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Anthony Albanese was elected prime minister of Australia last weekend as voters booted incumbent Scott Morrison and his conservative government out of office. Albanese’s victory marked the first time in almost a decade that a Labor government is in power in Australia, and sent shockwaves around the world. “Tonight, the Australian people have voted for change,” The newly elected leader told roaring crowds on election night. Thank you Australia. pic.twitter.com/58ZHJCRIlO — Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) Who is Albanese and how did he win the election? Anthony Albanese is a student activist turned ‘… Continue reading “Aussie election: Albanese’s weak record on Palestine”

Fadia’s UK visa will expire on 30 May, two days before the premiere of her feature film at the British Film Institute in London. But her mind is elsewhere. She sees a pizza oven in a restaurant and wonders how it would fit the school she built in the Bourj el-Barajneh refugee camp in Lebanon. “Because we cannot go out, I want to bring the world in.” This is Fadia, explains friend and filmmaker Sarah Beddington. “She can’t just have a pizza. She sees the pizza oven and says: ‘Yes! We could have it in this corner in the kindergarten. It’s so beautiful. We can make pizza for everyone.’ “I say, ‘y… Continue reading “Fadia’s Tree: Agonising over the Palestinian right to return”

Since the leader of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas met with Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz last year, Israeli media has focused on a purportedly “confused policy”. Yet despite seemingly diverging views on how to approach the PA, there is still a unanimous decision not to engage politically in terms of negotiations. Gantz’s meetings with Abbas focused mainly on security coordination and some meagre concessions to Palestinians, which should have been addressed as both human and political rights, rather than bartering issues. It must be remembered that Gantz’s overtures to the PA w… Continue reading “The PA’s ‘political horizon’ is a quest for its own survival”

After the jarring viral images of the violent attack on mourners at the funeral of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh in Jerusalem, following her killing by Israeli forces while covering an Israeli military raid in Jenin two days earlier, there was no turning a blind eye to what had happened. A US citizen who was doing her job as a journalist was killed by a single bullet to her neck while wearing her protective helmet and flak jacket clearly marked ‘Press’. Her colleagues, who witnessed the incident just footsteps away, said the perpetrator was an Israeli soldier. That means th… Continue reading “Will the US investigate Shireen Abu Akleh’s killing?”

Each year, thousands of Israeli nationalists participate in a controversial Flag March, waving Israeli flags, singing nationalist songs, and in some cases, chanting anti-Arab slogans, as they pass through Palestinian neighbourhoods. Israeli authorities on Wednesday gave the go-ahead for flag-waving Jewish nationalists to march through the heart of the mainly Palestinian thoroughfare in Jerusalem’s Old City on 29 May, in a decision that threatens to re-ignite violence in the holy city. What is flag day and why is it important?Flag Day is meant to celebrate Israel’s capture of Palestinian East J… Continue reading “What is Israel’s ‘Flag March’ and why is it controversial?”

At least 60 Palestinians were injured by Israeli settler violence on Tuesday and Wednesdayin the Nablus region, north of the West Bank, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society. Eight Palestinians were injured on Tuesday during an Israeli settler attack on the village of Burqa, north-west of Nablus, while the Israeli army injured 52 Palestinians on Wednesday, in the Palestinian town of Huwarah, south of Nablus. “Settlers walked up to the hill where the village cemetery is located late on Tuesday, escorted by Israeli soldiers,” Ghassan Daghlas, civil activist and resident of Burqa told… Continue reading “60 Palestinians injured by Israeli settler violence in WB”

Two of US President Joe Biden’s senior advisers have reportedly paid a secret visit toSaudi Arabia for talks on energy and potential normalisation of Riyadh’s ties with Israel. White House Middle East coordinator Brett McGurk and State Department energy envoy Amos Hochstein arrived in Riyadh on Tuesday for talks with senior Saudi officials, American news outlet Axios reported, citing three current and former US officials as sources. The meeting is a precursor to apotential visit to Saudi Arabia by Biden himself late next month, Axios said. Relations between the US and Saudi Arabia have been st… Continue reading “Biden advisers in Saudi for secret oil, Israel talks: report”

The violent spectacle of Shireen Abu Akleh’s killing at the hands of Israeli occupation forces has exposed Israel’s multi-faceted war against journalism, and its fight to prevent the truth about its crimes from being exposed. As often is the case, it starts with the Palestinians but doesn’t end there. The shockwaves from the 5.56 mm bullet that hit the exposed part of Shireen’s head under her press helmet continue to reverberate around the world. Her killing must not be decontextualised and separated from Israel’s wider machine targeting courageous journalists pursuing truth, whether in Palest… Continue reading “Shireen Abu Akleh’s killing is just the tip of the iceberg”