Iran will follow Kim Jong-un’s lead in defying the world
September 13, 2017 | Shmuel Levin
Earlier this month, North Korea conducted its sixth nuclear test. According to South Korea’s parliamentary defence committee chief, the blast had the explosive power of 100,000 tons of TNT, making it four to five times stronger than the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki, Japan in 1945.
But while most of the world has watched North Korea’s increased nuclear activities with growing concern, one country has stood side-by-side with the North Korean regime throughout this entire time.
South Australian politicians have made right decision voting against unilateral recognition of Palestine
August 11, 2017 | Eran Lerman
THE South Australian Legislative Council passed a motion calling for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to be achieved at the negotiating table, reversing an earlier House of Assembly position which had suggested unilateral recognition of Palestine.
In Israel, as anywhere, objectivity, balance, multiple voices are critical to credible journalism
August 7, 2017 | Mark Leibler
Former Middle East correspondent for The Australian John Lyons is right that objectivity doesn’t come easy when reporting from Israel (Media, 31/7).
His explanation for the claim, however, is not that information is harder to obtain in a conflict zone or that agendas are often opaque, but that Lyons says he found it hard to do his job because the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council called him out because it believed his reporting often lacked objectivity.
Efforts by South Australian politicians to recognise Palestine as an independent state will do more harm than good
July 28, 2017 | Sharyn Mittelman
South Australia’s Legislative Council is set to vote on a motion that calls on the Federal Government to recognise a Palestinian state, after the resolution succeeded in passing the House of Assembly last month with the support of the Labor Government.
Funded propaganda
July 21, 2017 | Gareth Narunsky
Last Friday three terrorists opened fire at a group of policemen near the Lion’s Gate in Jerusalem’s Old City, killing two Druze officers. The attackers fled to the Temple Mount, where they were eventually shot and killed.
Qatari-based Al Jazeera initially reported the incident as “at least three Palestinians killed in shooting in Jerusalem’s Old City”.
Modi in Israel
July 18, 2017 | Sharyn Mittelman
Narendra Modi made history in the first week of July as the first sitting Indian prime minister to visit Israel. The visit reflects the rapidly growing warm ties between the two democratic nations, as they seek greater cooperation on a range of issues including trade, defence, tourism, agriculture and water technologies.
Recognising Palestine ignores need for peace
July 5, 2017 | Colin Rubenstein
Those supporting a motion at the upcoming ALP NSW State Conference calling for recognising a Palestinian state argue they are aiming to advance prospects for Israeli-Palestinian peace. Yet an informed look at the current situation would make it clear that premature recognition of “Palestine” as a state would actually have the opposite effect.
ABC ignores editorial policy to run Al Jazeera stories
July 3, 2017 | Colin Rubenstein
For years, ABC has defended its use of Al Jazeera’s English language news programming, despite mounting evidence that its use violates the editorial policy that the taxpayer-funded ABC must respect, according to its charter.
Anniversary of Arab-Israeli war provides an opportunity
June 9, 2017 | Colin Rubenstein
FIFTY years ago and 19 years after the 1948 War of Independence, Israel was once again dragged into an existential war.
Recently, Israel’s state archives released detailed original transcripts of Cabinet discussions before the war.
Conquest wasn’t on the minds of Israel’s leaders. Survival was.
A blessing and a curse
June 8, 2017 | Sharyn Mittelman
This month marks 50 years since the Six Day War – which is pivotal to understanding the modern Middle East, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. While it did not start that conflict, which began with Arab rejection of Israel’s existence prior to its establishment in 1948, it has drawn the map from which proposals for two states must be carved out.
The Six Day War is viewed by many Israelis as both a blessing and a curse.
