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Is Israel’s democracy in jeopardy? (audio)
In Israel, the Knesset has voted to take away a key power of the country’s Supreme Court, triggering one of the biggest protest movements in Israeli history. It has also raised warnings that the 75-year-old democracy is in jeopardy.
Read MoreIran expands its military presence in South America
Bolivia, which moved back into Iran’s orbit in 2020, reportedly inked a memorandum of understanding on defence and security with Iran following the Bolivian Defence Minister’s visit to the country on July 20 that may result in the delivery of Iranian drones to the country. Iran’s Defence Minister Mohammad Reza Ashtiani declared the defence agreement with Bolivia “has the potential to serve as a pioneering model for other nations in South America.”
Read MoreEditorial: Cooling the Controversy
Wherever you stand on Israeli politics or the controversial judicial reforms that have been on top of PM Binyamin Netanyahu’s Government’s agenda since January, the way the “reasonableness” element of the reform package was passed into law on July 24 is deeply concerning.
Read MoreIsraeli army moves to centre-stage in judicial reform controversy
Even if a compromise is achieved in the future, the damage inflicted on the IDF by this episode will take a long time to repair. Inner cohesion and the commitment of Israeli soldiers to serve in the army have been crucial components of the IDF success as the “people’s army”. Both are now in question.
Read MoreAIJAC statement on passage of “Reasonableness” bill in Israel, amidst judicial reforms controversy
The Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC) expressed its profound concern about the passing of the judicial reform’s reasonableness bill in Israel’s Knesset overnight. The bill will prevent Israel’s Supreme Court from overturning administrative decisions by the Government, the Prime Minister or ministers on the basis that they are unreasonable.
Read MoreThree reasons Australia should help protect the International Court of Justice
Australia did the right thing in late December and voted against a very problematic and controversial resolution of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.
Read MoreWait, what? West Bank settlements mired in massive housing slump
While it may sound surprising and counterintuitive, the numbers don’t lie: Despite recent well-publicised efforts by key right-wing legislators in Israel’s Government coalition – – such as Finance Minister and Minister in the Defense Ministry Betzalel Smotrich of the Religious Zionism party – to remove some of the red tape involved in approving new housing in Israel’s…
Read MoreDenying Israel’s right to stop terrorists undermines peace
You would think it’s a basic right of any country to defend its population against terrorism. However, as is seemingly the case with everything Israel does, its recent two-day military operation against terrorists and their infrastructure in the West Bank city of Jenin aroused much comment and controversy.
Read MoreFrancesca Albanese’s distortion of reality
Francesca Albanese, the UN’s Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, does not believe in history. She doesn’t even pretend to believe in history.
Read MoreIsrael and Fiji: A Shared Interest in Peace and Fighting Climate Change
Israel and Fiji may seem like an unusual pairing, but since diplomatic relations were established in 1970, the Middle Eastern and Pacific Ocean countries have forged partnerships across security and peacekeeping, and especially issues related to climate change.
Read MoreThe US and its influence in UNESCO
After a six-year absence, the United States has rejoined the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) which it dramatically left in 2017 over its anti-Israel bias.
Read MoreALP Must Resist the Activists on Israel
The Australian Labor Party is shortly going to have to decide if its policy on Middle East peacemaking is going to be based on misconceptions, symbolic “solidarity” and empty slogans, or common sense, reality, and international law.
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