The Iran war has damaged US leverage in the Persian Gulf, strengthened Iran’s regional bargaining position and forced Gulf Arab states to reassess their reliance on Washington.
Category: Israel Palestine
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Israel’s solution to the Gaza problem is well underway
Israel’s military campaign has been accompanied by a broader objective: the destruction of Gaza’s social, civic and institutional fabric, creating conditions in which mass displacement becomes increasingly possible. (more…)
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Women’s health should not be collateral damage of war and sanctions
Whether through sanctions, blockade or war, policies presented as matters of security and strategy often impose predictable and disproportionate harm on women’s health, particularly reproductive and maternal care. (more…)
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Social cohesion cannot be built by exceptionalising antisemitism
A submission to the Royal Commission argues that privileging antisemitism above other forms of racism, while suppressing criticism of Israel and Zionism, undermines freedom of expression and weakens social cohesion. (more…)
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Not in our name: Jewish Australians speak out
The first tranche of hearings of the Antisemitism Royal Commission did not hear enough from those Jewish Australians who oppose Israel’s actions in the Occupied Territories. (more…)
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Antoun Issa’s novel of loss and rebirth
Deepcut News co-founder and journalist Antoun Issa captures his mother’s true experiences of love, heartbreak and new hope during the violence of civil war in Lebanon, in his new book Rebirth. (more…)
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Don’t forget the plight of Palestinian Christians
The brutal beating of a French Catholic nun in Jerusalem has caused revulsion. It should also remind us of the marginalisation of Christians in the Palestinian homeland. (more…)
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The chilling effect of recent legislation
Freedom of speech and assembly is being curbed by legislation designed to address hate speech. What does this mean for the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement? (more…)
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Ben-Gvir’s flotilla humiliation exposes Australia’s selective human rights language
The detention and public humiliation of Australian citizens aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla raises broader questions about whether Australia applies its human rights principles differently when the state involved is a close ally.
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Putin and Trump can’t win
Believing in their military might, neither Putin nor Trump considered the consequences of their attacks on Ukraine and Iran. Now their wars are failing. (more…)
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Compassion does not end at the front gate – Message from the Editor
Like many I was revolted by the video of Itamar Ben-Gvir taunting and humiliating courageous international citizens determined to get supplies to Palestine. If you haven’t seen it, the video shows the Israeli Minister humiliating Gaza flotilla activists, who are shown kneeling in rows, heads bowed, hands cable-tied behind their backs.
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Taunting and degrading civilians in armed conflict is a clear violation of international law
The public humiliation and mistreatment of Gaza flotilla activists violated core protections under international humanitarian law governing the treatment of civilians and detainees during armed conflict.
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US condemns Israel’s Ben-Gvir while sanctioning Gaza flotilla organisers
A rare public rebuke of Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir by US Ambassador Mike Huckabee has highlighted growing international condemnation over the treatment of Gaza flotilla activists, even as Washington continues sanctioning Palestinian groups and organisers.
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Catch 22? A problematic definition of antisemitism
The greatest single cause of the recent rise of antisemitism in Australia is the behaviour of Israel, which the Australian Government has not condemned. (more…)
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Freedom Flotilla Coalition says Israeli forces attacked aid boats for 35 hours
In a statement from the Freedom Flotilla Coalition’s US arm, organisers say Israeli forces carried out a prolonged assault on civilian aid boats in international waters, using gunfire, water cannons and violent boardings against unarmed volunteers attempting to reach Gaza.
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UN report details systemic torture and sexual abuse of Palestinian detainees
A United Nations special rapporteur has documented extensive allegations of torture, sexual violence and abuse against Palestinian detainees held in Israeli custody since October 2023.
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What Nakba Day feels like for a Palestinian in Australia
A personal reflection on Nakba Day, intergenerational trauma, exile and the experience of carrying Palestinian identity and grief while living in the Australian diaspora. (more…)
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The Nakba did not end in 1948: how the bet on erasing Palestinian memory failed
The Nakba is not simply an historical event but an ongoing system of displacement, erasure and resistance that continues to shape Palestinian identity and political life generations later. (more…)
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The weaponisation of antisemitism by the Zionist lobby hides the genocide
In a personal submission to the Antisemitism Royal Commission, P&I founder John Menadue argues that it is impossible to separate increasing rates of antisemitism from the way Israel has conducted its genocide in Gaza. (more…)
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New Zealand PM ignores a terrorist attack on his own citizens
The Israeli assault on the Gaza-bound Global Sumud flotilla has sparked accusations that New Zealand’s government abandoned its own citizens and failed its most basic obligations under international law. (more…)
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The West is no innocent in international politics
Western powers have repeatedly backed or empowered religious extremists when it suited strategic interests, while undermining secular nationalist movements across the Middle East and Central Asia.
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Indonesia’s fear of the ‘J word’ reveals a deeper intolerance
Indonesia’s response to the Bondi shootings and the royal commission hearings exposed a deeper unease – one where fear, politics and prejudice still shape how Judaism and Israel are discussed in public life.
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Cannes and the courts deliver a sharp rebuke to political silencing – Message from the Editor
Two seemingly unconnected things happened this week, one at the Cannes film festival on the French Riviera, the other in the US District Court in Washington. The events concerned two women – Susan Sarandon and Francesca Albanese. So what connects an icon of the screen with an Italian human-rights lawyer, and why does it matter?
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Judge blocks Trump sanctions on UN Palestine special rapporteur Francesca Albanese
A US federal judge has temporarily blocked Trump administration sanctions against UN Palestine expert Francesca Albanese, ruling the measures likely violated constitutional free speech protections.
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Israeli attacks on Gaza surged by 35 per cent since Iran ceasefire
Conflict monitors and health officials say Israeli attacks on Gaza increased sharply after the US-Israel bombing campaign against Iran slowed, despite an ongoing ceasefire.
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War destroys more than lives – it destroys cultural worlds
War, displacement and colonisation do not only destroy lives and communities, but also the cultural worlds, histories and shared meanings that give people a sense of continuity and belonging.
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Antisemitism is rising and we’re not being honest about why
For years, the response to antisemitism has been predictable: more education, awareness campaigns and structured teaching designed to help people recognise antisemitism when it appears; Holocaust remembrance. These tools are no longer enough because they are not fully engaging with the world people are actually reacting to now. (more…)
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Light rations from the Antisemitism Royal Commission thus far
The recommendations from the interim report of the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion are tentative, lightweight and backed by scarcely any supporting analysis. Further recommendations must take into account the Netanyahu government’s responsibilty for the stimulation of antisemitism here and around the world.
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US support for Israel is faltering
The political consensus in America that sustained unconditional US support for Israel was built over decades; it will not be dismantled quickly. But the direction of change is now clear. The shift in public opinion away from supporting Israel reflects generational change. That demographic trajectory will not reverse. (more…)
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Interception of a Gaza-bound flotilla raises legal and humanitarian questions
Israeli forces intercepted a civilian flotilla heading to Gaza in international waters. On board were hundreds of activists, including Australians. Reports say forces boarded the vessels, detained some people and cut communication with others. The incident raises urgent questions about what happened at sea and how governments respond. (more…)