Seventy-five years ago this week, the United Nations General Assembly voted by 33 votes in favour, 13 against and with 10 abstentions, to partition the land between the Mediterranean Sea and Jordan River into two states, Jewish and Arab. We know the history of what happened next; the State of Israel was subsequently declared in…
Explaining the ambivalence of contemporary progressives on antisemitism: Some learnings from Sima Arnold’s From Occupation to Occupy: Antisemitism and the contemporary American Left, Indiana University Press, 2022 by Professor Philip Mendes Every few months now, Australian student unions seem to pass extreme pro-BDS resolutions: https://anuobserver.org/2022/08/04/tired-of-being-interrogated-the-jewish-experience-on-campus-amidst-israel-palestine-debate/ The resolutions use highly inflammatory language, accusing Israel of perpetrating…
Thank you, Yossi, and can I say how glad I am to be here in Melbourne as a guest of the Zionist Federation of Australia to address you, the leaders of the Australian Jewish community, as part of your first biennial conference since the pandemic. I acknowledge Israeli Ambassador, Amir Maimon, Zionist Federation of Australia…
The Labor party on Saturday held an annual rally to mark the assassination of former prime minister and party leader Yitzhak Rabin at Jerusalem’s Zion Square, in an event held three days before national elections. During the event — which wasn’t attended by Rabin’s family members — current Labor leader Merav Michaeli slammed her election…
Labor party chief Merav Michaeli on Thursday accused opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu of being complicit in the assassination of former prime minister Yitzhak Rabin. Speaking at a conference organized by the Yisrael Hayom newspaper ahead of Saturday night’s memorial ceremony marking 27 years since the 1995 assassination, Michaeli also singled out Religious Zionism-Otzma Yehudit’s MK…
Letters on ballot slip: אמת What the party is pitching: Nearly two years after rehabilitating the erstwhile ruling party, whose support dwindled drastically of late, into a government partner, Labor leader Transportation Minister Merav Michaeli has promised to be a home for Israelis interested in “equality, social justice, and peace.” In addition to working toward…
The Labor Party presented this evening, Sunday 23 October, its diplomatic plan to separate from the Palestinians and to strive for negotiations. At the center of the plan, which is consistent with the party’s historical path and with the direction taken by the late Yitzhak Rabin, the Labor Party will continue to work to secure…
‘Reasonable people can disagree, as many readers will disagree with me. But I will always be straight with you, and I won’t use this issue to score points.’ I understand that there are few issues more central for many Jewish people than the status of Jerusalem. It is more than a political issue. It is…
In my lifetime, I dream of seeing peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians. With all my heart I want to see an end to this long and protracted conflict. I believe deeply that a better future is possible. It’s why I regularly meet with Palestinian advocates here in Australia. We don’t always agree but…
Today the Government has reaffirmed Australia’s previous and longstanding position that Jerusalem is a final status issue that should be resolved as part of any peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian people. This reverses the Morrison Government’s recognition of West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Australia’s embassy has always been, and remains, in…