When a serious academic from Sydney University – Ben Saul, co-Director of the Sydney Centre for International Law – writes a piece like this, it’s significant. A respected liberal who simply can’t remain silent any more: Britain’s expulsion of an Israeli diplomat is a lesson for Australia to stop handling Israel with kid gloves. Israel…
Showing all posts tagged Australia
Not sending Tamils back to troubled Sri Lanka
David Feith writes in the Melbourne Age: I was disturbed to read recently that the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is considering changing its international protection guidelines for Sri Lankan and Afghan asylum seekers. The Australian government, predictably, was quick to state that any change to the UNHCR guidelines would…
Is being anti-Zionist a crime in Israel?
Following the recent arrest in the West Bank of an Australian activist, Israeli blogger Noam Sheizaf comments on the ominous, largely ignored, ramifications: Two international activists, Ariadna Jove Marti (Spain) and Bridgette Chappell (Australia), who are living in Bir Zeit in the West Bank (it’s near Ramallah, and well within the Palestinian Autonomy), were arrested…
We should not tolerate fear-mongering over asylum seekers
Is it possible to have a rational, respectful and mature debate in Australia over refugees, considering the actual numbers of those arriving (by plane or boat) is so low? We are a country of asylum seekers and surely benefit from a well-managed program of immigration: [A] United Nations report revealed Australia received 6,170 asylum applications…
Britain hasn’t forgotten the Mossad Dubai hit (and yes, an election is coming)
At least one country seems to be at least giving the impression that illegally using its passports in murder is unacceptable: Britain is to expel an Israeli diplomat over the use of forged UK passports by the killers of a senior Hamas official in January. The foreign secretary, David Miliband, will make a statement to…
60 Minutes tackles Gaza and shows its brutal side
Australia’s 60 Minutes program is a tabloid current affairs program that seems to take an unusual interest in the Middle East conflict (here’s a good story from last year about the West Bank occupation in Palestine.) Last Sunday they featured a piece about the economic and political isolation of Gaza. It didn’t pull any punches…
Christmas Island ”˜pressure cooker’ could explode after UN review
My following article appears in today’s edition of Crikey: Christmas Island is a “pressure cooker”, according to one recently-returned refugee advocate. And the situation will blow up completely if the federal government is allowed to deport asylum seekers back to strife-torn Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. As more boats arrive at the offshore immigration processing centre”‰—”‰and…
What will it take for the love affair with Israel to cool?
With Israel under intense pressure to wind back its colonial project, the role of dissident Jews is vital, to make the wider community knows that we don’t support the actions of the Jewish state. Jews don’t speak with one voice. It’s important, therefore, that the mainstream media is noticing. Take this piece in today’s Sydney…
Just how many weapons do we really need?
Waste, futile spending and over-blown excess is routine in the arms world (see this recent Sydney Morning Herald report that outlined the vast problems with the Australian Defence Department). And now this: The United States scored last in a new study that examined how 33 major militaries spend funds on weapon systems – while potential…
Adhere to the rule of law, says Labor MP to Israel and her backers
Senior Australian unionist Paul Howes wrote recently that Israel’s murder of a Hamas operative in Dubai was a wonderful thing to celebrate. Retiring Labor MP Julia Irwin disagrees and said the following in Federal Parliament on 15 March: Mrs IRWIN (Fowler) (9.18 pm)—I rise tonight to comment on an article in the Sunday Telegraph on…