“Paradise Now” has been nominated for a best foreign language film Oscar, though Jewish groups are upset. They say Palestine does not yet exist, and therefore the Academy should say the film is from the Palestinian Authority. An Israeli diplomat has said: “Both the Israeli consulate in Los Angeles and several concerned Jewish groups pointed…
Showing all posts in June 2019
In Ze’evi’s footsteps
Amira Hass, Haaretz, February 15: “Someone who apparently had an especially sarcastic sense of humour decided to officially name the Jordan Valley Road, Route 90, the “Gandhi Road.” The reference is not to Mahatma Gandhi, but to Rehavam Ze’evi, who advocated ‘transfer’ – the expulsion of the Palestinians from their land. Perhaps he understood that…
Olivebranch Network is born
In early January, I announced a competition to find a young journalist keen to develop his or her skills and an opportunity to start a website, display their work and develop a unique voice away from the corporate media. I received a number of applications, many of whom could have been worthy winners. However, a…
Testing times ahead
Two polls recently conduced in the US prove great confusion over foreign affairs issues. A corporatised media is partly to blame, as well as a federal government content to conduct a “long war” indefinitely. A USA Today-CNN-Gallop Poll finds that a majority of Americans believe Iran will develop nuclear weapons and use them against the…
A test of democracy
Israel believes all citizens are created equal, except those pesky Palestinians: “The rise of the Hamas to power in the administered territories makes a law prohibiting Palestinian men aged 18 to 35 and Palestinian women aged 18 to 25 from obtaining Israeli citizenship by marrying an Israeli spouse all the more necessary, the state’s representative,…
Leunig’s lot
The following letter has been submitted to the Age newspaper by Colin Anderson, Sydney Director of Deir Yassin Remembered: “I hope all of those who wrote recently in defence of certain Danish cartoonists will speak out against those who have maliciously tried to set up Michael Leunig (Amid the pain, God puts his hand on…
Money down the toilet
There is something sick at the heart of American “democracy”: “The Bush administration spent at least $1.6 billion on public relations and advertising campaigns over 30 months, according to a report released Monday by the Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress. “The report, requested by congressional Democrats, shows that government agencies are relying…
Taking on the rabid
Back in 2002, cartoonist Michael Leunig submitted this cartoon to the Age newspaper but was rejected by then editor Michael Gawenda. I thought the work was provocative, and probably offensive to many Jews, but nonetheless an important perspective on the Israel/Palestine conflict. After all, international law condemns Israel’s brutal occupation. Leunig is currently embroiled in…
Despotism is preferable
The Hamas win in the Palestinian elections is causing the US and Israel to question its “belief” in democracy: “The United States and Israel are discussing ways to destabilize the Palestinian government so that newly elected Hamas officials will fail and elections will be called again, according to Israeli officials and Western diplomats. “The intention…
Familiar shades
Back in mid 2005, Macquarie University law lecturer Andrew Fraser caused outrage when he called for a return of the White Australia policy and labelled blacks an inferior race. After the controversy over the publishing of cartoons allegedly offensive to Muslims, an Iranian newspaper is looking for entries depicting the Jewish Holocaust. A prominent Melbourne…