Gideon Levy, Haaretz, March 16: Defense Minister Ehud Barak is a bitter disappointment. He was the first statesman who dared suggest brave, though lacking, solutions. Now, he has turned into the chief saboteur of any chance for a calm in the fighting, a cease-fire or diplomatic progress. Barak has long forsaken talk of peace. He…
Showing all posts tagged Hamas
Smelling fear
Following my involvement with Independent Australian Jewish Voices in the recent public response to Australia’s endorsement of Israel’s 60th anniversary – something that has now been noted by leading Jewish bloggers in America and Britain – the group is receiving, along with a great deal of support, messages such as this: You bunch of dirty…
Jewish voices condemn pro-Israeli solidarity
Watch out if you’re Jewish and don’t entirely support Israeli policies. Today’s Australian reports: A pro-Palestinian advertisement protesting against parliament’s motion in support of Israel has divided members of a Jewish group critical of Israeli national policy. Antony Loewenstein, a founder of Independent Australian Jewish Voices, was a signatory to the advertisement, published in The…
Jews who can’t handle debate
Israeli peace activist Uri Avnery placed the following statement in Haaretz on March 14: I am shocked by the silence of the Israeli media after the government’s decision to boycott the Aljazeera network as punishment for its coverage of the bloody events in Gaza. As journalists and citizens of the “Only Democracy in the Middle…
Why I won’t be celebrating 60 years of Israel
My following article appears in today’s ABC Unleashed: Like Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s recent apology to the Stolen Generations, the local Jewish community celebrated the gesture of reconciliation to the indigenous population, but as I wrote in Haaretz remained unwilling to extend this sentiment to the Palestinians. Rudd’s parliamentary motion to celebrate Israel’s 60th…
Our “passionately pro Israel” PM throws compassion out the window
My following article appears in today’s edition of Crikey: A recent report released by the Association for Civil Rights in Israel exposed shocking racism in the Jewish state. 50 per cent of Israelis said they would not live in the same buildings as Arabs or allow Arabs to enter their homes. Also, Israel announced the…
How (not) to manage global media
An enlightened view of the media: Britain’s public broadcaster the BBC launched an Arabic television service on Tuesday with funding from the government to provide what it said would be independent news, analysis and current affairs. The corporation said the channel would broadcast for an initial 12 hours a day to anyone with a satellite…
A Jew who feels shame about Israel’s actions
My following letter appear in today’s Sydney Morning Herald: Criticising Israel is a risky business. Robert Goot and David Knoll (Letters, March 12) round on Alan Ramsey for suggesting that Palestinians will not be celebrating Kevin Rudd’s parliamentary motion on the 60th anniversary of the Jewish state. They use the armoury of Israeli Foreign Ministry…
The price of Jewish blood
Medialens, March 11: The horrific shooting of eight young people at a Jewish seminary in Jerusalem last Thursday was followed by saturation media coverage. International statesmen lined up with condemnations of the attack and condolences for the victims and their families. Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced: “This is clearly an attempt to strike a blow…
A glaring double standard
After the outrage of yesterday’s terrorist attack in Jerusalem against rabbinical students, a perspective we rarely hear in the pro-Israeli, Western media: The association of rabbis for the people and land of Israel headed by extremist rabbi Dov Lior issued on Wednesday a religious ruling legitimizing the shelling of Palestinian civilian gatherings by IOF troops…