclear warheads in 2024. However, some analysts suggest a maximum of 300 warheads using the estimated amounts of fissile material. Furthermore, Israel possesses three types of delivery systems for military use of nuclear weapons: F-15 aircraft, ground-based missile installations, and German Dolphin I and II class submarines. While democratic South Africa willingly signed and complied with treaties containing prohibitions on participating in nuclear weapon activities, Israel and the US are escaping accountability. In 2024, it was estimated that the US had 1,770 active nuclear warheads, 1,938 stored as reserves, and 1,336 that were retired and pending dismantlement. It is the US that reneged on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on nuclear programmes with Iran, and it is the US that betrayed the current nuclear negotiation efforts. History is being repeated. The US plays a double game – stalling negotiations while equipping Israel with the intelligence, weapons, and diplomatic cover to strike Iranian assets. Just as the US and allied forces invaded Iraq in 2003 on the pretext of disarming its non-existing weapons of mass destruction, Israel launched an unprovoked missile attack on Iran on 13 June. International law is failing. It has become a selective tool, weaponised against the weak and ignored by the powerful. The principles of sovereignty, justice, and human rights lie in tatters as the US-Israel-Europe axis champions their compulsive fixation on warfare, dominance, and aggression. Reason no longer applies. Appeals to humanity fall on deaf ears. The corpses of children, the wails of mothers, and the ruins of ancient cities are met with silence, or worse, justification. Iran, like many in the Global South, has drawn its conclusions. Civilians died. Hundreds were wounded. Iran responded with precision – as allowed under international law – but was met with more indiscriminate Israeli bombing. Once again, innocent lives are the collateral damage. As the US-Israel-Europe axis enforces the logic of war, Iran has accepted reality. The only way to avoid destruction and the blatant move towards regime change is to resist. Diplomacy is worthless when the other side bargains in bad faith. Peace is a fantasy when faced with a war machine addicted to dominance. Iran has no choice but to mobilise its full military capacity. The fire that was ignited in Ukraine has now expanded to West Asia. A new front has opened, and Iran will not fight it with half-measures. This moment is a wake-up call for the Muslim world and, indeed, for all oppressed countries and for the anti-imperialist peoples of the world. As Ayatollah Khamenei warned, 'The Zionist regime won't bring security for any government.' Those states collaborating with Israel in hopes of American favour are deluding themselves. The West respects no ally; it respects only obedience. You are discarded or destroyed when you cease serving their interests. The solution lies not in appeasement but in self-reliance. The only protection against bullying is economic, military, and cultural strength. Domestic manufacturing must rise. Regional alliances with proven partners must be deepened. Nations that have weathered sanctions, sabotage, and siege understand the value of loyalty. Those are the partnerships worth investing in. The people of West Asia deserve peace. They deserve to preserve their history, teach their children without fear of bombs, and build a future rooted in dignity and sovereignty. But peace cannot come from pleading with aggressors. Sometimes, unfortunately, it must be sought through force. I share a poem written by Gail Van Breda in honour of my son, Sebastian, who died in a motorbike accident in Simonstown on 4 June. I, in turn, dedicate it to the people of West Asia. Let us not crash, too many deaths. How can we breathe, when breath ended for our loved ones. Let us not crash, too many voices gone silent, all at one time Let us not to crash, because how much more can this body take. We have to absorb so much. Let us not crash, because the living must now adjust to this new reality Let us not crash, let us not fall apart, How do we keep all together to grieve, loud or in silence. Let us not crash, where is our hope, what can we hold on to, what would make this time of mourning better, how are we expected to get through this! Let us not crash, maybe join hands, to keep this life together Let us not crash, let us not fall apart Because this life is teaching us how to die. We have been dying. The walking dead. Let us not crash, because we know, this life is not forever Cry, feel, let us not crash Let us find comfort. But I don't know from where, because nothing makes sense. Death, you remind us of the dualism of life. Death and life. In our lived experiences, we cannot even live. Everyone is in a fight for survival. And when death opens its coffin, we die again. We are always dying. Our children, our parents, our loved ones, dying Let us not crash, because how much more must this body, this physical earth life experience take. * Dr Reneva Fourie is a policy analyst specialising in governance, development and security. ** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL, Independent Media or The African.
