Boston Marathon bombing: Israel-trained medical team responds, extremists spread conspiracy theories
April 17, 2013 | Sharyn Mittelman
Australians woke up yesterday morning to the shocking news that two bombs had exploded in the streets near the finish line of the Boston Marathon and had killed three people – Martin Richard an eight-year-old boy who was cheering on his father in the marathon, Krystle Campbell a 29-year-old woman described by her mother as having a “heart of gold”, and a Chinese woman who was a student at Boston University. More than 183 people have been hospitalised, 13 people have had their limbs amputated, and 24 are in a critical condition.
After Salam Fayyad
April 17, 2013
As readers are probably aware, Palestinian Authority PM Salam Fayyad – widely seen internationally as a competent, efficient and moderate state-builder – submitted his resignation on Saturday and had it accepted by President Mahmoud Abbas. This Update is devoted to analysis of how Fayyad’s resignation came about, and the implications of this change for the future of the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Israeli-Palestinian relations.
Palestinian polls and arriving at the two state resolution, which “everbody knows” is the answer
April 16, 2013 | Or Avi Guy
There is a re-appearing assumption that “everybody knows” the general outline of a future two-state peace accord between Israel and the Palestinians, that both peoples support the idea, and that it is only distrust and the politics and limitations of the leaders of both sides that prevents it from coming about.
But what do Palestinians really think about the “everybody knows” peace deal? Well, there’s good news and bad news.
A sixty-five year miracle?
April 16, 2013 | Sharyn Mittelman
Today, Israel celebrates the 65th anniversary of its independence (Yom Haatzmaut).
On 14 May 1948, the day in which the British Mandate over Palestine expired, the Jewish People’s Council gathered at the Tel Aviv Museum, and David Ben Gurion who became Israel’s first Prime Minister, read out the State of Israel’s Declaration of Independence.
On that day, the Jewish ‘hope’ to be a free people in their ancient homeland became a reality – recalling the famous words of Theodore Herzl, considered the father of modern political Zionism, who said, “If you will it, it is no dream.”
Baroness Margaret Thatcher, Israel and the Jewish people
April 12, 2013 | Talia Katz
Thatcher’s reputation as the “Iron Lady” reflected her self-proclaimed status as a conviction politician, and this is echoed in the eulogies delivered following her death. Though her legacy has divided opinion, when it came to Israel and the Jewish people, she is remembered for her strong, supportive and effective foreign policy credentials, and her dedication to fighting antisemitism in all its guises.
As a member of Parliament, representing a large Jewish constituency, and as Britain’s longest serving PM in over a hundred years, Thatcher was widely recognised as both a true friend and strong ally to the Jewish people and to the State of Israel.
Abbas-Fayyad ructions in the PA
April 12, 2013
This Update deals with the apparent political crisis within the Palestinian Authority, with reports saying Prime Minister Salam Fayyad has either submitted or plans to submit his resignation following growing disagreements with President Mahmoud Abbas and the wider Fatah movement he chairs (Fayyad is not a Fatah member).
Another unsuccessful round of Iran talks/ Israel gets gas
April 11, 2013
The latest round of talks over Iran’s nuclear program ended on the weekend with a meeting in Almaty, Kazakhistan, which concluded with little substantive progress and no agreement even about when talks might resume. Moreover, despite Iranian claims to have presented an offer in the latest talks, participants say it was actually, “some interesting, but not fully explained, general comments on our ideas” and an “apparent return to debating modalities for negotiations ” rather than any substantive proposal. Iran then followed up the end of the talks by announcing the opening of two new uranium mines and a yellowcake (uranium oxide) factory. This Update deals with the talks and the current state of the Iranian nuclear crisis.
How to turn a feel-good story into a misleading anti-Israel rant
April 8, 2013 | Talia Katz
In a stunning example of cherry picking, Ruby Hamad has demonstrated that when it comes to Israel, a story of triumph can be turned into a damning parable. It just takes a little willful ignorance and some creativity.
Bassem Youssef and Egypt’s Future Course
April 5, 2013
This Update deals with growing signs that political and economic problems in Egypt may be coming to a head – problems which have been highlighted in the media primarily in the wake of the prosecution for various political “crimes” of Egyptian comedian Bassem Youssef. It also features some analysis of the recent secret leadership elections within Hamas.
Media Week – No experience necessary?; Flotilla details sink; McGeough shrugs; Doubting Thomas; One among the pack; Relationships advice
April 4, 2013 | Allon Lee
Ahead of PM Julia Gillard’s cabinet reshuffle Michael Danby’s name was touted in the Age and Sydney Morning Herald (March 25) as a potential foreign affairs parliamentary secretary (in the end he got the gig for the Arts instead).
Danby of course has excellent foreign policy credentials…Unfortunately, unlike the five other MPs profiled whose professional experience was touched upon, Danby’s only qualification appears to be that he is a “staunch supporter of Israel”, according to the Fairfax papers.
