War as an extension of politics
August 7, 2006 | Ted Lapkin
General Patton once observed that you don’t win wars by dying for your country; you win them by making the other poor bastard die for his. But Hezbollah has turned that pearl of military wisdom on its head. These jihadists are trying to defeat Israel, not by killing Jews, but by engineering a slaughter of the Lebanese populace.
Want Mideast Peace? Get the right ceasefire in Lebanon
August 5, 2006 | Colin Rubenstein
On Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said, “I genuinely believe the outcome of the present [conflict] and the emergence of a new order that will provide more stability, will help create the necessary environment that will allow me … to create a new momentum between us and the Palestinians.” He added, “We want to separate from the Palestinians. I’m ready to do it.” The connection between the conflict in Lebanon and Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations may not seem obvious, but Olmert is right. So it is absolutely crucial that any ceasefire in Lebanon does more than simply halt the immediate bloodshed.
Israel needs support to fight radical Islam
July 25, 2006 | Colin Rubenstein
N the world of Middle East politics, coincidences are few and far between. And it’s not happenstance that Iran is staring down the barrel of UN sanctions over its nuclear weapons program when all hell breaks loose in Gaza and Lebanon.
Bloodbath blurs war truths
July 25, 2006 | Bren Carlill
Amidst the front-page photos of bleeding children, it?s difficult to find clarity regarding the conflict raging in Israel and Lebanon. We all know the spark that set the region alight ? an unprovoked Hizbollah kidnapping of Israeli soldiers under the cover of missiles fired at Israeli cities. This was preceded by a Hamas-led attack from Gaza, which also involved kidnapping and rockets fired. The depressing sight of dead and injured civilians has since helped blur the reasons behind the violence.
Autonomy key to peace in Lebanon
July 25, 2006 | Colin Rubenstein
IN AN extraordinary statement, the editor of a Kuwaiti newspaper, the Arab Times, argued last week that “the operations of Israel in Gaza and Lebanon are in the interest of people of Arab countries and the international community”. Milder statements in the same vein, blaming Hezbollah for the violence, have come from across the Arab world, including the governments of Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan.
Israel justified in striking out at its enemies
July 20, 2006 | Colin Rubenstein
S ISRAEL’S response to Hezbollah attacks from Lebanon “disproportionate?” To answer this question it is necessary to explore both what Israel is actually doing, and why.
Pro-Israel lobby: helping or hindering policy making?
July 19, 2006 | Ted Lapkin
TONY JONES: Well, to discuss the role of the pro-Israel lobby and its degree of influence and whether it exists here in the same way as the US, we’re joined now by Ted Lapkin, director of policy analysis at the Australia/Israel and Jewish Affairs Council. He’s in our Melbourne studio. And with me in Sydney is the author of My Israel Question, Antony Loewenstein.
Stemming the tide Israel fights terrorism on two fronts
July 19, 2006 | Colin Rubenstein
IN the world of Middle Eastern politics, natural coincidences are few and far between. And it’s not happenstance that Iran is staring down the barrel of United Nations sanctions over its nuclear weapons program when all hell breaks loose in Gaza and Lebanon.
