My following article appears in today’s ABC Unleashed: Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s overseas trip has been extensively covered in the mainstream media. From George W. Bush to Gordon Brown, the travelling journalists have given readers and viewers a running commentary of his daily meetings. Missing from the vast majority of the coverage, however, has been…
Showing all posts tagged Kevin Rudd
The torch, boycotts and Tibet
My following article appears in the Amnesty International Australia’s Uncensor campaign about human rights in China: The Beijing Games is shaping up as a public relations disaster for the Chinese Communist Party. Four months from the opening ceremony and global protests against the torch relay are gathering speed. Tibetan activists are successfully highlighting their cause…
We must engage Hamas
My latest New Matilda column is about the need to talk to Hamas and speak honestly about Israel’s ever-expanding occupation: The international isolation of Hamas has failed. This is not merely the opinion of those who believe that the democratically elected Palestinian Government should be engaged, but includes a number of prominent Israelis, including Yossi…
The view from the Murdoch perch
Scott Burchill, Senior Lecturer in International Relations in the School of International & Political Studies at Deakin University, comments on a Murdoch mouthpiece: Quote of the week goes to Liberal Party lunchalot and honorary Republican Party ambassador, Greg Sheridan. According to the Foreign Editor of The Australian, “Rudd will be a tremendous disappointment to the…
The “other” Peter Slezak
The following “clarification” appears in today’s Australian newspaper: An article published in the Weekend Australian on March 15-16 (“Jewish voices in discord after Israel ad“, Page 5) quoted Peter Slezak, a founder of Independent Australian Jewish Voices, which ran the advertisement protesting parliament’s motion in support of the 60th anniversary of the state of Israel.…
Moving forward (without dogma)
Former Israeli official Daniel Levy – writer of the essential blog Prospects for Peace – offers thoughts to the next US President (though clearly the idea of engaging Hamas is something the Australian government is already keen to ignore, preferring to stick with failed policies of the Bushies): Contrary to popular misperception, Hamas and al-Qaeda…
Self-defence or brutal occupation?
The following article, co-written with a colleague, appears in today’s Age newspaper: On the world stage, Israel has been traditionally cast as David in a battle against Goliath. But this is too simplistic, for Israel is not without its sins, write Peter Slezak and Antony Loewenstein. Speaking honestly about Israel and Palestine has always been…
Royalty bows before Zionism
After the Australian Jewish community with Prime Minister Kevin Rudd recently celebrated Israel’s 60th anniversary – something protested by many Arabs, Jews and other concerned citizens – similar shenanigans are occurring in Britain: On April 7, Prince Philip will be hosting a dinner at Windsor Castle organised by the Jewish National Fund. They will be…
Jewish dissent lives on
The following letter appears in this week’s Australian Jewish News: The furore over the recent Palestinian statement published in The Australian doesn’t deserve the overwrought reactions in the Jewish community. However, the response by the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies and The AJN have been revealing in propagating a deception to embarrass people who hadn’t…
Kill them all (but make sure they’re Arabs first)
Following my recent article in Crikey – discussing Australia’s parliamentary motion celebrating Israel’s 60th anniversary as well as the local Zionist lobby’s shenanigans – a number of letter writers responded yesterday: Bren Carlill, analyst at the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council, writes: “Re. “Our “passionately pro Israel” PM throws compassion out the window” (13 March,…