Writer
Peter Rodgers
<em>Peter Rodgers is a former Australian diplomat, award-winning journalist, and the author of six books. He is currently writing a novel set around a small NSW country town whose inhabitants are forced to confront the past. </em>
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A Middle East diplomatic memoir with heft
Bob Bowker’s recently published memoir enriches our understanding of the Middle East and reminds us that the corpse of the two-state solution in Israel-Palestine has been lying in the sun for years, though many countries, including Australia, determinedly hold their noses and avert their gaze. Continue reading »
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Qatar and the “Budweiser” World Cup
On Friday, beer sales were banned at eight tournament stadiums just days before the FIFA world cup commenced. This is a stunning about face from a sporting body. What explains such an embarrassing backdown? Continue reading »
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Labor brings Israel-Palestine policy back to the middle: will it matter?
The announcement of the Albanese Government’s decision to reverse Australia’s recognition of “West” Jerusalem was sloppily handled. That was the only surprise in it. Continue reading »
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The Queen is dead, the big questions aren’t
Will the Queen’s death prompt meaningful debate about Australia’s colonial past and its republican future? I fear not. Too often we do the talk much better than the walk. Continue reading »
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Labor, Palestinian statehood and the UN General Assembly
With the ALP platform now formally supporting Palestinian statehood the Albanese government soon faces a tricky question. When the UN General Assembly convenes in mid-September (UNGA 77) will Australia put its vote(s) on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict where its declared policy is? Continue reading »
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Israel’s Government of change – or is it?
Israel now has the most diverse “unity” government in its history and it’s all thanks to one man: Benjamin Netanyahu. Without the visceral contempt for Netanyahu, engendered during his 12-year reign as Prime Minister, the possibility of such an assortment of parties coming together would have been unthinkable. Continue reading »
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Israel-Palestine – plus ça change, only worse
It may seem an odd, almost insensitive thing to say but the most searing aspect of the current appalling violence between Israelis and Palestinians is not the death, destruction and suffering from new storms of rockets and bombs and bullets. It is the awful, depressing predictability of it all. The only difference this time is Continue reading »
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Australia and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict – can policy overcome politics?
A new public opinion survey finding that Australians hold surprisingly balanced views about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict offers scope for the government to ditch its short-sighted, partisan approach. But will it? Continue reading »
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West Bank annexation – dead and buried or just comatose?
If Trump is re-elected and revives Netanyahu’s ambitions, Australia must have a plan to make the existing “suspension” permanent. Continue reading »
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Australia’s foolish and embarrassing silence over Israel’s annexation plans
What an absurd, paradoxical situation. The Australian Government pursued a very public campaign against China over Covid-19. Yet regarding Israel’s plan to unilaterally annex parts of the West Bank – the government has lost its tongue. Continue reading »
