Comments on: Saree Makdisi: Obama won’t solve the Middle East crisis

By: Kevin Herbert

Kevin Herbert — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 04:46:49 +0000

Tom McLoughlin: do you have a view on the historical reasons behind reticence of the Iranian power elite to introduce democracy?

For example, what’s you view on the crushing of the first Middle East democractically elected government of Iran by US backed Iranian military puppet in ‘53.

By: Kevin Herbert

Kevin Herbert — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 03:44:29 +0000

Ah Walter: again, your response lives up to the promise of your surname…..

By: Walter Slurry

Walter Slurry — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 00:09:28 +0000

Ah yes, the problem you have with consistency kevin Herbert. It’s okay to boycott Israel because you don’t like their defence of their lives, but when someone says, isn’t that inconsistent because we trade with nations who do worse than a minor conflict, such as China, you bring up some spurious analogy right out of the kindergarten handbook of insults.

As I’ve said on a few blogs here pal, I doubt you’ve ever been to the Gaza or the West bank, or even Jordan, Lebanon or Syria. I doubt you’ve ever done more than read a few websites and formed your views based on what other people say.

Can I suggest, again, that you get on a plane and go to Gaza. They’d welcome you buddy boy, with open arms. Meanwhile, wear your T -shirt if that empowers you. And maybe some undergarments with a catchy slogan too.

By: Kevin Herbert

Kevin Herbert — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 06:58:23 +0000

Walter Slurry: there you go again..so you’re saying it’s OK to beat my wife ‘cos so do a few of my friends?

Do you realise just how stupid that argument is?

It has about as much substance as the term ‘self-hating Jew’ used by right wing Zionists against any Jew who speaks out against the morally corrupt Israeli Government.

Well I’m off to the Australians For Palestine rally at the Sydney Town Hall in my BOYCOTT ISRAEL NOW 2009 T shirt.

By: Tom McLoughlin

Tom McLoughlin — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 07:36:02 +0000

I heard a similar talk in the mid 80ies at ANU law school. How shameful it is to recall now.

The balance that Mr Alhadeff might have been better to raise is the ritual posturing of surrounding Arab and also Persian/Iranian states in support of Palestine, but more as a political play thing to manipulate and dog whistle their own domestic politics. Are major party politicians the same opportunistic chancers the world over?

We had Saddam systematically ripping his country off but buying popularity with grants to families of suicide bombers. We have the Iranian President ripping off democratic reforms but sledging Israel’s existence at the same time.

I reckon if OPEC put a US 5cent transparent and honest tax regime on every barrel of oil to be allocated to Palestinian reconstruction, media, advocacy and medical support, and yes lobbying of US Congress, and education funding, we would see an enforced peace deal pretty soon.

By: Walter Slurry

Walter Slurry — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 05:16:32 +0000

I’m confused Antony: I understood a ‘one state solution’ has been rejected by the Palestinians; going back to the Peel Report of the 1930s, in 1948 with the UN partitian and ever since then. I thought the Palestinians wanted their own state, or is it that they want the same area as Israel, only with all the Jewish people removed? The Hamas Constitution appears to reject both a one state solution and the rights of Jews to exist in this disputed region, so how will this work?

Also, what status does Gaza have? Isn’t it technically independent, with it’s own government and a big fence between it and it’s waring neighbour? Isn’t that a separate state, albeit one where they still throw things over the fence?

And further, if there is one state, how will Sha’ria law operate in this new democracy? Will certain parts of this democracy have the right to refuse women equality, the vote etc or will it accommodate all religions?

And please Antony, can you help organise a boycott of China and Sri Lanka and Burma and Iran et al. Surely, to be consistent, Australians must stop trading, visiting, contacting or having anything to do with ALL countries who have appropraite lands and subjegate peoples?