I’m not sure that I understand why so many Australians are coming down so strongly on either side of the Israel-Palestine issue (‘‘Great-grandmother freed by Hamas ‘believes in peace’’’, November 27). I support the right of both Israel and Palestine to live in peace, but Hamas and very right-wing Israelis are uncompromising. Was it necessary […]

The contemptible behaviour of Pakistani-born Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi, who posed on Friday beside a placard reading “keep the world clean” and showing an Israeli flag over a rubbish bin, has no place in a civilised society, let alone Australia’s upper house. Senator Faruqi should be more sensitive than most to the evils of Hamas’s […]

Morry Schwartz says the recent petition signed by more than 250 Australian journalists calling for Israel to be treated the same as ­terrorist group Hamas when dealing with unverified information moves “well beyond balance in their coverage of the war”. Mr Schwartz is the publisher of progressive outlets The Monthly, The Saturday Paper and the […]

I appreciate the correction of the article “MEAA backs journalists’ Hamas pledge” (27/11). It wrongly reported that Schwartz Media was not going to make a statement about the open letter signed by many journalists. I’m willing to accept that some of those who signed the letter may have done so in good faith. They did […]

Anti-Semitism is fashionable again. As Bari Weiss points out in Inquirer (“Profound threat to civilisation”, 25-26/11), widespread anti-Semitism is a symptom of a larger malaise in society. Across history, the main ideologies that have threatened Enlight enment values – communism, fascism and Nazism – can all be associated with discrimination towards Jews. These ideologies gave […]

The Victorian government has rebuked Melbourne teachers taking action in solidarity with Palestine after the opposition accused Premier Jacinta Allan of going soft on striking students. Two Australian Education Union sub-branches, covering the inner city and Maribyrnong, started a week of action yesterday to show support for Palestinians in the Israel-Hamas war by wearing a […]

GENEVA: Human Rights Watch said evidence suggested a misfired rocket likely caused an explosion that caused heavy casualties at a Gaza hospital on October 17. The explosion at the Al Ahli Arab Hospital triggered outrage across the Arab world. Palestinians blamed an Israeli airstrike, while Israel said it was caused by a misfired Palestinian rocket. […]

GAZA: Hamas needs to locate dozens of Israeli women and children held hostage in Gaza by civilians and gangs before it can extend the current ceasefire, the Qatar prime minister said. The fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is back on track after the militants freed 17 more hostages, including 14 Israelis and an American, […]

The pause in hostilities in Gaza is an opportunity to reflect on the nature of Hamas, even if only because this explains what’s going to happen next. Many assume Hamas is an anticolonialist resistance movement. That Hamas, because it attacked Israel, is a pro-Palestinian, nationalist organisation. All of this is understandable because Hamas often employs […]

Gaza is one of the few places in the world that’s closed off, its borders almost hermetically sealed by both Israel and neighbouring Egypt. Entry to Gaza through Israel in particular is limited and tightly controlled. While journalists, United Nations staff and aid workers are given the permits necessary to travel there, almost no one […]