Audio: Dr Colin Rubenstein discusses the Six Day War on 2GB
June 5, 2017
Dr Colin Rubenstein joined Michael McLaren on Sydney radio 2GB to look back on the Six Day War, 50 years on.
“Moderate” Rouhani wins Iranian election – but this likely means little for either Iranian foreign policy or internal reform
May 24, 2017 | Sharyn Mittelman
Iran held its presidential election on May 19, and President Hassan Rouhani defeated his main rival, conservative cleric Ebrahim Raisi, receiving 57% of the 40 million votes cast.
Post-referendum, Turkey’s Erdogan employs his new powers in ugly ways
May 11, 2017 | Shmuel Levin
In April, a contested referendum saw Turkey pass into law a new draft constitution that significantly increases the powers of its President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. (For more on how the referendum seems to have fundamentally transformed Turkey politically, see Amotz Asa-El in the latest AIR.) Now, one month later, Erdogan may be unleashing those powers.
The Age Gets Loew – a Fisking
May 11, 2017 | Gareth Narunsky
The Age newspaper (and the Sydney Morning Herald online) ran a “report” from anti-Zionist activist and author Antony Loewenstein on April 10 titled Ticking towards war: What will it take to change life in the Gaza Strip?
Anyone familiar with the self-described independent journalist’s prior writings on Israel and the conflict with the Palestinians would already know that his work is fraught with omissions, bias and errors. And unfortunately, so it goes on.
Seriously? Abbas claims Palestinians are “raising our youth, our children, our grandchildren on a culture of peace”
May 10, 2017 | Sharyn Mittelman
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas recently met with US President Donald Trump and said, “Mr. President, I affirm to you that we are raising our youth, our children, our grandchildren on a culture of peace.”
If only that was true, peace might appear a lot closer. It is well documented that in numerous cases the Palestinian Authority has actively promoted incitement against Jews and Israel by praising terrorists, as well as “jihad” and “martyrdom”, especially in messages directed at children.
Emmanuel Macron on Israel and France’s Jewish community
May 8, 2017 | Shmuel Levin
As Emmanuel Macron claimed victory in the French Presidential election this week, French Jewish community leaders expressed relief. As Joel Mergui, President of the Israelite Central Consistory of France, wrote: Macron’s win “constitutes a veritable relief for all our nation and for the Jewish community of France”.
Five stand-outs about Hamas’ new policy manifesto
May 5, 2017 | Ahron Shapiro
Hamas’ new policy document – which has been mischaracterised as replacing its founding charter – has been described as a softening of its position. But does it really reflect a change in Hamas’ attitude towards Israel or is it merely an attempt to improve its image abroad?
After threatening Australia last week, North Korea threatens Israel this week
May 2, 2017 | Shmuel Levin
After threatening Australia with a nuclear strike last week, North Korea has added yet another country to its target list – Israel.
Beyond the spin: Israel’s planned settlement
April 6, 2017 | Ahron Shapiro
While, ironically, both pro-settlement and anti-settlement groups have an interest in amplifying its significance, a rational fact-based analysis of Israel’s planned first new West Bank settlement in over 20 years would seem to suggest they’re almost literally making a mountain out of a molehill.
Syria chemical attack highlights the ugly reality that the Middle East is turning into a chemical weapons free-for-all
April 5, 2017 | Shmuel Levin
Once again, the world has woken up to another chemical weapons atrocity in Syria, with numerous heart-rending videos showing children gasping and struggling to breathe, if not killed outright. Early indications suggest that the attack likely involved sarin nerve gas.
In the World Vision Gaza case, words matter
March 31, 2017 | Ahron Shapiro
A statement and subsequent clarification by DFAT officials have been the basis for news reports that cast aspersions on Israel’s allegations that a top World Vision employee in Gaza, Mohammad El-Halabi, had diverted aid money to Hamas. Yet a close reading of the statements together suggests the substance of DFAT’s statements don’t justify the headlines.
The assassination of a terrorist
March 27, 2017 | Shmuel Levin
Last Friday night, four assassins lay in wait for Hamas military leader Mazen Faqha outside his beach-side home in Tel el-Hawa, a neighborhood in south-western Gaza City. The assassins had broken in to Faqha’s garage a few hours earlier, after Faqha had left his house with his wife and daughter. Now, they waited quietly for his return.
