Jan Egeland, former UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, on the world’s greatest problems in 2008: One is still eastern Congo, catastrophically neglected. It was the biggest loss of lives on our watch these last fifteen years: five million people died. Darfur has spread as a conflict and as a catastrophe…
Showing all posts in June 2019
The more Jewish opinions the better
Last year I co-founded Independent Australian Jewish Voices (IAJV) as a forum for alternative Jewish perspectives. The last year has seen a host of campaigns and media coverage. Try here, here and here. Now, two original signatories, Peter Slezak and Eran Asoulin, have started blogging on the site, with more to come. The aim is…
Self-defence or brutal occupation?
The following article, co-written with a colleague, appears in today’s Age newspaper: On the world stage, Israel has been traditionally cast as David in a battle against Goliath. But this is too simplistic, for Israel is not without its sins, write Peter Slezak and Antony Loewenstein. Speaking honestly about Israel and Palestine has always been…
CNN in their sights
After the recent Chinese crackdown in Tibet, CNN has become a target of Chinese rage over its perceived anti-Beijing coverage. Bloggers are equally vitriolic.
Don’t mess with the Zionist lobby
In a freak accident today on the strip of Harvard, Professor Stephen Walt was crushed to death under a Caterpillar tractor. The incident happened in front of the Kennedy Government Center. A school spokesperson said the land was being cleared for new law student settlements. The Dozer operater, A. Dershowitz, was on loan to The…
Saluting a humanitarian Jew
The humanity of Jewish musician Daniel Barenboim continues to reverberate around the world: Controversial conductor to lead orchestra of Israeli, Palestinian youths in concert ‘against ignorance’ in Jerusalem, says he will not partake in upcoming festivities marking Israel’s independence out of respect for Palestinian suffering Israeli conductor Daniel Barenboim will lead an orchestra of 33…
How occupation has corrupted Israel’s soul
My following book review appears in today’s edition of Sydney’s Sun-Herald newspaper: Israel and the Clash of Civilisations Jonathan Cook (Pluto Press, $42.95) The September 11 attacks on New York and Washington caused the Western media and political elite to seriously examine their behaviour in the Middle East. Most concluded that maintaining client states was…
Canadian Jews raise their voices
While Israel’s Supreme Court endorses the country’s implementation of apartheid roads the Palestinians are unable to use, Jews around the world are starting to stand up and publicly challenge the state’s illegality. Such as Canada: More than 100 Jewish activists from across Canada will gather March 28-30th in Toronto at a conference to form a…