Palestine recognised
Paul Heywood-Smith

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.

Israel activates its cells – the Kostakidis case
Joe Lauria

Israel activates its cells – the Kostakidis case

The conflation of anti-Zionism with antisemitism is the test in the Zionist lobby case against Australian journalist Mary Kostakidis for her Gaza reporting and the outcome will be of great international significance, says Joe Lauria.

Once Australia was important to Indonesia
Duncan Graham

Once Australia was important to Indonesia

Happy birthday, monster neighbour. Er, do we know you? We’re strangers here – our proper place is mid-Atlantic, ‘twixt the Old World and the New. However, we're trying hard to cope by promoting trade and investment, while ignoring endemic corruption and avoiding deep involvement.

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Australia should recognise Palestine. To not do so only rewards Israel’s crimes
Ben Saul

Australia should recognise Palestine. To not do so only rewards Israel’s crimes

Australia was among the first countries to recognise the state of Israel, but regrettably looks set to be among the last to recognise the state of Palestine.

Albo's Palestine delay an act of moral cowardice
Greg Barns

Albo's Palestine delay an act of moral cowardice

The Albanese Government’s failure to move to follow the lead of the UK, Canada and France in recognising the state of Palestine smacks of cowardice.

Is the ‘China threat’ real or trumped up?
Jia Qingguo

Is the ‘China threat’ real or trumped up?

In recent years, the ‘China threat’ theory has become a prominent theme in Western political discourse.

Economists want a carbon price comeback – but does Australia have the political courage?
Felicity Deane

Economists want a carbon price comeback – but does Australia have the political courage?

Bold economic ideas are flowing ahead of this month’s roundtable convened by the Albanese Government, aimed at boosting Australia’s productivity and economy, and repairing the budget. Among the biggest ideas to emerge is: should Australia resurrect its carbon price?

Syria’s minorities under siege
Chris Ray

Syria’s minorities under siege

The drive by Syria’s Sunni Islamist rulers to stamp their authority over religious and ethnic minorities has hit a stumbling block in the southern province of Suweida.

Bringing government back – but not all the way
Stewart Sweeney

Bringing government back – but not all the way

The Albanese Government wants Australians to believe that the era of market dogma is over.

US’ deceitful tactic will have wide consequences
Richard Cullen

US’ deceitful tactic will have wide consequences

Richard Cullen says the Pentagon launched illegal attack on Iran while Trump claimed commitment to diplomacy.

Urgency of Palestinian recognition
George Browning

Urgency of Palestinian recognition

Of course, Netanyahu is angry about talk of Palestinian recognition. He runs a narrative that Palestine and Palestinians do not exist.

Latest on Palestine and Israel

Palestine recognised
Paul Heywood-Smith

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.

Israel activates its cells – the Kostakidis case
Joe Lauria

Israel activates its cells – the Kostakidis case

The conflation of anti-Zionism with antisemitism is the test in the Zionist lobby case against Australian journalist Mary Kostakidis for her Gaza reporting and the outcome will be of great international significance, says Joe Lauria.

Albo's Palestine delay an act of moral cowardice
Greg Barns

Albo's Palestine delay an act of moral cowardice

The Albanese Government’s failure to move to follow the lead of the UK, Canada and France in recognising the state of Palestine smacks of cowardice.

Urgency of Palestinian recognition
George Browning

Urgency of Palestinian recognition

Of course, Netanyahu is angry about talk of Palestinian recognition. He runs a narrative that Palestine and Palestinians do not exist.

'Stop genocide!' March across Sydney bridge for Gaza
Common Dreams staff

'Stop genocide!' March across Sydney bridge for Gaza

One has to be blind not to see that Israel has completely lost the majority of the world—including in the West.

The time has come for a Palestinian nation
Jack Waterford

The time has come for a Palestinian nation

The political leaders of Israel have long spoken of an existential threat. Critics, and many of its well-meaning friends have offered suggestions about the reasonable or fair thing to do. But its enemies and many of its neighbours, Israel says, want the annihilation of the very idea of the Jewish state.

Tens of thousands join march over Sydney Harbour Bridge
Reuters and ToI Staff

Tens of thousands join march over Sydney Harbour Bridge

Editor comment: Australians in their tens of thousands stood up over the weekend and delivered a very clear message to the Albanese Government and the global community – the killing in Palestine must end. Across the world the action did not go unnoticed. This report is from the Times of Israel.

ALP members demand more from PM on Palestine
Members, Bexley branch ALP NSW

ALP members demand more from PM on Palestine

As the genocide in Palestine continues, pressure on governments grows across the globe. In Australia, ALP members are demanding more from Anthony Albanese.

John Menadue's book on Israel's war against Gaza

Israel's war against Gaza

Media coverage of the war in Gaza since October 2023 has spread a series of lies propagated by Israel and the United States. This publication presents information, analysis, clarification, views and perspectives largely unavailable in mainstream media in Australia and elsewhere.

Download the PDF

Latest on China

Is the ‘China threat’ real or trumped up?
Jia Qingguo

Is the ‘China threat’ real or trumped up?

In recent years, the ‘China threat’ theory has become a prominent theme in Western political discourse.

Why every China watcher must be on WeChat
Zichen Wang

Why every China watcher must be on WeChat

None of this is to glorify WeChat itself – it’s simply the reality of China’s digital ecosystem today.

China is building the world’s biggest hydropower dam. Why is India worried?
Meredith Chen

China is building the world’s biggest hydropower dam. Why is India worried?

China breaks ground on what Premier Li Qiang has called the project of the century, but some fear a water conflict and ecological effects.

John Menadue

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More from Pearls and Irritations

'Stop genocide!' March across Sydney bridge for Gaza
Common Dreams staff

'Stop genocide!' March across Sydney bridge for Gaza

The time has come for a Palestinian nation
Jack Waterford

The time has come for a Palestinian nation

Tens of thousands join march over Sydney Harbour Bridge
Reuters and ToI Staff

Tens of thousands join march over Sydney Harbour Bridge

Hiroshima anniversary – RAAF flying boat vs atom bomb
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The US is a very foreign country
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The US is a very foreign country

Is the Northern Territory Government knowingly endangering First Nations children and young people?
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Is the Northern Territory Government knowingly endangering First Nations children and young people?

To meet 21st century challenges, business regulation needs urgent reform
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To meet 21st century challenges, business regulation needs urgent reform

The rise of totalitarianism – 12 similarities between 1930s Germany and 2020s America - Part 2
Adrian Lipscomb

The rise of totalitarianism – 12 similarities between 1930s Germany and 2020s America - Part 2

Jewish safety and the weaponisation of antisemitism
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Jewish safety and the weaponisation of antisemitism

Message from the editor
Catriona Jackson

Message from the editor

The GST — past, present, future — and always tense
John Schumann

The GST — past, present, future — and always tense

Latest letters to the editor

Catalina were Australia's long-range bombers

Richard Llewellyn — Colo Vale

Robert Cockburn is quite correct about the role of the Catalina flying boat as Australia's long-range bombers in the Pacific. However, and with respect, some of his descriptions are rather more colourful than factual. They were not saved from the scrapyard, nor were they antiques. Their wings were not canvas - only the control surfaces (ailerons and flaps) were bagged, the rest was conventional aluminium construction. But their exploits he has well covered and I recommend strongly Sir Richard Kingsland's autobiography Into the Midst of Things for much more authentic information. Sir Richard flew the very first...
Please reintroduce readers' comments on P&I

Paul Montgomery — Mansfield

Please reintroduce readers' comments to your invaluable articles. I gather you treat such an initiative as a pain in the butt, because, as a longstanding consumer of P&I, I've noted this feature has come and gone at various stages in the growth of P&I. In my humble opinion it adds significantly to the strength of an article. You only have to look at any edition of The New York Times — where there can be many thousands of comments on an article — to see how it adds to the story, both in terms of reader engagement and often...
We must be vigilant against both traditional and unconventional threats

Lawrence Lyons — Rockhampton

I’m writing to respond to the discussions surrounding Australia’s defense strategy, especially in light of Angus Houston’s comments in the Defence Strategic Review. While some argue that Australia faces minimal risk of a land invasion, we must consider historical lessons, particularly from World War II. Japan’s decision not to invade Australia was a significant strategic error. Their resources were stretched, and focusing on Australia would have jeopardised their campaigns in Southeast Asia. Today, Australia’s enhanced military capabilities and strong alliances, particularly with the US, create formidable deterrents against potential aggressors. However, we should contemplate unconventional threats, such as...
The evil of antisemitism and other equal evils

Jon Jovanovic — hobart

Yes, yes, antisemitism is an evil and must be eradicated. It has no place in a civil society. But at the same time it is not any greater evil than any other prejudice that besmirches our society. For Jillian Segal to elevate antisemitism above all other evils like racism, Islamophobia and other forms of discrimination, which only those who have experienced can comprehend their widespread harm, is unbecoming. In particular, it is unbecoming to associate antisemitism with criticism of the genocide perpetrated by the Netanyahu Government. What is incomprehensible to most people is, knowing what the Jewish...

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Arts 121 China 1165 Climate 1369 Commendations 19 Defence 2427 Economy 2739 Education 685
Employment 34 Finance 2 Health 1501 History 49 Immigration 952 Indigenous Affairs 378 Israel Palestine 1191
Media 1786 Podcast 43 Policy 178 Politics 17642 Racism 16 Religion 1221 Review 20
The Human Future 49 Our Top Five Each Week 2069 USA 489 World 1287

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