Following this week’s announcement that A-list musician Elvis Costello was cancelling his tour of Israel due to that country’s occupation of Palestine, looks like things are soon to get even more interesting: In reaction [to the Costello decision], a music industry insider confirmed that the winds could be shifting. The music executive, who spoke on…
Showing all posts tagged human rights
Dying for the art of reporting in Putin’s lands
Russia in the 21st century has become a largely lawless land, where journalists are especially attacked, harassed and killed for simply do their jobs. We stand in solidarity with them: Mikhail Beketov had been warned, but would not stop writing. About dubious land deals. Crooked loans. Under-the-table hush money. All evidence, he argued in his…
The days when the Jewish state saw a reliable ally and friend with white supremacists in South Africa
An extract (via Mondoweiss) of an amazing new book, The Unspoken Alliance: Israel’s Secret Relationship with Apartheid South Africa. What’s that about Israel “sharing values” with the democratic West? The Israeli–South African relationship was not only about profit and battlefield bravado, however. After Menachem Begin’s Likud Party came to power in 1977, these economic interests…
A true democracy doesn’t hold suspects for weeks without a lawyer
A message I continue making across my current tour in New Zealand (presently in Wellington, after sell-out events in Christchurch and Auckland) is that Israel isn’t a democracy and such untruths must be continually challenged. It was something I discussed with senior members of parliament today. Re-framing the debate. Making the general public understand that…
ABC TV broadcast on internet freedom and anti-censorship
I recently debated in Sydney on the motion that governments shouldn’t censor the internet. ABC TV broadcast the discussion and our team included a robust explanation on the principles of free speech. An edited version of the debate was broadcast tonight on ABC Radio National Big Ideas:
Murdering “terrorists” the Colombo way
We read such stories below and expect little better from the brutes in Sri Lanka. The world responds accordingly. Shock, horror etc. Israel behaves equally aggressively – witness the mass destruction in Gaza – and a myriad of excuses are made. That’s called hypocrisy: Exclusive: a senior Sri Lankan army commander and frontline soldier tell…
Elvis Costello refuses to normalise Israeli occupation
A brave and principled move that will inspire millions: Singer Elvis Costello has pulled out of two gigs in Israel due to concerns over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The musician, who was due to perform later this summer, said: “Having your name added to a concert schedule may be interpreted as a political act.” Costello said…
How much do Canadians love those non-Jewish girls?
Is this political correctness run mad? Or cultural insensitivity? Or just stupidity? The Canadian Jewish Congress says the Toronto Police Service is pushing anti-hate law “to its most absurd level” by listing “non-Jewish Shiksa” as a victim category in its latest hate crime study. The statistical report reveals that officers investigated hate crimes in Toronto…
Removing this man without due and fair process shames Australia
With this decision, Australia once again shows itself to be far outside the parameters of international law, making security assessments based on a system completely lacking transparency. I once spoke at this Sydney Islamic centre last year and found an important space to engage Muslims on issues related to the Middle East and re-defining the…
Germans behind the Nazi terror were often very ordinary
A fascinating new museum has just opened in Berlin documenting the often faceless bureaucrats behind Hitler’s Final Solution. Such almost casual brutality was driven by ideology but also a strong desire to advance one’s career. What’s killing a few Jews between the hours of nine and five? The center also reveals the worst historical legacy…