International law rulings on Israel’s occupation place clear obligations on all states, yet Australia continues to back US and Israeli military action in Iran. (more…)
Paul Heywood-Smith
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Iran war – controlling the narrative
Claims that groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah are simply terrorist organisations reflect a political narrative that obscures the context of occupation and resistance.
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Counting protesters down – how the Adelaide protest against Herzog was reported
The Adelaide protest against the visit of Israel’s president drew thousands and passed peacefully. Yet its treatment in the media raises familiar questions about whose voices are amplified, whose are minimised, and how protest is framed for public consumption.
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Best of 2025 – Israel’s response to the International Court of Justice
The ceasefire plan in Gaza has dominated our news in recent days and weeks. One aspect of the plan is the obligation of Israel in the first phase to release a number — a large number — of Palestinian prisoners. (more…)
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Avoiding false conclusions
In the aftermath of the Bondi attack, explanations have been offered quickly and with strong moral force. Misidentifying the causes of violence, however, risks obscuring political responsibility and undermining efforts to reduce future harm.
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Best of 2025 – Best of 2025 – Who is a terrorist?
Since 7 October 2023 there has been a growth of the use of the allegation of terrorism for propaganda purposes. (more…)
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2025 in Review: Palestine, international law and Australia’s silence
In 2025, the crisis in Palestine brought international law to a breaking point. Australia’s response, marked by caution and inaction, raises hard questions about responsibility, principle and moral leadership. (more…)
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Israel’s response to the International Court of Justice
The ceasefire plan in Gaza has dominated our news in recent days and weeks. One aspect of the plan is the obligation of Israel in the first phase to release a number — a large number — of Palestinian prisoners. (more…)
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Our media and Palestine/Gaza
An article entitled “Israel backtracks on location of hostages”, appearing in the weekend edition of The Australian, evidences the failure of our media to properly inform the Australian public on the Israel/Palestine issue. (more…)
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Who is a terrorist?
Since 7 October 2023 there has been a growth of the use of the allegation of terrorism for propaganda purposes. (more…)
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The response to recognition
The recognition of the State of Palestine by Australia, leading, it is hoped, to full UN member state status, is an important development. (more…)
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Palestine recognised
We are approaching the end game. There is a movement towards recognition of Palestine by major Western nations, namely France, the UK and Canada, and including, possibly, Australia and New Zealand. (more…)
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Australians for Humanity pushes for votes against Israeli genocide
Australians for Humanity is a coalition of interested parties seeking to have Australia and Australians respond to the genocidal slaughter of Palestinians and the declared Israeli intent to ethnically cleanse Palestine and proceed to the annexation of Gaza, the West Bank and parts of Lebanon and Syria. (more…)
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Antisemitism: a vehicle for engendering anti-Palestinian racism
The promotion of antisemitism as a diversion from what is happening in Palestine is a deliberate activity which must be understood by all Australians, particularly voting age Australians. (more…)
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Our media ignores the elephant in the room: Israel’s illegal occupation
It falls to someone to bring the discussion concerning what is happening in the Middle East, back to the elephant in the room. And what is the elephant? It is the fact of illegal occupation and what is not being done about it. (more…)
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Will Australia act on Israel team’s participation in Tour Down Under?
Some readers may recall an earlier article Israel and the Tour Down Under, published on 4 January. The article addressed the then forthcoming Santos Tour Down Under due to take place from 12 – 21 January. The cycling event, established in South Australia in 1999, is an annual event and part of the UCI (Union Cycliste International) World Tour. (more…)
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How we got to Gaza: a compendium
The linked article “How we got to Gaza 2024”, is a compendium put together by retired Adelaide historian CL Parkes. The source material is the work of such writers as Ilan Pappe., Robert Fisk, John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt, Shlomo Sand and Edward Said. Of course, there are others, and behind them all is the Holy Bible. (more…)
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Israel’s relentless bombing leaves Syria defenceless against military aggression
This is just another example of the exceptionalism that we have come to expect with Israel. That exceptionalism is the Zionist belief that Arab peoples are inferior to themselves — as former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant has described them — “human animals”. (more…)
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Settlements in Palestine
As we are potentially approaching a time when the world must address a Palestinian resolution, it is appropriate to consider possible obstacles. As Australians, our vote at the UN last week calling on Israel to end the occupation, is most unlikely to avoid the obstacle addressed here. (more…)
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Terminology: The trap that is being carefully set
Terminology, take care. Take care Pearls & Irritations that you don’t fall into the trap – fall into the trap that is being carefully set. (more…)
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Is Israel above international law? Let’s put the ICC warrants into perspective
On 19 November, the ICC issued warrants for the arrest of Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, in response to the request by the Prosecutor of the ICC, Karim Khan KC, back on 20 May. (more…)
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“Absolute savagery”: What is stopping Australia from holding Israel to account?
Why won’t you hold Israel to account? You don’t have to wait for the rest of the world. You can be the leaders, you can be the leaders to hold Israel to account, for the slaughter of tens of thousands of Palestinians, for the killing of Zoni Frankcom.” – Senator Mehreen Faruqi, addressing the Australian Foreign Minister, Senator Wong. (more…)
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Act now: The case for UN membership for Palestine is overwhelming
John Whitbeck’s plea for sanity – UN Membership for Palestine Now, 14 November 2024, should not be put into the too hard basket. At present, of course, the State of Palestine has only non-member observer status, having failed in an application for full member status in 2011. (more…)
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The ICJ advisory opinion and the UNGA response
A position paper has been published by the organisation BADIL in October, suggesting that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) decision on the illegality of Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory further fragments the Palestinian people and marginalises their rights. (more…)
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Israel’s “Right to Defend Itself” against the Hezbollah resistance in Lebanon
Readers may recall my recent P&I post, Israel does not have a right to defend itself, as our PM keeps saying, 11 October. Since publication I have been questioned by some: does the argument made in respect of Palestinians resisting from the West Bank and Gaza, occupied by Israel, apply as well to resistance in the form of missiles fired at Israel from non-occupied territory, such as Lebanon, from which Hezbollah operates? (more…)
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Israel does not have a right to defend itself, as our PM keeps saying
Israel has no right of self-defence against resistance to the illegal occupation. Israel cannot both occupy Palestinian lands, and then launch an attack on those lands by citing ‘self-defence’ when occupied populations resist. Neither can Israel treat those resisting in occupied territories as enemy combatants. (more…)
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UN Palestine vote: Australia shows it lacks a backbone
Why is it that successive Australian Governments cannot bring themselves to call out Israel for what it is? A state that constantly ignores international law, most recently in the current Gaza conflict where there can be no doubt that war crimes have been, and are being committed against the Palestinian population. What Israel is perpetrating against the Palestinians is genocide on any definition. (more…)
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UN vote: Newspaper raises irrelevant questions about an ICJ decision
The exclusive ‘US urges Australia over UN’s Israel vote’, published in Tuesday’s The Australian by Ben Packham, demands a response. (more…)
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We are avoiding the truths set out on Gaza by the International Court of Justice
Our World gets worse and worse, reflected in inhumane, racist, behaviour. And what for us – Australians – is really bad is that we, as represented by our political leaders, and our media, are totally complicit in genocide. (more…)
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The ICJ decision and the general assembly
Readers note that it is a month since the International Court of Justice (ICJ) handed down its advisory opinion on the Palestinian occupation (on 19 July). No doubt some are wondering what is happening. I am one of you. (more…)