During the recent Byron Bay Writer’s Festival this event, broadcast by ABCTV1’s Big Ideas, was a robust discussion on the rights, responsibilities and pressures of conflict reporting in a post 9/11 world: In this session writers Abbas El-Zein, Antony Loewenstein and Washington Post journalist David Finkel deliver strikingly different perspectives on the Iraqi and Afghan…
Showing all posts tagged Australia
ABCTV Big Ideas on identity in modern Australia
I recently attended the Wordstorm literary festival in Darwin and participated in the following event that was recorded and broadcast by ABCTV1’s Big Ideas: This panel brings together a group of Australians of Italian, Chinese, Indigenous, Jewish, and Vietnamese descent to talk over the notion of home. What is it? Where is it? What is…
Why Jewish dissent over Israel signifies move away from tribalism
My weekly Guardian column: The South African national high school debating team was recently in Bangkok for the world debating championships. During the competition, the team uploaded a picture of themselves at the tournament’s opening ceremony to Facebook, and controversy ensued. “Team South Africa wearing Palestinian badges and Keffiyehs to show our opposition to the…
Public talk on From Iraq to Gaza: The Politics of Fear
Last Friday I gave the following speech at Sydney’s… Lebanese Muslim Association forum on terrorism, Gaza, ISIS and Western governments spreading fear and anger towards the Islamic faith. Labor MP Tony Burke and Liberal MP Craig Laundy both pledged to bring harmony to the community and yet both their parties have flamed bigotry. Government surveillance is…
2SER Fourth Estate on media coverage of Palestine
This week I was invited onto 2SER’s Fourth Estate media program: In the wake of Mike Carlton’s resignation from the SMH over Israel/Palestine, the panel discuss the pitfalls of interacting with readers and dealing with vicious feedback. Plus, compassion fatigue and the media and typos, when are they newsworthy?
News flash; debating Israel and Islam is healthy sign of democracy
This Friday the Lebanese Muslim Association has organised an event titled, “From Iraq to Gaza: The Politics of Fear”. I’ll be speaking alongside many others. Daring to be critical of the dominant narrative over Palestine or terrorism has upset Rupert Murdoch’s resident race-baiter Andrew Bolt. There’s also a “story” in today’s Murdoch Australian that features…
Launching "After Israel" book in Sydney
Yesterday in Sydney I was honoured to launch the new book by Marcelo Svirsky, After Israel: Towards Cultural Transformation. It was a packed house to discuss Gaza, Israeli politics, racism and the future of the Middle East. Svirsky recently spoke eloquently on ABC radio about Israeli extremism. Here are my notes from yesterday’s launch: Strength…
ABC News Radio on Gaza, liberal Zionism and lobby pressure
I was interviewed a few nights ago on ABC News Radio on the conflict in Gaza and the realities of the Zionist lobby:
Why literary festivals matter
My weekly Guardian column: The Byron Bay writers’ festival, one of Australia’s largest literary events, has just finished after three days of discussion and debate under sunshine and rain. With… record-breaking… crowds listening to writers and rappers in large outdoor tents, it was impossible not to be seduced by the diverse participants, including British authors… Jeanette Winterson… and… Geoff Dyer.…
Talking vulture capitalism at the Byron Bay Writer's Festival
I’ve returned from the wonderful Byron Bay Writer’s Festival where I’ve enjoyed the outdoor festival in the sun talking about Gaza, Palestine, politics, war (on a very interesting and sometimes heated panel with Washington Post journalist David Finkel and writer Abbas El-Zein and another one on free speech) and vulture capitalism. My 2013 best-selling book,…