In the latest of the dozens of open letters flying around the chess world these days, Ms. Nahed Ojjeh has fired one off criticizing the FIDE KO currently underway in Libya. Apart from sponsoring the the NAO Chess Club of Kramnik and Lautier, she is also active behind the scenes in their other activities.
While it's blatantly ridiculous to have the event where the Israelis cannot participate equally, attacking Ghaddafy seemed strange considering Ojjeh's own very colorful past. I'm all for rehab. I also differ in that I can't condemn the players for going to Libya, although I support those who didn't. They aren't to blame for FIDE's crimes nor those of Ghaddafy. Love the sinner, hate the sin and all that. It's hard enough to make a living playing chess without having ponder a moral crisis each time out. It's up to each player. FIDE's members are federations.
Wow, a native Syrian (Nahed Ojjeh) calls Israel, Israel, instead of the "Zionist entity", and insists on equality and recognition for Israeli chess players!
I am feeling giddy.
In addition to Libya's treatment of Israel, by the way, the Libyans should not have qualified just for the outrage of the sham trial with death sentences of Bulgarian nurses for allegedly infecting Libyan children with AIDS. (Link http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=35920)
I'm sure Ojjeh could have effortlessly put up the prize fund to have it in Paris.
What exactly is Nahed Ojjeh's "colorful past"?
Not exactly sure about Mme. O's "colorful past". However, I've read in reliable sources that her father is/was (? not sure if he's passed away) a major Syrian arms dealer, and that said arms dealing is the source of her wealth. My instinct is to "Be afraid. Be very afraid."