This is a wonderful essay in the New York Review of Books about Dubai, a city continually built by imported slaves, and includes these fascinating insights about the role of the Jewish state in this Arab land ruled by a corrupt royal elite: One alleged arms buyer was Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, a fifty-year-old Hamas operative based…
Showing all posts tagged Hamas
US-led “peace talks” going the way Israel hopes (ie. nowhere)
My following article appears today on ABC Unleashed: The resumption of self-described peace talks between Israel, Washington and the Palestinian Authority produced headlines across the world last week. The public was told that each side was pessimistic about the prospects of finally sealing a deal after decades of stop-start negotiations. The stated goal was a…
Why one-state solution makes sense (told in the Wash Post)
Poignant, beautiful, sensible and moderate piece by Palestinian George Bisharat in the Washington Post. The one-state solution lands with a thud in the pages of the American mainstream press: “Where is the Palestinian Mandela?” pundits occasionally ask. But after these latest Israeli-Palestinian peace talks in Washington fail — as they inevitably will — the more…
Abunimah says without Hamas talks are pointless
Ali Abunimah in the New York Times – what, a Palestinian in the Times, get rid of him immediately! – on America’s apparent determination to fail at upcoming “peace talks” between Israel and the Palestinian Authority: George J. Mitchell, the United States Middle East envoy, tried to counter low expectations for renewed Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations…
Obama’s “peace talks” will lead to disaster
How desperate is the Obama administration for an historic handshake on the White House lawn between Israel, the Palestinians and the Americans to seal a “two-state solution”? This is a sham designed to ignore the multiple elephants in the room. It will be opposed by many, including me, until the right of return, shared Jerusalem,…
The real face of Hamas is appearing and it ain’t pretty
Amira Hass in Haaretz on the growing intolerance of dissent by Hamas in Gaza: Senior Hamas officials may watch their language when they talk with representatives of the depleted left, but the real attitude shines through in the conduct of younger activists and people lower in the hierarchy. They don’t stand so much on pretense…
Complete Labor MP Julia Irwin’s views on the Middle East
Following my article in yesterday’s Crikey about departing ALP MP Julia Irwin speaking honestly about Israel/Palestine – check the comments on the original piece that shows the massive interest in these rare statements – please find below the complete transcript of the interview with Irwin: ALP Policy: While some of my former colleagues may disagree,…
Departing ALP member tells of deep Zionist influence in party
My following article appears in today’s Crikey: The departing Labor member for Fowler, Julia Irwin, has revealed the deep influence of the Zionist lobby on the ALP and the inner workings of her party towards the Middle East in an exclusive interview with Crikey. Irwin says Israel must engage with Hamas, argues that the two-state…
Somebody talks to Hamas, hold the front page!
The Australian Murdoch press is so clueless. This story, appearing on page 2 of today’s Australian newspaper, is a supposed scoop: A senior East Timorese government minister wanted to advise the Palestinian militant group Hamas while employed by the World Bank. Based in the West Bank in 2006, Emilia Pires, a dual Australian citizen, now…
Taking the measure of the heat in Gaza
My following book review appeared in Saturday’s Melbourne Age: Gaza: Morality, Law and Politics Edited by Raimond Gaita University of Western Australia Publishing, $29.95 Raimond Gaita’s collection tries to analyse a contentious conflict, writes Antony Loewenstein. MONTHS after the release of the UN-backed Goldstone report that found alleged war crimes by both Israel and Hamas…