The Cyber-War Era
September 26, 2016 | AIJAC staff
Last month’s Melbourne International Film Festival featured Alex Gibney’s documentary Zero Days, taking viewers deep into the world of cyber warfare through the story of Stuxnet – the infamous cyber weapon that was unleashed on the centrifuges at Iran’s secret nuclear facility in late 2008. Reportedly designed by the US and Israel, Stuxnet appears to constitute the world’s first cyber attack to inflict actual physical damage on an industrial system – the inadvertent unveiling of a “new tool in warfare” – though, as the film highlights, it is unlikely to be the last.
Free speech warriors are missing the point about 18C
September 1, 2016 | Colin Rubenstein
Clause 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act has recently been subject to intense criticism on ideological grounds, but many opponents misrepresent the actual operation of the Act. These efforts have been overwhelmingly rejected by a broad cross-section of Australia’s diverse communities – reflected in strong bipartisan support, federal and state, for racial hatred laws – and with good reason.
Diverting humanitarian aid is despicable
August 6, 2016 | Colin Rubenstein
Diverting humanitarian aid is despicable. Diverting it to a militant organisation that carries out attacks against civilians is simply evil.
It is now common knowledge that Hamas – the designated terrorist organisation which rules the Gaza Strip – has for years been diverting cement and other materials meant for the reconstruction of Gaza and the benefit of Palestinian civilians.
Want to fight xenophobia? Then speak clearly about Islamism
July 20, 2016 | Colin Rubenstein
The rise of abrasive populist figures and movements around the world, including Donald Trump, has featured much demagoguery alleging the Muslim community as a whole shares collective responsibility for the crimes of Islamist extremists.
A good local example is the return to prominence of Pauline Hanson…
Responsibility for such bigotry belongs to the perpetrators – yet there is a strong case to be made that many Western leaders, analysts and commentators are, often with the best of intentions, counter-productively aiding the popularity of anti-Muslim political movements by failing to speak clearly and sensibly about the ideological origins and nature of Islamist extremist terrorism…
The Iran nuclear deal – there is more work to do
May 30, 2016 | Colin Rubenstein
The Iran nuclear deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action was officially “implemented” in January this year when world powers lifted sanctions on Iran. So is the Iranian nuclear problem now solved, with the only problem for the international community to continue implementing the JCPOA?
Actually, both the Iranian regime and the two presumptive US presidential candidates are today acknowledging that the JCPOA is far from a finished stand-alone agreement – and there is still much to resolve if it’s to do what it’s intended to do.
Israel’s push for productive solutions
May 9, 2016 | Colin Rubenstein
THE Lebanese branch of the anti-Israel boycott movement has demanded that country’s government ban the film Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice because, in the movie, Wonder Woman is played by the Israeli actor Gal Gadot.
Worldwide, the film has box office takings of over $1.2 billion. Many people – including in Lebanon, where the film is already screening – simply want to be entertained and don’t care what nationality an actor in the film might be.
It is significant because anti-Israel campaigners and their supporters like to claim that Israel is becoming increasingly isolated internationally. Yet as millions of cinemagoers worldwide show, the reality is somewhat different.
The Sanders Middle East mirage
April 29, 2016 | Colin Rubenstein
The candidacy of Bernie Sanders for the Democrat nomination for president of the United States has excited many pro-Palestinian activists. Even academic Amin Saikal (“Bernie Sanders dares to challenge Israel”, Times2, April 20, p5) has jumped on the bandwagon.
This Sanders euphoria is based on few facts and much posturing, vitriol and emotion.
Don’t Be Fooled by Iranian Minister’s Charm Offensive
April 2, 2016 | Colin Rubenstein
Australia recently hosted Iranian Foreign Minister Dr Mohammad Javad Zarif, the Islamic Republic’s urbane and seemingly moderate face. However, charm and a lovely accent do not make someone a moderate. In fact analysis of his various comments while here reveals much about the unchanged nature of Iran’s brutal expansionist regime, and its hypocrisy.
Iranian election shows hoped-for moderation a pipe dream
February 25, 2016 | Colin Rubenstein
In elections on Feb. 26, Iran is set to choose a new Majlis, or parliament, as well as the “Assembly of Experts” – a body of religious scholars whose main job is to choose the Supreme Leader – currently 76-year-old Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. However, hopes that last July’s nuclear deal – officially implemented last month – would lead to a shift in power in the Iranian regime toward “moderates” and away from “hardliners” appear doomed.
Vigilance, not misplaced enthusiasm, needed in the wake of Iran deal implementation
January 22, 2016 | Colin Rubenstein
It’s important to remember that the steps Iran has taken in order to have the sanctions removed do not represent the dismantling of Iran’s nuclear program but only a partial rollback of certain aspects of it and mothballing or disconnecting other enrichment hardware. This means that, moving forward, inspections, intelligence and strong enforcement will remain crucial to ensure that Iran doesn’t cheat its way to a nuclear arsenal.
Stepped-up Islamic State terror campaign demands new strategies
December 10, 2015 | Colin Rubenstein
The recent attacks are a reminder that terrorism can never be stopped through purely defensive means. It is therefore encouraging that Obama renewed his vow to destroy IS in his address.
Unfortunately, however, there was little indication from Obama’s address that the US is prepared to meaningfully change its military strategy against IS which Obama himself said after the Paris attack was “right … and we’re going to see it through”.
Israel and Palestine: Too many barriers still prevent a two-state solution
November 13, 2015 | Sharyn Mittelman
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with United States President Barack Obama on November 9 following a year of tension between the two leaders. Differences over Iran were largely put aside as the meeting focused on Israel’s security needs and how it will stabilise relations with the Palestinians…
The Obama administration has had to recognise that trying to prevent a slide into intensified Israeli-Palestinian violence appears to be more important at the minute than to pursue an unlikely peace breakthrough.
