While most Israeli Jews are sleep-walking through their lives, mostly oblivious to Palestinians and the occupation, there are notable exceptions. The invaluable Israeli blog Promised Land gives the story. If only there were more Israelis like this: Poet Klil Zisapel was one of twelve Israeli women that took a group of Palestinian women and children…
The Greens must push Labor to question Israel
Don’t worry Zionists, neither major political party has any intention of questioning anything Israel ever does because Israel is a state that clearly needs only blind backing: The Labor Party has insisted its official agreement with The Greens is unlikely to have an impact on its support for Israel.
Obama and Bush should dine together and share ideas about torture
The similarity between Barack Obama and George W. Bush in their prosecution of the “war on terror” is increasingly clear. Just in case it isn’t obvious how deep this illegality goes, here’s Michael Hayden, Mr. Bush’s last CIA director, talking to the Washington Times: You’ve got state secrets, targeted killings, indefinite detention, renditions, the opposition…
Fisk tackles honour killings and spares no details
I finally read last night Robert Fisk’s devastating essay on honour killings around the world. It’s moving and shocking, crosses borders and religions and remains a largely ignored issue. His latest, on the situation in Egypt, continues the investigation. Journalism at its finest.
Fidel visits a dolphin show and reflects on his legacy
Credit where it’s due. The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg may have spread propaganda about Saddam, Iran and Israel, but he can write and his latest dispatch about meeting Fidel Castro (here’s the first) is fascinating: There were many odd things about my recent Havana stopover (apart from the dolphin show, which I’ll get to shortly), but…
Spluttering gasps of Murdoch’s British power
New Statesman examines the worsening problems for David Cameron’s spin doctor, Andy Coulson, former editor of Murdoch’s News of the World: I ask another former Met commander if the New York Times allegations of a “long-term” relationship between News International and Scotland Yard are true. “I couldn’t possibly comment,” he tells me with a chuckle,…
Reporters need to be reminded that they should not follow every leaked morsel
What a revelation (via The Failed Estate): Just because someone in Canberra said something doesn’t make it news. Are press gallery hacks listening?
America, the same old torturing nation as under Bush
This is Obama’s America, siding with those who torture, use rendition and want to keep it secret: A federal appeals court on Wednesday ruled that former prisoners of the C.I.A. could not sue over their alleged torture in overseas prisons because such a lawsuit might expose secret government information. The sharply divided ruling was a…
Murdoch mantra; whatever it takes
This just gets better and better and proves once again the essential need for a vibrant, non-Murdoch press. Such illegality rather neatly matches Rupert’s belief in illegally bombing and occupying nations. That’s his legacy: A former senior News of the World journalist has gone public to corroborate claims that phone-hacking and other illegal reporting techniques…
US-led “peace talks” going the way Israel hopes (ie. nowhere)
My following article appears today on ABC Unleashed: The resumption of self-described peace talks between Israel, Washington and the Palestinian Authority produced headlines across the world last week. The public was told that each side was pessimistic about the prospects of finally sealing a deal after decades of stop-start negotiations. The stated goal was a…