US cuts funds to the Palestinian Authority over its “pay to slay”: Should Australia follow suit?
March 27, 2018 | Sharyn Mittelman
The US Congress officially passed the Taylor Force Act on March 23, which requires that the US halt its funding to the Palestinian Authority (PA) if the latter refuses to end its “martyr” compensation scheme, which provides lifetime monthly stipends to convicted terrorists relative to their sentences and to the families of slain terrorists. It was part of a large US$1.3 trillion budget Bill that US President Donald Trump signed into law after passing Congress.
The misguided campaign against visiting Middle East expert Daniel Pipes
March 23, 2018 | Colin Rubenstein
AIJAC’s Executive Director Dr. Colin Rubenstein responds to the vicious campaign waged against Middle East expert Dr. Daniel Pipes, during his recent speaking tour of Australia as a guest of AIJAC.
Israel and South-East Asia – where is the potential?
March 16, 2018 | Naomi Levin
Israel has long had deep links with some ASEAN member-states, while its relationship with others are more fragile or less developed.
The Tillerson sacking and US policy toward Iran
March 15, 2018 | Sharyn Mittelman
US President Donald Trump has fired his Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, indicating that his decision was partly based on disagreements with Tillerson over the future of the Iran nuclear deal. Trump is nominating CIA Director Mike Pompeo to replace Tillerson. Pompeo is known to share Trump’s critical view of the Iran.
Audio: Daniel Pipes on US Embassy move to Jerusalem
March 15, 2018
On ABC Radio National, presenter Tom Switzer discusses the controversial US decision to relocate the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem with Daniel Pipes from the Middle East Forum.
The success story – and ongoing struggle – of Israeli women
March 8, 2018 | Naomi Levin
Israeli women face the same challenges as other women living in modern democracies – and that is something for which we should be grateful.
A Middle East gas deal that is more than just a gas deal
March 2, 2018 | Sharyn Mittelman
In Israel’s biggest export deal to date, Egyptian company Dolphinus Holdings has agreed to buy 64 billion cubic metres of Israeli natural gas for US$15 billion from Delek Drilling, and its US partner Noble, during a 10-year period. The gas will be delivered to Egypt from Israel’s Tamar gas field, and the larger Leviathan gas field which is expected to be operational in late 2019.
Australia joins the UN Human Rights Council – but can it help reform that troubled and problematic body?
March 1, 2018 | Naomi Levin
This week, to almost no public fanfare, an Australian representative spoke at the United Nations Human Rights Council for the first time since this country took its elected seat on January 1.
Assad regime escalates chemical weapons use, but does anyone care?
February 16, 2018 | Sharyn Mittelman
According to numerous reports, the Syrian government is still using chemical weapons against its civilians and has even increased the frequency of such attacks. In the past month alone, it has been accused of using chemical weapons at least six times. These latest assaults are believed to have been chlorine attacks. While chlorine itself is not a prohibited substance as it can be used for water purification and other civilian purposes, the use of any chemical weapon including chlorine is a war crime banned under the Geneva Convention.
The fallout from Poland’s controversial new law on the Holocaust
February 8, 2018 | Sharyn Mittelman
In recent years, Poland has become one of Israel’s best friends in Europe. However, that relationship appears to have been badly fractured with Poland’s President Andrzej Duda signing a bill into law on Feb. 6 which calls for prison terms for people blaming Poland as a nation for Holocaust crimes committed by Nazi Germany.
On settlements, Obama is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts
February 7, 2018 | Ahron Shapiro
Former US President Barack Obama claims “skyrocketing” settlement growth justified his decision to abstain on one-sided UNSCR 2334 in 2016, but the facts don’t back him up.
Banning Hezbollah in its entirety debated in UK Parliament
February 1, 2018 | Sharyn Mittelman
On January 25, members of the UK Parliament supported a non-binding resolution in the House of Commons to proscribe all of Hezbollah as a terrorist organisation under UK terrorism legislation. Currently, in the UK only the military wing is defined as a terrorist organisation.
