Violent stunts prolong Gaza’s suffering
June 4, 2010 | Colin Rubenstein
A blockade [of Gaza] to prevent the re-arming of an enemy is an absolutely legitimate and recognized method of armed conflict – and Israel has provided all the required notifications to comply with international law.
Flotilla sailed for confrontation, not for aid
June 2, 2010 | Bren Carlill
Israel told flotilla organisers the aid could be transferred across the Gaza-Israel land border. (It still will be.) The flotilla could also have co-operated with Egypt or the UN in order to help Palestinians, but refused to do so. Helping Palestinians wasn’t its goal, confronting Israel was.
Tales of violence on the high seas lack context
June 2, 2010 | Lauren Jones
That five of the six boats were taken peaceably indicates that Israel never intended to harm any civilians. Israel was wise enough to film the incident, thereby providing irrefutable evidence that its soldiers were attacked first, and acted in self defence. Fortunately, the violence was confined to one boat and the aid on board the flotilla will reach Gaza in one piece.
Palestinians architects of their own misery
May 14, 2010 | Bren Carlill
If the Palestinians are ever going to have a successful state, it will only come after they stop focusing on what they think other people have done to them, and start focusing on what they can do for themselves.
Seeking renewed Israeli-Palestinian talks
May 5, 2010 | Colin Rubenstein
Israel cannot rely on statehood in itself to satisfy Palestinian aspirations, and so must have both security guarantees and a Palestinian leadership able to credibly enforce them. That last condition does not exist today.
No state of their own due to the state of mind they are in
March 19, 2010 | Colin Rubenstein
As flawed as Hari’s piece is, in reflecting the strident view that Palestinians are simply blameless victims, it does serve one useful purpose – it helps explain ongoing Palestinian intransigence.
White paper should tackle terrorist television
March 9, 2010 | Bren Carlill
Concern about domestic radicalisation and home-grown terrorism is a big part of the government’s white paper on counter-terrorism released last week. So why haven’t successive governments banned Hezbollah’s television station, al-Manar, from screening in Australia? After all, al-Manar is all about radicalising its viewers.
The legacy of a true friend
January 10, 2010 | Colin Rubenstein
Almost uniquely among Muslim leaders and the heads of Muslim states, Wahid was not reticent about his friendship for Israel and his close ties and desire for even closer ones with the Jewish people.
Time’s Up for Iran Sanctions
December 22, 2009 | Colin Rubenstein
If anyone still had any doubts about Iran’s nuclear intentions, these should have been dispelled by last week’s revelations in The Times of documents showing Iran experimented with neutron trigger technology. Such technology can only be used in nuclear weaponry.
Iran is playing a dangerous game with Israel
October 16, 2009 | Bren Carlill
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is playing a dangerous game. If he’s not careful, he may find his country embroiled in military conflict.
Pull the plug on Hezbollah TV
August 11, 2009 | Bren Carlill
Australia chooses to proscribe as a terrorist entity only Hezbollah’s external military wing. That means Hezbollah’s internal social, political and military wings are not considered terrorist entities by Australia. This is a little bizarre, since Hezbollah’s leaders have publicly insisted there is no distinction between any wing.
Terrorist television would violate our racial hatred laws
August 7, 2009 | Colin Rubenstein
ACMA did not see any problem with an advertisement on al-Manar soliciting donations for the al-Emdad charity, which is used primarily for supporting the families of Hezbollah fighters. Giving it money is effectively indistinguishable from giving money to Hezbollah, which is illegal in Australia.
