LETTER: Damn Israel but let Russia off lightly

Amnesty International secretary-general Agnès Callamard, who authored the infamous and seditious report labelling Israel an apartheid state, responded to the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 25. There has been no further comment for the past five days, despite repeated violations of international humanitarian law that could constitute war crimes.

While Europe is teetering on the brink of a world and nuclear war, Amnesty International has published a multipage report on Israel yet can only issue a few bland criticisms against Russia, and has yet to criticise or condemn Vladimir Putin as the epitome of evil. 

This was its banal statement: “The Russian troops should immediately stop carrying out indiscriminate attacks in violation of the laws of war. The continuation of the use of ballistic missiles and other inaccurate explosive weapons causing civilian deaths and injuries is inexcusable.”

UN Watch points out that it took the UN Security Council three days to call an emergency session in response to the Russian invasion, while during previous conflicts between Israel and Gaza those emergency council sessions were held within 24 hours.

That Putin used the threat of his nuclear arsenal, something that is unconscionable, must surely warrant strong and condemnatory language from the world’s watchdog body. Has the UN Human Rights Council designated a special agenda or “special rapporteur” for Russian “abuses”, as they have for Israel?  And where is Navi Pillay, conspicuous by her silence now but never at a loss for words when it comes to condemnation of only one other country?  

Where “soft power” in the form of most sporting and cultural organisations has taken bold and positive positions by boycotting Russia, there is a glaring contradiction when individual tennis players, grand prix drivers, footballers get a free ticket to play under a “neutral” banner. What hypocrisy! 

However, for sheer depth of hypocrisy the ANC government’s official stand on the Russian invasion beggars belief. Tony Leon put it most diplomatically in a recent article: “A worthy contender for silver medal status in the verbal Olympics for mendacious statements is our own minister of international relations & cooperation, Naledi Pandor.”

Thankfully for Africa, at least Kenya used convincing and meaningful words in condemning Russia.

Allan Wolman, Tel Aviv, Israel

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