Islamism and the US Administration’s campaign against “violent extremism”
February 27, 2015
US President Barack Obama and his Administration have come under fire from numerous sources for their refusal to identify the Islamist ideology that motivates groups like Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and al-Qaeda – especially in the wake of the Summit on Violent Extremism he convened last week – instead insisting, in President Obama’s words, that “there is no one profile of a violent extremist or terrorist. Around the world, and in the United States, inexcusable acts of violence have been committed against people of different faiths, by people of different faiths, which is, of course, betrayal of all of our faiths.” Below, we include some of the more informative critiques of the Administration’s stance on this issue. (An op-ed based on Obama’s speech is here, a similar op-ed from US Secretary of State John Kerry is here.)
As Al Jazeera slams Israel, ABC takes the bait
February 25, 2015 | Ahron Shapiro
Al Jazeera, owned and financed by Qatar, has shown on countless occasions that it reflects the biases and preferences of the authoritarian monarchy it serves. This includes both sympathy for Islamists and a disdain for Israel reflected in a tendency to present it in the worst possible light. (AIJAC’s Allon Lee blogged about this earlier this month, citing many other earlier examples)
Its anti-Israel bias is so rampant, so obvious that it should be apparent to just about everyone. Unfortunately, the ABC continues to utilise Al Jazeera as a source of reporting about Israel. On Tuesday, ABC‘s reporter Michael Vincent fell into the trap, with the story “Leaked cables contradict Benjamin Netanyahu’s claim Iran was close to making nuclear bomb“.
Australia’s new counter-terror efforts designed to confront rising threat
February 24, 2015 | Sharyn Mittelman
In the wake of terror attacks in France, Denmark, Israel, Canada and Australia, Western leaders around the world are deliberating on how best to deal with the threats of terrorism, in particular from “home grown” terrorists. On Monday, Prime Minister Tony Abbott outlined the Australian Government’s position in a speech highlighting the steps the Government has taken and will take, in the fight against terrorism in this new environment.
Video: Jeremy Jones on the rising antisemitism in Europe
February 23, 2015
How safe is Europe for Jews? Not very. AIJAC’s Jeremy Jones spoke about the rise of anti-semitism in Europe with Andrew Bolt on The Bolt Report (Network Ten)…
Dr. Einat Wilf in Australia: Media compilation
February 20, 2015
This post compiles AIJAC guest Dr. Einat Wilf’s media coverage in Australia…
Ehud Ya’ari: Ten insights in ten minutes
February 20, 2015 | Ahron Shapiro
Ten insights into the current turmoil in the Middle East in ten minutes – that’s what Ehud Ya’ari, one of Israel’s top Middle East analysts delivered in his presentation at a public forum held on February 6 by the Institute of Security and International Studies at Chulalongkorn University, in Bangkok.
The forum, on the topic “Militant Islam and Middle East Turmoil: Lessons From and Implications For Southeast Asia”, featured Ya’ari and two other Israeli Middle East experts on the panel – Dr. Jonathan Spyer and Prof. David Menashri – together with top commentators from Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia.
Copenhagen, Terror, and Europe’s Jews/ New IDF Chief of Staff
February 20, 2015
This Update features comment inspired by the terror attack in Copenhagen, Denmark, last weekend – in which an Islamist gunman opened fire at both a synagogue and a pro-free speech gathering at a cafe – especially in terms of what such targeted terrorism means for Europe’s Jewish minority, who are clearly a key target of Islamist radicals. It also includes some information and analysis on the new Israel Defence Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Gadi Eisenkot, who was sworn in on Monday.
Media Week – When balance is academic
February 17, 2015 | Allon Lee
ABC Radio‘s “Late Night Live” on Feb. 9 was a ‘classic’.
Host Phillip Adams and Tasmanian academic Matt Killingsworth egged each other on in highlighting the virtues of the Palestinian Authority’s (PA) recent decision to seek membership of the International Criminal Court (ICC) as an opportunity to hold Israel to account.
The injustice of the Greste case should not detract from some hard truths about Al Jazeera
February 13, 2015 | Allon Lee
The release from an Egyptian prison of Australian cameraman Peter Greste, who served 400 days in jail and was facing a long sentence for what were clearly preposterous allegations, was of course extremely welcome and long overdue.
Yet just because the actions of the Egyptian government and judicial system have been outrageous and indefensible in this case, does not mean we should be lulled into therefore thinking that Al Jazeera, the employer of Greste, is just an ordinary news organisation like any other.
Palestinian human rights and the road to a two-state peace/ Talking about Islamism
February 13, 2015
This Update features two comments which focus on human rights and governance in the Palestinian territories, and the relationship between these issues and the quest for a viable and lasting two-state peace. It also includes an important comment from noted American writer and intellectual Paul Berman on language use in the discussion of Islamist ideology.
