The Netanyahu government finally slaughtered so many Palestinians that, after weeks of silence about dozens of other killings, the Turnbull government had to react. Like plenty of media outlets, though, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop was struck by a sudden attack of passive voice. In a media release titled “Palestinian Protests in Gaza” (not, say, “Mass Murder By The IDF”), Bishop expressed the government’s “deep regret and sadness over the loss of life and injury”, as if some vast accident had struck the sixty dead victims of Israeli Defence Force bullets and tear gas.
The nearest the government came to actual criticism of Israel — or even a faint allusion that the sixty people were dead as a result of IDF actions — came in its call for “Israel to be proportionate in its response and refrain from excessive use of force.” Of course, Palestinians were also urged to refrain from violence, in the time-honoured “we urge both sides to show restraint” model of equating heavily armed government forces and unarmed protesters who have been mown down by them.
Bishop’s call for Israel to show restraint perhaps drew a wry smile from figures within the Netanyahu government. No government other than the Trump administration has been more ardent in its support of Israel, and the Netanyahu regime personally, than the Turnbull government. In both Netanyahu’s visit to Australia, and Turnbull’s visit to Jerusalem, Australia’s relations with the current far-right government have been characterised by the most extraordinary pandering (to “Bibi”, as Turnbull simperingly addresses him), even as corruption allegations have swamped the Israeli Prime Minister. Netanyahu has only been doing what Trump and Turnbull have encouraged him to do in ignoring international law, and the rest of the international community, in continuing to occupy ever greater portions of the West Bank and immiserating and humiliating Palestinians ever further. And now we call for restraint, just because sixty Palestinians are dead?
As always, the comforting pabulum of the two-state solution wasn’t far away. “The Australian Government is committed to a future where Israel and a Palestinian state exist side-by-side in peace and security, within internationally recognised borders,” Bishop said. This is despite knowing full well the two-state solution is now just a fantasy, destroyed by relentless settlement expansion and de facto annexation of occupied Palestinian territory that has long since made a viable Palestinian state impossible without a massive program of decolonisation from the West Bank that will disrupt the Israeli economy. Netanyahu’s goal is the maintenance of the status quo — Palestinians contained in unviable mini-states over which the IDF retains control, with a steady expansion of Israeli settlements in defiance of international law, and the occasional “mowing the grass” slaughter of Palestinians to keep them in check.
The Turnbull government’s “commitment” is to enabling this outcome, by turning a blind eye to Israeli massacres and issuing pro forma calls for restraint when the bloodshed is so great that staying silent isn’t workable. Bishop hopes “an enduring peace can be found”. The only peace on offer to the Palestinians from Netanyahu is that of the grave.
Thank you Bernard for a great article about the slaughter and land theft the Israeli’s are committing against the Palestinians. Israel doesn’t want peace with Palestine, Israel just wants another piece of Palestine.
I have always been disgusted with the behaviour of Israel with respect to the Palestinians. The Jewish people were themselves treated horrifically by the Nazis. Surely they should feel some sympathy for the Palestinians. Instead, they are incrementally taking their land away from them and want to completely get rid of them from their own homeland. This is totally unacceptable.
If the Muslim countries were not fighting amongst themselves, they will be a powerful bloc and they can force a solution. Unfortunately, like the British of yesteryear, the US has managed to divide and conquer. Why cant the Sunnis and Shias get together. They both believe in Allah and the Koran.
Cast and eye over Lawrence’s “Seven Pillars..” The energy required to unify the Arabs (collectively) against the Turks/Ottoman (for the Arab Revolt) was so great Lawrence wondered, more than once, if it was going to be worth it.
Hence his emergent interest in aircraft mechanics.
and aerial photography; his specialty in the RAF (that he joined twice – as an airman and declined all promotion).
I ought to have added – for emphasis- that the current situation had nothing to do with perceived (former) colonial divide and conquer methods or latter-day political methods. Nasser achieved damned all with his vision of pan-Arabism. Now, the Saudis are actively destroying any hint of such a construction.
For anyone with the least interest in this subject I recommend Mansfield P. “The Arabs”. The book is in its “nth” edition and has been around for 40-odd years. It covers much more than the “here and now” and is first class but it is not an elementary text.
If you can find it the Israeli film “Checkpoint”released in 2003 shows the harsh treatment the Palestinians suffer at the hands of the murderous IDF.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0391857/?ref_=nv_sr_5
Israel wants all of Palestine.
Indeed and which president’s son-in-law has construction of illegal settlements in the family business. I believe that Israel has forfeited the right to sympathy and is disgracing the great cultural history of its people and the memory of those who fought oppression. They are nothing more than money changers in the temple. Neten the Yahu is a murderer, who is now doing so much that the Jews once had done to them, as are those who support him.
Murdering 60 odd innocent people is a significant crime in anyone’s criminology. But for the IDF snipers to slowly and calmly set about shooting thousands more in the legs with live ammunition, is a shockingly unforgivable depravity proportionate to no human morality. The economic cost of this to the Palestinian community will be felt for decades.
It should be pointed out that pogroms did not occur in the muslim world – they were are euroid phenomena – the word being Russian.
Until New York took the title last century, Baghdad had the world’s largest Jewish population and there wasn’t a large town in the Arab world, from the Atlantic to the Gulf, that didn’t have a mellah quarter.
Perhaps Crikey could reprint that Le Lievre cartoon that saw him & Mike Carlton fired by the SMH.
Jews, like xtians, are ‘People of the Book’ in the Koran.
Quite a good summary of events of late Bernie but (with no implied criticism) not a lot of new material. Interesting how one (single) country – invented by the UN in 1948 – can conduct itself with impunity, in doing what it damned will pleases; whereas any other country would incur severe sanctions at the very least for such (irresponsible) conduct. Interesting that the wo(man) in a street in Israel hasn’t been interviewed. My guess (based upon experience) is that they would not be too pleased to be “lumbered” with the proceedings of their government.
Lastly, for Paul, the penny has dropped for a number of prominent people who were pro-Zionist decades ago. Now that they realise that Israel will be content with nothing other than the whole of (what was) Palestine their perspective has changed. Another case of “better late than never”
Turn it up Kyle. You write a lot of sensible things, but the latest episode of Palestinian provocation playing to the world’s media has had its predictable effect.
Arafat had his chance and ratted away from a deal….the Palestinians have conducted a fratricidal war between Hamas and Fatah, while playing the rest of the donor world for suckers.
My great uncle shot his faithful Waler in Palestine at the end of WW1. He would not see it sold or given to the locals….Palestinians. He had a vastly better opinion of the few Jews then settled there….says it all really doesn’t it?? Lawrence….it wasn’t worth it!!
“Turn it up Kyle. You write a lot of sensible things, but the latest episode of Palestinian provocation playing to the world’s media has had its predictable effect.”
With my tongue firmly against the inside-left of my cheek Jim, may I recommend your good self (referring to your recent posts) as an acknowledged expert on gender issues and personnel selection as it affects affirmative action? – an idiotic phrase : I agree.
Taking your “arguments” in sequence :
“Arafat had his chance and ratted away from a deal….”
The ‘deal’ was to return all occupied land from the war in ’67 to the Palestinians. The very existence of Israel is capricious (at best) and I have reported on the country’s monthly pocket money (+ funding for specific projects – notably upgrades to the army and air force), which has been in place since inception, on the pages of Crikey.
“the Palestinians have conducted a fratricidal war between Hamas and Fatah, ”
It is the case that the two organisations have been played off (by the west – not least Israel) against one-another with remarkable success. Ditto for the various groups in Syria. Without the incessant interference by the west (playing off the various “rebel” groups) al-Assad would have been flicked some years ago.
> while playing the rest of the donor world for suckers.
suffice to observe that there are a lot of “reformed” “suckers” that now see the game only too clearly – that were once (Jewish and non-Jewish) Zionists.
“My great uncle shot his faithful Waler in Palestine at the end of WW1.”
For my experience, Jim, I have seen good and bad wherever I have been. I’ll wager that your great uncle knew of some inept horsemen who were Australians and would have been loathed to sell a horse (at good money) to a prat in Oz. Its a pity that we can’t re-run the exercise but I’ll wager that he could have found a farmer with “some idea” as to animal husbandry. At 1918 the place had been farmed almost from the Neolithic – so, clearly, the inhabitants had some clue. Of course there would have been (both) good and bad farmers.
“He had a vastly better opinion of the few Jews then settled there….says it all really doesn’t it??”
Actually, with all due respect, “it” doesn’t say anything – at least not without a definitive account. Empiricism ought to guide us Jim. Inference (trials by ordeal etc) is just a tad Medieval.
> Lawrence….it wasn’t worth it!!
Oh.. I suggest that it was Jim. The sick man of Europe finally, after circa 450 years, got “the tablet”. Having written that, the administration of the Ottomans (from about the late 1890s) was throughly moribund. It was moderately moribund for most of the 19th century.
What fucked the victory up was the (secret) Sykes–Picot Agreement – recently celebrated by which country? Lawrence, it is argued, had a (delayed) melt-down
over the agreement and after leaving Churchill’s (administrative) staff in 1922, at the end of his promise to Churchill of four yeas service, joined the RAF.
Now, since the coup of 1974, Turkey is about as “rational” as Israel – which brings us (back) to the commencing point on the circle. What sanctions, would you envisage, to be applied to Turkey if Turkey decided shoot-up (murder?) the Kurds in the same manner?
Last question : are the Palestinians expendable (in your opinion) inasmuch that they “deserve” to be sacrificed to the State of Israel? Wiped-out if you prefer? If “yes” then Israels policy has the virtue of consistency. If “no” then the Two-State “solution” ought to happen tomorrow with Palestine being admitted, unreservedly to the UN – with terms of office on the Security Council (as with any “normal” country.
I’m not a big fan of Jews Kyle, but I am a much smaller fan of Palestinians and Arabs in general.
There can be no negotiation with an enemy whose avowed aim is to wipe you off the map. What did Winston say about ‘negotiating with a Tiger when your head is in its mouth’.
Israel is all about not being wiped off the map. A two State solution will happen when the Palestinians really want it to happen…not really wanting Israel wiped off the map.
I accept that managering differing cultures can be difficult Jim. For some creeds, if they think you’re ok as a boss you’ll never hear bad news; at least not directly. Such a situation introduces its own problems. The factory could be burning down but if one were to ask the foreman “how is it going” he is more likely to reply ” oh .. no problems at all”.
However, you seems to have selected “option one” so there is not a lot I can do about that decision (its yours). As to your concluding comment I would suggest that from circa 1982 the Israelis have overplayed their hand. As has been pointed out at length, the creation of Israel by the UN was as arbitrary as hell and highly unlikely to occur nowadays. Secondly,
you are correct on one respect; their existence does seem to provide a license to do as they please. As for the Palestinians, well the yanks and Israelis have played them off against one-another masterfully!
Its worth a trip for a look around Jim but expect to be inconvenienced by Oz Immigration when you return. Also avoid the Israeli stamp in your passport if you want to have a look elsewhere. Even as a Oz you won’t be able to get across the Allenby Bridge (to Jordan) in under a day starting from within Israel. You could almost forget the West Bank and Gaza unless you have some kind of (tourist?) contacts.
You won’t find that that many zealous Zionists on the streets of Israel (they are in the Knesset!) but politics, including world politics is a big topic. The Cappuccino strips (and squares) around Tel Aviv are excellent places to obtain a “feel” for what is going on. Many (white) immigrants from South Africa who have residence/citizenship (and are about as Jewish as I am) are interesting to chat with. As to those native born many under 40 have aspirations of immigrating, not to the USA but, to Australia; of all places!