Israeli forces have killed 2400 Palestinian children since year 2000
While mainstream media and our own and other Western government’s cup runneth over in support of Israel, a deeper story of occupation, ethnic cleansing and apartheid underpins the decades-long suffering of the people of Palestine from successive Israeli governments that have been supported and funded by the US Government. While the bloodshed and loss of life on both sides is devastating, the lack of balance in reporting the facts behind the conflict, that we watch unfold in horror, is both predictable and complicit.
**Paul Heywood-Smith**
Palestinians, pushed beyond endurance, defend their homeland against violent apartheid
As a start, and a prompt, I once again call upon our government to recognise Palestine. Have the courage to stand up to Israel, and its primary backer, the United States. Oh, and another thing, Mr. Prime Minister, and Ms. Foreign Minister please dont purport to speak for all Australians when you say Israel has a right to defend itself.
** George Browning**
Support the strong, suppress the weak: West betrays Christian traditions
What is playing out on the border of Gaza and Israel is awful. Loss of civilian life is inexcusable and must be condemned. Unsurprisingly, and understandably, Biden, Albanese, Trudeau and other Western leaders have condemned the Hamas attack in the strongest possible terms. But is that all they are going to do double down behind Israel in responding to Palestinians as vicious terrorists who need to be taught a lesson, or worse, eliminated?
**Ali Kazak**
Palestinians will not surrender to occupation and apartheid
Every drop of Palestinian and Jewish blood shed is on the hands of the United States, Australian and Western countries politicians who closed their eyes to the aggression, occupation, ethnic cleansing, and violation of international laws and resolutions carried out by Israel against the Palestinian people for more than seventy-five years.
**Binoy Kampmark**
As Palestine bleeds, Sydney Opera House drapes itself in the colours of apartheid
We are fighting human animals and are acting accordingly. - Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.
**Greg Barns**
Selective enforcer: ICC must warn Israel on crimes against humanity
The International Criminal Court (ICC) faces a test of its credibility in how it monitors and deals with the conduct of Israel as it strikes back against the horrific attacks committed by Hamas.
**Reb Halabi**
Since when do we praise Occupiers for brutal oppression? Words are used to confuse, obfuscate and detract from the truth of Palestine-Israel. Words such as terrorist, enemy, militants and murderous are often used to describe Palestinians who are, in essence, victims, freedom fighters, oppressed, occupied and ignored.
**Australian Jewish Democratic Society, Larry Stillman and Harold Zwier**
Australian Jewish Democratic Society statement on Hamas attacks
The Australian Jewish Democratic Society (AJDS) unreservedly condemns Hamas for its attack on Israel. 250 young people killed at a music festival is a massacre. That action and hostage-taking of civilians are war crimes.
**Medical Association for Prevention of War (Australia)**
MAPW Statement on Israel and Palestine: Assert the right of all peoples
The current escalation in bloodshed in Israel and Palestine reflects the fact that peace cannot be built on decades of oppression; it can only be built on justice. The Medical Association for Prevention of War (MAPW) condemns not only the recent attacks, but also the failure despite concerns expressed by many leaders and governments around the world to address the oppression directed over a long period towards the Palestinian people.
**Mike Callanan**
Palestine: The right to defence of stolen land
PM Albanese supports indigenous Australians but not indigenous Palestinians, whose land has also been stolen from them. Why?
**Fareed Zakaria**
Do we have the right to struggle for freedom?
Palestinian National Initiative leader Mustafa Barghouti tells Fareed that Hamass attack on Israel was a response to the Israeli occupation, and that Palestinians, like Ukrainians, are fighting for their freedom.
**Chas Freeman**
The Gaza breakout is like Vietnams 1968 Tet offensive
The Hamas attack on Israel was part jailbreak (from Gaza, the worlds largest prison since the destruction of the Warsaw Ghetto) but more than that it was a revolt of the hopeless by the hopeless for the hopeless.
**Mohammed R. Mhawish**
Gaza shatters the facade of calm
Palestinians have long warned that Israels blockade and repeated aggressions would eventually lead to an explosion. But few of us in Gaza expected this.
The views expressed in this article may or may not reflect those of Pearls and Irritations.