French UNIFIL troops on patrol in southern Lebanon in April 2015 (image: Sebastian Castelier/ Shutterstock)

UNIFIL, the LAF and the myth of Lebanese sovereignty

November 13, 2024 | Oved Lobel

The idea that UNIFIL will suddenly be able to assist the LAF in doing what it has always been inherently incapable of doing, and in the name of an illusory “Government of Lebanon”, recalls that famous definition of insanity. Any proposed diplomatic solution to the current war based on the fatally flawed formula of 1701 is doomed to fail.

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“Backbone”? UNRWA delivers just 13% of the aid in Gaza

November 8, 2024 | Ahron Shapiro

In Senate Estimates on November 7, Foreign Minister Penny Wong doubled down on her Government’s commitment to support the UN’s dedicated Palestinian agency UNRWA as the conduit for humanitarian aid for Gaza. In doing so, she  parrotted the UN Security Council’s recent statement that UNRWA is the “backbone of the humanitarian response in Gaza”.

The sentiment is clear on the streets of Kuala Lumpur (Image: Shutterstock)

Malaysia’s recalcitrant antisemitism

November 8, 2024

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Gaza polio clinic blast coverage a classic case of ABC bias

November 7, 2024

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Australia’s Jewish community under siege

December 10, 2024 | Justin Amler

The impact of seeing a holy place of worship burning in the very heart of Jewish Melbourne, was like a stab in the heart of the Jewish people.

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The government’s vilification of Israel has led to a terror attack on place of worship

December 7, 2024 | Joel Burnie

Attacking a synagogue does not only profane a sacred place, it is the ultimate expression of hatred for the entire Jewish community. Desecrating sacred spaces undermines our social fabric and cohesion as well as the foundation of our liberal democratic and multicultural society. 

The three alarm fire at Adass Israel Synogogue in Rippon Lea, Victoria, following an arson attack (Source: X)

Jewish Australians’ worst fears have come true

December 6, 2024 | Justin Amler

The Jewish community in Australia is angry at the treatment it’s been receiving from the leaders of this country. It is tired and frustrated and upset and disgusted at what’s been happening on the streets of our cities. And it feels abandoned.

UNRWA is portrayed as the “backbone” of Gaza aid efforts, but actually supplied only 13% of aid there over recent months (Image: Anas Mohammed/ Shutterstock)

An empire of perpetual suffering

November 20, 2024 | Seth Frantzman

In the wake of Israel passing two bills that essentially block the activity of the UN Relief and Works Agency in areas under Israeli control, UNRWA’s work is under scrutiny.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong and PM Anthony Albanese have degraded our relationship with our most important Middle Eastern partner (Screenshot)

The consequences of Australia’s Mideast policy shifts since October 7

November 20, 2024 | Jamie Hyams

The events of October 7 and its aftermath have severely traumatised Australia’s Jewish community. In several regards, Australian reactions to those events, including from our Federal Government, have been extremely disappointing, compounding the trauma and creating feelings of isolation and betrayal.

An extension of the Abraham Accords that saw a string of Middle Eastern countries making peace with Israel is likely to be a priority (Image: Whitehouse.gov/ Flickr)

Trump and the Middle East

November 20, 2024 | Ray Takeyh

The new Trump Administration is sure to revive its two trademark policies toward the Middle East that proved successful last time around.

French UNIFIL soldiers in southern Lebanon (Image: Shutterstock)

Lebanon: Optimism and obstacles

Nov 20, 2024

Rabbi Genende (3rd from left) with Christian and Muslim delegates at the Abrahamic Peace Working Group conference in Bandung, Indonesia

The Last Word: Abrahamic angst and aspirations

Nov 20, 2024

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Media Microscope: Resolutionary change

Nov 20, 2024

Protests on the streets of Auckland (Image: Rick Neves/ Shutterstock)

AIR New Zealand: Rising antisemitism in NZ is ignored

Nov 20, 2024

Saddam Hussein astonished everyone with his WMD achievements in the 1980s, and then by secretly dismantling the program in the 1990s (Image: X)

Biblio File: Blind man’s bluff in Iraq

Nov 20, 2024

Projections upon buildings in Doha, Qatar, after the death of Ismail Haniyeh (Image: X)

Qatar obfuscates over Hamas

Nov 20, 2024

BRICS and its "partner countries" (Image: BRICS website)

Asia Watch: Among friends 

Nov 20, 2024

“Don’t cry – smile a little. It’s best to smile, even to laugh, as long as you still can” – the final message of renowned Holocaust historian Prof Yehuda Bauer (Image: Wikimedia Commons)

Essay: “We don’t have another people”

Nov 20, 2024

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Noted and Quoted – December 2024

Nov 20, 2024