Interesting Yuyutsu, I knew that DNA wise they are all Semites but I
had not thought of the Palestinians being Jews.
I guess the Jews might call them apostates and treat them fairly with Shari Law, hmmm.
The biggest rows are inside families; they cannot disconnect from each other.

Re the UN, I gave up when Gaddafi's government was chairing the Human Rights
Commission judging Australia !
The Arab countries refused to sign the Human Rights Treaty.

Now they are to tax the Australian government for funds for developing
countries global warming projects.
Well that is the what the front cover says anyway.
The world is truely stark raving mad.

Dear Bazz,

I should have made things clearer for you.
The continent of Australia shares marine
territorial boundaries with its nearest
neighbouring countries - the nearest of those
countries include Indonesia, East Timor, Papua
New Guinea, New Zealand, New Caledonia, the
Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, which are all
Island Nations or territories in the SOUTH
EAST ASIAN and ASIA PACIFIC regions.

The main point that was being made was that
should Australia be attacked - it would be hoped that
the United States would come to its defence. Hence Australia's
support of US policies. Especially its stance on Israel.

OK Foxy, the proper geographical designation for those countries plus
Philipines & Australia is Oceana.
Yes, if we were attacked I think it is reasonably sure that the US would come to our aid.
We would have had to have done something stupid to make them refuse.

I don't give a damn about the security council, our entering it was a vanity thing for the last Labor Prime Minister, & we paid dearly for that, just like everything she touched.

I want to see us out of the UN entirely.

There has never been a more corrupt or wasteful organisation in the history of mankind.

How anyone can approve of our taxes wasted on the disgusting mess I really can't imagine. Well I couldn't if I did not consider the Greens are fellow travellers, with many of the same objectives, & a lot of Labor lovies & academics are pretty damn close too.

After the collapse we will be able to send these useless types out to work for a change, & perhaps build something better, at least for a while.

Dear Foxy,

Yes it is a little perplexing.

As I stated earlier the historical ties between Israel and the US combined with a lot of pressure from Israel supporters, both Jewish and fundamentalist Christian, means a 'through thick and thin' relationship is particularly strong.

I can also see why a couple of minor Pacific nations who are beholden to the US might side with their benefactor but Australia and Canada? And only under solidly right-wing governments.

I get the argument that being in lockstep with the US is seen by some as vitally important to Australia's security but I don't think that is the whole of it by any measure. Labour governments have hardly faltered in their support either but that did not extend to selling our souls and turning our backs on world opinion.

Indeed what is it about the right-wing mindset that sees supporting Israel such an imperative?

Do they buy the story touted by the Israeli government that this is a black and white case of the good guys vs the baddies?

Are right-wingers scared of nuance, of complex histories, of evil and good coming from both sides of a conflict?

Just look at some of the responses here. Rather than tackle the issue in any meaningful way they attack the institution of the UN.

I firmly believe the answer for why the current Australian government acted as they did will not be found in the facts on the ground, or international law, or even in any treaty obligations with the US, instead it will be found in a study of what drives the right-winger.

There is something missing, some empathy gene displaced, some blindness or pathology that doesn't allow them to see what the rest of the world's nations see – the deep injustice of what has happened and continues to happen to the Palestinian people.

You are saying that Bob Hawke and other senior Labor figures must have been right wing then?

Bob Hawke,
http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/palestinian-plot-to-kill-hawke/2006/12/31/1167500010729.html