Iran’s ongoing strategic success across a mercurial Middle East

With the region’s major players veering almost overnight from existential adversaries to close partners and often back to adversaries again just as quickly, the only real thread running through the vicissitudes of the area over recent decades has been the continuing progress of Iran’s seemingly inexorable imperial jihad. No matter how much has changed, only Iran’s imperial expansion has been continuous.

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Local reports on Holy Sepulchre flare-up omit key information

Contrary to media reports that Israeli police had arbitrarily restricted the numbers of worshippers allowed to enter the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for the Holy Fire ceremony on April 15, it was the Church’s own staff architect that had asked the police to set those precise limits in the interests of safety, according to a letter reprinted by…

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AIJAC condemns terror and rocket attacks against Israel over Passover

The Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC) has condemned the appalling escalation in terror – including multiple rocket attacks – carried out against Israel in recent days, and expressed solidarity with Israel as it exercises its undeniable right to self-defence. AIJAC National Chairman Mark Leibler said, “At a time when Jews should be celebrating Passover, we are instead left sickened…

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Indonesia’s disastrous own-goal

This week saw FIFA forced to don its referee cap and admonish and penalise Indonesia for foul play off the field. The world soccer federation cancelled Jakarta’s hosting rights for the Under 20 World Cup after controversial refusals from senior Indonesian political leaders to host an Israeli team as part of the international competition.

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Writer Susan Abulhawa’s Australian friends

The recently held Adelaide Writers’ Week caused a great deal of controversy when it was revealed that some of the guests were not only virulent and vicious critics of Israel and Zionists, but spread clearly antisemitic tropes. Particularly controversial was US-based Palestinian writer Susan Abulhawa, a partisan for both Russia and the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement

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