Egypt's Islamist Spring/More UN hypocrisy

Egypt’s Islamist Spring/More UN hypocrisy

January 31, 2013

Two years after the Arab Spring erupted in the Middle East, sweeping away long standing governments and leaders, the biggest winners are unquestionably the Islamists, particularly in Egypt. Today’s Update considers the strategic outlook. To the north of Israel, Syria is roiling in the blood of 60,000 dead as the Assad regime and Islamist rebels clash. To the south of Israel, Egypt’s streets are once more filling up with protesters as the Muslim Brotherhood boldly exposes its antisemitic and anti-democratic colours at breakneck speed, while its offshoot in Gaza is approaching its sixth year of rule.

Media Week - Lyons – 11

Media Week – Lyons – 11, Pollard – 1; Tony talks, facts walk; Bruce the goose; A bit of a downer

January 25, 2013 | Allon Lee

In a story for the Age/Canberra Times/Sydney Morning Herald (21/1) on Israeli Arab voters Ruth Pollard spoke to the controversial anti-Zionist Israeli MK Haneen Zoabi – an interview best described as softer than cashmere.

After Israel’'s elections

After Israel’’s elections, –where to now?

January 25, 2013

With all the ballots counted and the horse-trading beginning to see which parties will join what will almost certainly be a Netanyahu-led governing coalition, today’’s update looks at what it means for the moribund peace process.

First up, Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz reveals his initiative last December to convince Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to restart peace talks.

Making sense of Israel's election results

Making sense of Israel’s election results

January 23, 2013 | Talia Katz

Contrary to predictions prior to the election by many that Israeli politics is increasingly right-wing, with 99 per cent of the vote already counted the Knesset’s character is looking decidedly centrist, with an almost even split predicted in early television exit polling.

AIJAC comments on Carr/Hague AUKMIN 2013 Communique

January 22, 2013 | Colin Rubenstein

On Friday January 18 at the close of the Australia-UK Ministerial Consultations (AUKMIN) conference in Perth, Foreign Minister the Hon Senator Bob Carr and UK Foreign Secretary William Hague released a joint statement on the Middle East peace process, condemning Israel’s settlements as “illegal under international law”.

AIJAC released the following media statement to the press in response on Friday 18 January.

Right turn for Israel?/ An Insider on Iran's nuclear plans

Right turn for Israel?/ An Insider on Iran’s nuclear plans

January 22, 2013

The theme of most Australian media coverage of the Israeli election taking place tonight, Australia time, is that Israel seems to be shifting towards the right. This Update contains two attempts to challenge this conventional wisdom – as well as a unique eyewitness report from an Iranian regime insider about Iran’s nuclear plans.

Insights into the Israeli election campaign

Insights into the Israeli election campaign

January 17, 2013

Today’s Update features three articles on aspects of the Israeli election campaign – and especially devoted to correcting some myths about the campaign and its likely outcome.

First up is Barry Rubin, commenting on some strange features of the election campaign, but also the exaggerated claims being made about Israel moving toward the right. He notes that current PM Binyamin Netanyahu’s opponents appear to be doing a poor job of challenging him, relying too much on American political consultants, fighting amongst themselves, and boxing themselves into a corner by ruling out involvement in a Netanyahu coalition.

Breaking through the silence on the plight of Middle Eastern Christians

Breaking through the silence on the plight of Middle Eastern Christians

January 15, 2013 | Ahron Shapiro

Up to 100 million Christians are facing persecution globally, mostly by Islamic extremists, and especially in the Middle East and African regions, according to a new report by the Christian NGO Open Doors.

According to the organisation, of the top 10 countries on their list – North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, Maldives, Mali, Iran, Yemen and Eritrea – eight are majority Muslim states threatened by Islamic extremism, with North Korea and Eritrea being the sole exceptions.

The report puts a spotlight on the underreported plight of minority Christians worldwide, particularly in the Islamist-dominated Middle East, where the number of Christians relative to the global Christian population has plunged to less than one percent. This is in contrast to a century ago, when the Middle East was home to 20 percent of the world’s Christians.

Media Week - Half-cocked; Nuclear handwringing; Off key; The value of values

Media Week – Half-cocked; Nuclear handwringing; Off key; The value of values

January 11, 2013 | Allon Lee

In the Sun-Herald (30/12), Paul McGeough penned a long article devoted to offensively comparing pro-Israel voices concerned over President Barack Obama’s possible nomination of former Republican Senator Chuck Hagel as his next Defence-Secretary to those Americans who defend their right to own guns in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook school massacre.

Iran's war on human rights

Iran’s war on human rights

January 11, 2013 | Sharyn Mittelman

Following the Iranian regime’s violent crackdown on Iranians who protested the June 2009 election result, Iran’s repression continued against anyone deemed to be a supporter of the ‘velvet revolution’.  As a result, citizens who dare to speak out against Iran’s violation of human rights including lawyers, journalists, bloggers have been arrested and often tortured. While this issue has mostly faded from global attention, the death while in custody of a 35-year-old Iranian activist blogger Sattar Beheshti in November 2012 has put this issue back in the headlines.

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