The decision to deploy the Australian Defence Forces to the ‘Middle East’ in the middle of the war in Gaza puts the Albanese Government into the same category as many appalling predecessors. If patriotism is the last refuge of scoundrels, the cynical exploitation of patriotic fervour means that a government has reached the lowest levels Continue reading »
Israel / Palestine
The Australian government must withhold all political support from the Israeli government while the killing of Palestinian civilians and destruction of their infrastructure continue. And yet, what hope? On 25 October when acting Prime Minister Richard Marles was asked on radio whether fuel should be allowed into Gaza to allow hospitals to function; he could Continue reading »
The Hamas raid into Israel on October 7th, and pounding of the Gazan population that has followed, has seen an unholy alliance reunite: not, or not merely, between Washington and its client states resisting UN calls for a ceasefire, but also in the media, between the Murdoch and Jewish press. Those of us who follow Continue reading »
Israel has killed multiple times as many people since October 7 as were killed on October 7, has caused many times more destruction since October 7 than was caused on October 7, and has inflicted many times more pain and suffering since October 7 than was inflicted on October 7. How high does the pile Continue reading »
On 20 October 2023, an Aboriginal teenager died in custody in Perth, Western Australia. Cleveland Dodd, 16-years-old, was found unresponsive in his cell in Casurina maximum security prison security prison. On 21 October 2023, a Palestinian mother, Alaa, and her three children, Eman (6), Faiz (5) and 7-month-old Sara, were killed by an Israeli strike Continue reading »
Prime Minister: You may wish to draw on the following in your meetings with President Biden, Vice-President Harris, Secretary of State Blinken, and Secretary of Defence Austin. Remind the President of your name, and how to pronounce it, and remind him again before the State Dinner. Find out if the US remains committed to AUKUS, Continue reading »
It is long overdue for the United States of America to assume its responsibility, hold Israel accountable and force it to respect international laws and resolutions and recognize the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people. Dear Anthony, On the eve of your meeting with US President Joe Biden, the Australian people you represent and people Continue reading »
Hamas’s appalling attack has exposed an Israeli government with no plan for resolving its country’s greatest challenges. Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has been at war with the Palestinians all his political life. Occasionally he has genuflected towards the notion of Palestinian statehood. That was entirely tactical. Netanyahu’s contempt for the idea that Palestinians might Continue reading »
No attempt to “explain”, rationalise, find some counter-“equivalence” for, nor any attempt to see matters through the eyes and the experiences of the murderers rather than the immediate victims can justify or forgive the barbaric massacre of Israeli children, women and men by Hamas warriors after they broke out of Gaza. It does not forgive Continue reading »
Blame for what has and will unfold in Gaza will be shared with Israel by those States, all acting with presumed impunity, which blindly support Israel’s violations of international humanitarian law. Since 2017, Australia and Israel have expanded cooperation on national security, defence and cyber security. We have a resident Defence Attaché to the Embassy Continue reading »