Creating new perspectives since 2009
Items by Ramona Wadi
-
Miliband endorses illegality to oppose legitimate resistance
Labour leader Ed Miliband has promised to protect Jewish traditions if he is elected Prime Minister. According to Britain’s Jewish Chronicle, Miliband has also declared himself to be a Zionist, a description which his office later declared was taken out of context. During his speech at a Jewish community event,…
-
Netanyahu’s settlement compromise leads to talks with illusory objective
As the peace talks continue, within improbable absolutes such as a nine month timeframe in which a “final status deal” is expected to be reached, Maariv newspaper reported Netanyahu’s compromise with the Jewish Home Party in order to preserve the coalition. In return for keeping the government’s legitimacy Netanyahu, it…
-
Argentina’s president slams use of veto against Palestinians
As Argentina assumes the UN Security Council presidency this month, President Cristina Fernandez condemned the misuse of veto by the five permanent members and reserved harshest criticism for the US, whose use of veto has shielded Israel from accountability throughout the decades of its illegal occupation of Palestine. Veto, Fernandez…
-
UN Secretary General seeks to appease Israel
The latest meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon on August 16 elicited very weak criticism of Israel’s continued occupation of Palestine. The Israeli Embassy of New Zealand has published the statements of both leaders, indicating a general consensus of allowing Israel…
-
The illusion of peace negotiations
The continuation of peace talks between Israel and Palestine are being portrayed as a failure by both sides. Despite the apparently shared sentiment by Israeli and Palestinian alike, any assumption of equality within the shared viewpoint is erroneous and should be dispelled. We need to clarify attempts to justify the…
-
Supporting ‘peace’, legitimising Zionism
An interview with Angela Merkel in Jewish Voice From Germany serves as an illuminating albeit expected insight into diplomatic efforts to elevate Israel into further immunity. Through a discussion of Israeli security, Zionist legitimacy, peace through ‘a viable two-state solution’ and Jewish self-determination, Merkel effectively eliminated all traces of Palestinian…
-
Insights into imperialism: Obama’s UNGA speech
Obama’s speech at the United Nations General Assembly was replete with imperialist references based upon the mainstream interpretation of history. Commencing with a glorification of the UN within a context which supports US foreign policy, Obama asserted that ‘as a result of this work and cooperation with allies and partners,…
-
Al Aqsa Intifada – pleas, remembrance and resistance
The Al Aqsa intifada was marked with escalating rhetoric of resistance by Hamas, overshadowing the attempt by Abbas to address violations embedded within the conflict since the Oslo agreements. Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank commemorated the anniversary of the second intifada, triggered by Ariel Sharon’s visit in 2000,…
-
Abbas simplifies the ramifications of Israel’s occupation
In a meeting with Israeli Labour MKs held in Ramallah, Mahmoud Abbas simplified the ramifications of Israel’s illegal occupation in light of the peace negotiations, expressing optimism and stating that “The period of nine months [set aside for the current talks] is enough to reach an agreement. All the issues…
-
Netanyahu and Peres prioritise security of the “Jewish state”
The Knesset’s opening session was characterised by a series of regurgitated arguments which portray Israel’s self-imposed superiority in the Middle East. Benjamin Netanyahu and Shimon Peres attempted to frame the usual recriminations within the recently changed scenario incorporating the peace negotiations and the new Iranian leadership. Invoking threats and the…
-
Netanyahu demands absolute acquiescence from Palestinians
“We want to reach a peace agreement with the Palestinians … we will insist on the vital interests of the State of Israel, first of all security.” Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent comments provide more than an indication of how security concerns, provoked by Israel’s belligerent occupation, will continue to provide the…
-
Israel defines release of Palestinian prisoners as commitment to peace
At the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), Israeli ambassador Eviatar Manor stated that the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails defines the Jewish state’s attitude towards peace. “Their release, I believe, illustrates Israel’s determination to reach an agreement with our Palestinian neighbours that will, once and for all,…
-
Revisiting the Balfour Declaration
The 96th anniversary of the Balfour declaration prompted diverging comments from Benjamin Netanyahu and the Palestinian Authority, shedding light upon the perspectives regarding Palestinian right to self-determination. The absolute denial uttered by Netanyahu, through his renewed calls for Palestinians to recognise the Jewish state, were countered by a declaration on…
-
US compensation for acquiescence
Discourse eliciting allegedly equal comparisons has continued to echo in mainstream media, with John Kerry reportedly asserting his optimism about ‘two proud people’, in reference to Benjamin Netanyahu and Mahmoud Abbas endeavouring to reach a consensus through the farcical negotiations. Following the initial glorification of the talks and participants, the…
-
Netanyahu attempts to defend Zionist illusions
Faced with criticism over plans for settlement expansion in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sought to deflect international criticism by accusing governments of aligning themselves with Palestinian interests. “It cannot be that the Palestinians are pampered forever by the international community.” Once again attempting…
-
Resistance against international complicity
The commemoration of Israel’s massacre on Gaza under the euphemism Operation Pillar of Defence was held in Gaza, with Hamas calling for Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel to resist the colonialist power. The massacre, unleashed in the aftermath of an Israeli targeted assassination which killed the Hamas…
-
Justifying hypothetical intervention as a ‘defined obligation’
Following Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent allegations that “the Iranians already have five bombs’ worth of low-enriched uranium”, General Martin Dempsey, US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff defined US support for a possible Israeli attack on Iran as a ‘defined obligation’. Diplomatic efforts regarding a possible halt to Iran’s nuclear…
-
Justifying hypothetical intervention as a ‘defined obligation’
Following Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent allegations that “the Iranians already have five bombs’ worth of low-enriched uranium”, General Martin Dempsey, US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff defined US support for a possible Israeli attack on Iran as a ‘defined obligation’. Diplomatic efforts regarding a possible halt to Iran’s nuclear…
-
Western allies seek permanent inclusion of Israel in the Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Following Israel’s resumption of ties with the United Nations Human Rights Council, six Western countries; the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Australia, Canada and the United States are pressuring the United Nations to allow Israel to permanently join the Western European and Others Group (WEOG). The text of the letter, which…
-
The invalidation of Palestinian narrative in UN resolutions
As Israel’s colonisation process continues to advance, diminishing prospects for viable Palestinian land reclamation due to the intricacies which have confined the indigenous population to slivers of territory; it is clear that the alleged protection emanating from the history of United Nations resolutions has veered towards establishing a superior international…
-
Similarities between Palestine and Latin America invoked in Bolivian message of solidarity
On November 15 2013 Palestine and Bolivia formally declared the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations during a United Nations session. The Bolivian permanent representative to the United Nations, Sacha Llorenti, declared, “We support the Palestinian cause. Bolivia is a firm believer in the two-State solution, which includes an independent and…
-
UN acknowledges and normalises of settler colonialism in Hebron
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs published a fact sheet detailing the ramifications of settler-colonialism in Hebron. ‘The Humanitarian Impact of Israeli Settlements in Hebron City’ report summarises the restrictions and challenges faced by Palestinians, including the absence of law enforcement against settler violence. While depicting…
-
Reaffirming historical ties between Israel and Guatemala
Guatemalan President Otto Perez Molina has travelled to Israel on an official visit, during which “issues related to bilateral cooperation and the situation in the Middle East” are to be discussed with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. A spokesman for the Guatemalan president confirmed that an official invitation to visit…
-
Identifying human rights violations while maintaining Israel’s settler-colonial project
A published United Nations press release incorporated another bout of concern following Israel’s destruction of 30 dwellings in the Jordan Valley which displaced 41 Palestinian civilians, including 24 children. Despite a reminder regarding the continuity of forced displacement since the beginning of this year, responsibility and accountability remain a distant…