This week Federal Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon was openly accused of anti-Semitism in a letter published in Murdoch’s Australian for supporting BDS and Palestinian rights. The following day this appeared in the paper: The assertion by David Syme (Letters, 30/8) that well-documented human rights abuses by Israel against Palestinians can be dismissed as nonsense is…
Showing all posts tagged Australia
Book reviews can save lives
A fascinating piece of history written by Australian academic Scott Burchill: In August 2004 I was asked by The Age to review [Australian journalist] John Martinkus’ new book ‘Travels in American Iraq‘ (Black Inc, 2004). It was a very good account of life after the invasion and Martinkus was clearly more sympathetic to the occupied…
Sydney radio on BDS, Palestine and slamming faux anti-Semitism claims
I was interviewed this week by 2SER’s The Wire on why boycotting Israel is a legitimate tactic in the face of Zionist occupation and calling these actions anti-Semitic, as many in the political and media elites do, simply demeans the word’s real meaning.
This is Australia’s past and future?
My following book review appeared in last Sunday’s Sydney Sun Herald newspaper: The Protectors Stephen Gray (Allen & Unwin, $29.99) “Mainstream Australia is equivocal about the apology [to the stolen generations] at best.” It’s a provocative start to a work that aims to understand the motives of the farmers, politicians and public figures who took…
At what point will the Murdoch press realise they are cheapening real anti-Semitism?
Probably never. Their Zionist love knows no bounds. See today’s outrageous letter, once again complaining that BDS is akin to Nazi Germany. They cheapen the memory of the Holocaust by printing such garbage: If Bob Brown can’t control Lee Rhiannon (“Senator stands by Israel boycott“, 29/8) it’s up to somebody with a bit more clout…
On BDS, criminalising pro-Palestinian activism and myopic politics
The following interviews are published this week in Green Left Weekly. One: Antony Loewenstein is an independent journalist and author of My Israel Question and The Blogging Revolution. Green Left Weekly’s Simon Butler asked Loewenstein about recent attempts to intimidate supporters of the boycott, sanctions and divestment (BDS) campaign against Israel. * * * Nineteen…
At least one Australian politician stands up for Palestine
Bravo Lee Rhiannon and as always the Murdoch Australian is incapable of framing this movement as anything other than outright anti-Semitism: Greens senator Lee Rhiannon has again refused to back away from the anti-Israel boycott, divestment and sanctions campaign, despite opposition from her leader, Bob Brown. Her comments came as a group of federal MPs…
PressTV interview on BDS, Palestinian rights and faux anti-Semitism
The debate around Israel/Palestine in Australia has descended into calling critics (and backers of BDS) Nazis. Yes, that dignified. And the Zionist establishment is leading the charge, completely undermining its argument that the memory of the Holocaust should be holy. For them, Israel must be protected no matter what, even if dead Jews must be…
With Serco in charge, abuses are guaranteed
Another day and another serious allegation: A former Serco employee at Curtin Detention Centre says treatment of detainees by some staff members was “outrageously brutal” and they were bullied constantly. Seven asylum seekers were flown from Curtin and put in isolation on Christmas Island on Tuesday night because of increased tensions at the remote centre,…
BDS isn’t akin to Nazi Germany and damn those who say so
My following essay appears in New Matilda today: Equating the BDS movement with Nazism is both offensive and outrageous. So why aren’t members of the Jewish community speaking out on this, asks Antony Loewenstein Joseph Stalin changed his name and so did New South Wales Federal Greens MP Lee… Rhiannon. Stalin, writes Alan Howe, executive editor…