It has been a big couple of weeks at Pearls and Irritations, featuring some of the biggest issues we have pursued strongly in the past few years: the AUKUS defence deal and the genocide in Palestine, both reaching turning points.

Responding to news that the US administration was “reviewing” AUKUS, former prime minister Paul Keating was unambiguous: “The decision… might very well be the moment Washington saves Australia from itself. Saving us from the most poorly conceived defence procurement program ever adopted by an Australian Government."

And it would be a supreme irony if a malevolent US regime that has plunged its own people, and countless more across the globe, into turmoil, succeeds in sinking the deal when seasoned, rational debate failed to achieve that end. It certainly points to a lack of maturity in Australia’s decision-making. Mike Gilligan says: “Australia’s biggest ever military project has entered another stratosphere of farce. The best that can be said of minister [Richard] Marles is that he is not across his portfolio.”

We continue to witness a global shift in public sentiment on the Palestinian genocide. Sadly, that seems to make little difference on the ground. We have featured a range of views about the impact of the sanctions that Australia and others have imposed on two Israeli ministers. Today, Bob Bowker argues that, while the sanctions will make no difference to the welfare of Palestinians, it does matter here at home. “Gaza has set loose an iceberg unimaginable even a decade ago, fracturing the Australian community along sectarian and other lines in ways that will be felt for generations,” he says.

Many readers were unhappy to see former prime minister Scott Morrison receive a King’s Birthday Honour last week. George Browning, on Saturday, revealed details of a review into Australia's honours process that took place 30 years ago, but never saw the light of day.

We will continue to watch with alarm the unfolding situation in Iran and try and make some sense of it.

Finally, my sincere thanks to those who have opened their purses and wallets to support our work. As an independent outlet, we do not accept advertising or corporate backing. We rely on your generosity. If you have been meaning to make a tax-deductible donation, don’t delay.

Until next week.