One: The prime minister of Mauritius has accused Britain of pursuing a “policy of deceit” over the Chagos islands, its Indian Ocean colony from where islanders were evicted to make way for a US military base. He spoke to the Guardian as his government launched the first step in a process that could end UK…
Showing all posts tagged New Zealand
Helping US spy on Fiji in the name of democracy
Laying bare the workings of our democratically elected officials: New Zealand has been using the Waihopai communications base to spy on Fiji’s military, passing the intelligence to the United States Government, WikiLeaks cables reveal. The base was used in the 2006 coup and probably the 2000 coup, although New Zealand officials have always denied that…
Resist the Serco beast before it’s too late
The Serco infection moves to New Zealand, yet more unaccountable prisons sold as increasing “efficiency”: The Department of Corrections today announced that global service provision company Serco has been selected to manage Mt Eden/Auckland Central Remand Prison (ACRP) from next year. Finance, Systems and Infrastructure General Manager John Bole says that it is Government policy…
Wikileaks dumps on slavish New Zealand leaders
More leaked Wikileaks cables show that Washington is constantly looking for compliant journalists and politicians: Leaked United States diplomatic cables explain why officials appear to have been caught on the hop last year when American Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced the resumption of intelligence sharing between the two countries – the deal was supposed…
My talk in Christchurch
During my recent speaking tour of New Zealand, I engaged with thousands of people, including a full house in Christchurch. Here’s the video and audio (neither amazing quality, since it’s compressed files, but you get the gist). I discuss the Middle East, the realities in Gaza and how to engage Hamas: Antony Loewenstein talks in…
New Zealand Greens ask why Israel maintains a Gaza blockade
How one of the key Greens in the New Zealand parliament yesterday challenged the country’s foreign minister Murray McCully over the ongoing Gaza siege: KEITH LOCKE (Green) KEITH to the Minister of Foreign Affairs: Will the Government call for the immediate lifting of Israel’s economic blockade of Gaza; if not, why not? Hon MURRAY McCULLY…
Oh Jerusalem, why do you make it so hard to like you?
The New Zealand Herald’s editorial today reflects a global pattern (I’ll get to more of that later today) that almost feels pain in acknowledging that supporters of Israel are finding it increasingly difficult to support the Jewish state: Israel can hardly claim to be surprised by the universal international condemnation of its commando raid on…
West complicit in Israeli terror and oppression
My following article appears in today’s New Zealand Herald: The day after the Australian Government announced it was expelling an Israeli diplomat over the forging of its passports in the assassination of a Hamas official in Dubai, the Murdoch press was incensed. The Australian’s foreign editor, Greg Sheridan, last week condemned Kevin Rudd’s “over-reaction” to…
New Zealand takes notice of Israeli actions
The following was released today by Auckland’s Palestine Human Rights Campaign: The Palestine Human Rights Campaign… is calling upon the New Zealand Government to condemn… Israel’s killing of civilian activists on board the peace flotilla carrying humanitarian supplies to the Gaza Strip. “The New Zealand government should call in its newly credentialed Israeli ambassador to… …
How many New Zealanders shout at the sight of an Israeli head?
The recent speech by the new Israeli ambassador to New Zealand – a position that has been vigorously protested by locals over the last months – at the opening of the new embassy in Wellington: The reopening of this Mission reflects the importance that Israel attaches to its relations with New Zealand. The primary aim…