Mainstream Western coverage of the recent Hamas foray into Israel and its aftermath has been marked by sensationalism, lack of historical context, and superficial moralising. The decision of Hamas to attack Israeli towns and villages can be fairly described as ethically indefensible and strategically senseless. Resistance against oppression is a right and a duty. The Continue reading »
Human Rights
There is a genocide happening on our watch. Can we rally from the brink of despair? I can usually rally myself back from the brink of despair at the state of our world. Not this time. We are in a worrying crisis of monumental moral bankruptcy. There is a genocide about to happen right under Continue reading »
In Australia, in the 25th year of the award of the Sydney Peace Prize, attention has at last been turned to a country, Iran, ruled by fear. The award-winning Iranian born British activist and actress Nazanin Boniadi will receive the 2023 Sydney Peace Prize ‘for drawing attention to human rights violations in Iran, for lending Continue reading »
Terrible violence and massive loss of life in this latest Palestine/Israel conflict is tragic and regrettable, but commentary from western politicians and their media backers is also tragic. The US rush to generate sympathy for Israel, and with scant regard for the traumatised citizens of Gaza, repeats years of thoughtless commentary that depicts the more Continue reading »
“Where is the outrage we saw when Israeli children were killed?” asked a co-founder of IfNotNow. Israel’s retaliatory airstrikes across the Gaza Strip after Hamas’ weekend attack have killed at least 1,100 people in the besieged enclave, including 326 children, the Palestinian Ministry of Health said Wednesday. Gaza-based Hamas launched a major surprise attack against Israel on Continue reading »
Palestinians have long warned that Israel’s blockade and repeated aggressions would eventually lead to an explosion. But few of us in Gaza expected this. More than five days have passed since Hamas broke out of its Gaza cage, launching an unprecedented attack that caught the Israeli army completely off guard. The infiltration of Palestinian militants Continue reading »
The current escalation in bloodshed in Israel and Palestine reflects the fact that peace cannot be built on decades of oppression; it can only be built on justice. The Medical Association for Prevention of War (MAPW) condemns not only the recent attacks, but also the failure – despite concerns expressed by many leaders and governments Continue reading »
In the Jewish legend, the great warrior Samson ends up, as John Milton famously puts it, “eyeless in Gaza.” He is blinded by the Philistines and harnessed to a huge millstone, forced to drag himself around and around in circles, always moving but unable to go anywhere. Eventually, in the most spectacular of suicides, he gets […]
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The International Criminal Court (ICC) faces a test of its credibility in how it monitors and deals with the conduct of Israel as it strikes back against the horrific attacks committed by Hamas. It must send a clear warning that while Israel has a right to defend itself, crimes against humanity and war crimes will Continue reading »
Each day the people are enduring horrifying attacks and flagrant human rights violations by a genocidal, criminal regime. If there is one report on Myanmar that every government in the world should read today, it is the one presented this week to the United Nations Human Rights Council by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Continue reading »