The supposedly progressive new pro-Israel lobby group J Street is getting heaps of mainstream traction. But post the recent UN report on Gaza, its statement is shamefully weak: J Street has reviewed the Goldstone report in its entirety over the past several days. J Street agrees with Israelis, such as Minister Isaac Herzog, that some…
Showing all posts tagged Hamas
Hamas says it wants to come in from the cold (yet again)
How much longer will the world continue to demonise Hamas? The head of the Hamas government in the Gaza Strip has told United Nations Secretary-General Ban ki-Moon that the group supports any steps leading to the creation of a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, according to the Palestinian news agency Ramattan. The letter…
The time to implement a boycott is now
The following interview by Stu Harrison appears in this week’s Green Left Weekly: “The war could have finished the day before I arrived”, independent journalist and author Antony Loewenstein told Green Left Weekly of his recent trip to the besieged Palestinian territory of Gaza. His trip in July was months after the December-January war, in…
Israeli asks the world to understand his pain and trauma
The New York Times has clearly taken the decision to not overly focus on the devastating UN report over Israel’s war against Gaza. Today they publish an odd piece by David Landau, the former editor of Haaretz: Israel intentionally went after civilians in Gaza — and wrapped its intention in lies. That chilling — and…
Constantly futile Palestine talk is leading in only one direction
With news that Barack Obama, Mahmoud Abbas and Benjamin Netanyahu will meet this week in the US for a completely empty photo-call, this comment on Friday from Hamas legislator Mushir al-Masri at a rally in Gaza’s Beit Lahia is ominous: The choice of negotiations has proven a failure, and it’s time that Palestinian negotiators abandon…
The Iranian people won’t be silenced
During yesterday’s Jerusalem Day “celebrations” in Iran, this happened: By midmorning in central Tehran, dozens of opposition supporters in green T-shirts and wearing green wristbands – a color symbolising the opposition movement – marched with fingers raised in the V-sign for victory and chanting “Death to the Dictator.” Others shouted for the government to resign,…
Not all Islamists see Israel and Jews in the same way
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad continues his foul Holocaust denial during a speech today for “Jerusalem Day” at the University of Tehran. The Hamas leader, interviewed by Ken Livingstone in this week’s New Statesman, offers many insights, including this: The conflict is the outcome of aggression and occupation. Our struggle against the Israelis is not because…
The Zionist lobby coughs blood over Gaza
How does the fundamentalist Zionist lobby manage this week’s devastating UN report on Gaza? Smear the Palestinian witnesses, claim the UN is biased and issue Israeli government talking points. Is Israel the only nation in the world whose army never kills civilians intentionally? Apparently so. UPDATE: Two other Zionist fanatics share their moderate views with…
What the UN Gaza study says about Israel
There is so much fascinating analysis over the UN Gaza report. A choice collection below: Amira Hass in Haaretz: Like the Serbs of yore, we Israelis continue thinking it’s the world that is wrong, and only we who are right. Israel struck a civilian population that remains under its control, it didn’t fulfill its obligation…
Peace and justice won’t come to Palestine by simply wishing it
Following my article in last week’s Canberra Times, I’m informed by reliable sources at the paper that Jewish academic Dvir Abramovich demanded a right of reply because I had “unfairly libeled… Israelis as extremists.” Yesterday his piece was published and it’s a masterful piece of saying nothing in 800 words. Empty words and slogans, two equal…