Dear James,

<<The UN General Assembly voted on a resolution urging Israel to join the non-proliferation treaty and submit itself to IAEA inspections.>>

A treaty is a form of AGREEment.

Obviously Israel does not agree to join that treaty.

174 states believe that it is right to force others to agree, even if they don't.

If they succeeded, then the nuclear non-proliferation piece-of-paper would stop being an agreement, freely signed by those who so believe. It would stop holding any moral authority.

So Australia was one of 12 countries who did not accept the concept of coercion and the turning of the NNPT into a joke.

That's a good reason for being proud of being out of step with world opinion.

(please note that I have not commented on what Israel does or doesn't - only on the morality of the actions of Australia on that specific matter)

Notice that no one will debate the reality of Global Political Chessboard that I've painted in my last post.

We are headed in the direction of nuclear war with China and Russia because our Oligarchs are out of control and have delusional dreams of controling the planet.

Tinkering with pseudo-realities postulated by our corporate,puppet media,will not save us.

Dear Dannyg,

Why don't you show us where the “Declaration of Principles (DOP) of September 13, 1993” or “the Interim Agreement ("Oslo 2") of September 28, 1995 contains any provisions prohibiting or restricting the establishment” of Palestine as an observer state at the UN?

A very good article by Kellie Tranter, clearly illuminating the hypocrisy of both Aus and Israel (as well as the U.S.) in the matter of pursuing a 'two state solution' and the rights of the Palestinians to independence and self-determination.

On at least two occasions the Israeli government got close to agreeing to a separate Palestinian state, and on both occasions the Israelis voted the government out and Netanyahu in. It is obvious that Benjamin Netanyahu is intent on whittling away as much Palestinian territory as possible, with ever more 'pioneering' Israeli settlements and ever more dis-empowerment of the Palestinians. In the absence of overwhelming international pressure there can be no 'two state solution' - but rather only an increasingly apartheid, oppressed and second-rate existence for all remaining Palestinians and Arab-Israelis, squeezed ever tighter into ever diminished territories - with the ultimate objective of forcing all non-Jews to quit a 'Greater Israel' altogether.

I have no objection to the right of Israelis to have a 'home state', after all the abuse they have suffered at the hands of so many, in so many quarters, and for so many centuries, but it is a bit rich that they must now cause so many to suffer so much because of the insistence of some in their midst on a grander vision, and potentially a 'grandiose' vision at that.

The international community, including Aus, should be pushing very hard indeed for an immediate embargo on new settlements, for a permanent ceasefire (including an embargo on political 'assassinations'), and for the immediate re-commencement of peace talks leading to an early adoption of a viable two-state solution - including third-party arbitration to ensure categorically that this desired solution is accomplished, no ifs or buts. All else short of this is abrogation, cop-out, and the very worst form of 'head in the sand' mentality and clear moral turpitude.

Aus abstention in the latest UN vote was a virtual 'no' vote, and thus an absolute disgrace.

Where's hope for a 'civilised' world? Christopher Hitchens posed: 'Religion poisons everything'. Is Hitchens' view prophetic and final?