Palestinian prisoner issue plagued by selective reporting
March 6, 2013 | Ahron Shapiro
Who are Samer Issawi and Ayman Sharawneh, the hunger-striking Palestinian prisoners that have become the latest “cause célèbre” for pro-Palestinian activists?
(See our update on how the prisoner issue appears to be a deliberate pretext for creating unrest in an effort to push the Palestinian agenda prior to US President Barack Obama’s visit to the region later this month).
Unfortunately, many recent news reports on the pair have neglected to report on the background of terror activity of these and other Palestinian prisoners. In doing so, the media has omitted crucial information to give perspective and balance to their coverage on a very contentious issue.
After the Almaty nuclear talks
March 6, 2013
In the P5+1 nuclear talks with Iran last week, it was agreed to hold two additional meetings – a technical meeting in March and full political talks in early April – after the P5+1 powers softened their demands of Iran and offered greater incentives for agreeing to an interim agreement to ease concerns about the Iranian nuclear program. This Update looks at what can be concluded from the session about the state of efforts to prevent Iran from illegally constructing nuclear weapons.
Myth and reality regarding US-Israel relations
March 4, 2013 | Talia Katz
The controversy stirred up during the confirmation hearing of US Senator Chuck Hagel, now appointed Secretary of Defense on Feb. 26, has once again opened debate on the relationship between the US and Israel. More to the point, it has prompted detractors to call into question the role of the “Israel Lobby”, and push their claim that this lobby is somehow forcing the US to act against its own interests by maintaining close cooperation with Israel.
How the Turkish Prime Minister condemned himself by calling Zionism a ‘crime against humanity’
March 1, 2013 | Sharyn Mittelman
Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan on March 1 offensively equated Zionism to racism and fascism at the “Fifth Alliance of Civilizations Forum” in Vienna. During the forum, Erdoğan reportedly stated: “Just like Zionism, anti-Semitism and fascism, it becomes unavoidable that Islamophobia must be regarded as a crime against humanity.”
Erdogan’s decision to refer to Zionism, which is the foundation of the Jewish state and the movement of Jewish self-determination, as a “crime against humanity” is inflammatory, wrong and dangerous.
West Bank Unrest
February 27, 2013
This Update features three pieces providing background to the growing – though still limited – West Bank demonstrations. While presented by Australian media as primarily the result of the death in Israeli custody of Arafat Jaradat on Saturday, and Palestinian claims he was tortured, this ignores the fact that demonstrations were already escalating last week, amid PA calls for the release of prisoners and threats of a new “Intifada”. As all three of the pieces in this Update make clear, the death of Arafat Jaradat has simply become the latest justification for a campaign of demonstrations already being encouraged by the Palestinian Authority.
Israel’s Oscar nominees tell us something about Israeli society
February 22, 2013 | Or Avi Guy
There are two Israeli films among the nominees for the 2013 Academy Award for best Documentary; Dror Moreh’s “The Gatekeepers” and Emad Burnat and Guy Davidi’s “5 Broken Cameras”.
There is more to this story than the success of a small and modestly-resourced Israeli film industry, and that is its role in the public discourse about Israel and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and how this role reflects the pluralistic nature of Israeli society, and its democratic institutions.
Preparing for the Next Round of Iran Talks
February 22, 2013
A new round of P5+1 (meaning the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany) nuclear talks with Iran, the first since July of last year, is scheduled for next Tuesday, Feb. 26, in Kazakhstan. There are reports that Iran will be presented with a “substantial and serious offer” from the P5+1 to halt the more worrying enrichment activity – but expectations seems generally modest. Meanwhile, the International Atomic Energy Agency says Iran this week began installing much quicker second generation centrifuges. This Update offers some background to the talks and explores some of the reasons few expect a significant breakthrough.
North Korea and Iran/ The PA’s democracy deficit
February 18, 2013
Following the North Korean nuclear bomb test earlier this week, and the failure of the latest International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) meeting with Iran, this Update discusses the potential implications for the ongoing problems of preventing Iran from gaining nuclear weapons capabilities.
First up is an editorial on the subject from the Jerusalem Post, which notes that at the very least, the North Korean test was a morale-booster for Teheran.
Hamas’ housing demolitions met with deafening silence
February 18, 2013 | Ahron Shapiro
Are NGOs imposing a double standard when it comes the demolition of Palestinian houses?
That is the question that Elliott Abrams asked Wednesday on his blog on the Council of Foreign Relations’ website.
On Tuesday, the Palestinian news website Ma’an reported that Hamas was moving ahead with plans to demolish 75 homes belonging to the Abu Amrah clan in the al-Rimal neighbourhood of Gaza. The Hamas government claims the homes were built illegally. The family is protesting the move, and resisting relocation.
Israel’s official statement on “Prisoner X”
February 15, 2013
AIJAC has obviously been following closely the reporting and speculation – both in Australia and Israel – concerning the case of “Prisoner X” who died in 2010 in an Israeli prison, and is alleged to have been Melbourne-born Australian-Israeli dual citizen Ben Zygier.
While we can add little to what is already in the media, and have no wish to further burden the bereaved Zygier family, below in full is the translation prepared by Haaretz of the Israeli government statement on Prisoner X released on Wednesday, which has not yet been published here, and we believe sheds some light on aspects of the case which have not gotten sufficient attention.
