Peace first, then statehood

Recognition would be a no-brainer if Palestine was a state. The 1938 Montevideo Convention provides the definition of statehood, and Palestine doesn’t meet it (and never has). Which means recognition is about messaging: a country recognises Palestine to reward it; punish Israel; and/or signal its virtue.

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The hypocrisy of international outrage

A recent joint statement from the UK, France, and Canada, along with a similar one by 24 countries including Australia, criticising Israel’s military operations and humanitarian efforts, is just the latest example of manufactured indignation.

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Fast Facts: Aid back into Gaza – what we know

The current resumption of aid delivered via UN agencies and NGOs is expected to continue until a new method of distributing aid is rolled out in the coming weeks. Israel prevented virtually all aid entering Gaza from 2 March until May 19. Its rationale for doing so was that there was enough aid stockpiled in Gaza to last for several months, and that Hamas had been stealing large proportions of aid that was entering Gaza.

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Israel’s real victory at Eurovision

Yuval ended her grand final performance in the most perfect way she could, expressing solidarity, strength and unity in the face of adversity. She called out to the millions of viewers watching in Switzerland, Israel and the rest of the world the traditional Jewish affirmation, “Am Yisrael Chai”, meaning the “The people of Israel live.” And that rallying cry was embodied in both her performance and in Raphael herself.

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