In the last 24 hours the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) union, Australia’s leading media union representing the country’s best journalists, (I’ve been a member since 2003/2004), has sent the following letter to the Israeli Ambassador in Australia, the Australian Ambassador in Israel, Dave Sharma, and the Israeli Government Press Office:  His Excellency…
Showing all posts tagged human rights
The limits of open debate in today's Israel
The following article appears in the Electronic Intifada by Ali Abunimah: Israel is threatening to expel an Australian journalist in Jerusalem, accusing him of being a supporter of the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement. The threat against Antony Loewenstein comes after the freelance journalist asked a question about Israeli apartheid at a press conference…
Australia unfazed about declining free speech in Israel
The following story appears today in Australian online magazine,… Crikey, written by… Myriam Robin.… One added point; I contacted the Australian embassy in Tel Aviv… yesterday to ask for advice on my situation in the hope that they would speak out strongly and publicly in favour of free speech in a self-described “democracy”. I wasn’t expecting much. The…
Free speech in the Jewish state
I publish the following story, from today’s Jerusalem Post by Gil Hoffman, with little comment. It speaks for itself and follows last week’s faux controversy over me asking Israeli politician Yair Lapid a question about the Israeli occupation of Palestine. But a few remarks: For over a decade, I’ve been an independent journalist and best-selling…
Senior Israeli politician doesn't like question about occupation, spits dummy
Yesterday I attended a press conference in Jerusalem with one of Israel’s leading politicians, Yesh Atid leader, Yair Lapid. He’s a serious contender to be the country’s next Prime Minister. Like most politicians in Israel, he hates Palestinians, wants them to disappear and largely refuses to condemn settlers or settlements. Welcome to Israel in 2016.…
Turkish TV network TRT interview on Australian refugee policy
Yesterday I was interviewed by Turkish satellite TV channel TRT, in Jerusalem, about Australia’s asylum policies, the recent US/Australian refugee swap deal and how Australia is now inspiring the world on draconian refugee ideas:
The National newspaper interview on the Gaza Strip
I recently visited Gaza and wrote a feature for the UAE newspaper The National. I was interviewed by the publication about my experiences:
Life and death inside the Gaza Strip
My… feature story in UAE newspaper The National on my recent trip into Gaza. I last visited the territory in 2009 (here’s my short film from that trip and my major report). The National published my story as its cover feature this weekend (see the PDF here:… gazacover-final… +… gazainside-final): During the 2014 conflict between Israel and Hamas in…
Why we should listen to Guinea-Bissau
I visited Guinea-Bissau in 2015 to investigate its role as a key drug smuggling hub.… My following essay appears in the… African Arguments… website: Despite being as poorly… governed… as Zimbabwe and Angola, and having some of the lowest social development indicators on the continent, Guinea-Bissau is one of Africa’s forgotten states. With a population of under two million…
US Writer's Voice radio interview on Disaster Capitalism
A few months ago I was interviewed on the US radio program, Writer’s Voice with Francesca Rheannon, about my book, Disaster Capitalism: Making A Killing Out Of Catastrophe (out in paperback in January). We spoke for an hour about war, immigration, Haiti relief and people making money from misery.