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Follow Us on TwitterStewart Mills (NSW) responds to Lagan’s “Rudd shelves diplomacy to upbraid UN for inaction” SMH, 27Sep10 September 27, 2010
The Sydney Morning Herald -”Rudd shelves diplomacy to upbraid UN for inaction” by Bernard Lagan, 27 September 2010
Foreign Minister Rudd is quick to chastise the ‘UN’ for not doing more on nuclear disarmament, climate change and the Millennium Development Goals (“Rudd shelves diplomacy to upbraid for UN for inaction”, September 20). But then forgets to add under his Prime Minister ship Australia’s muffled response to the unabated militarism of Israel (including its own expanding nuclear, chemical and biological weapons arsenal) which under Netanyahu’s Likud Party continues to push for a one state solution.
Netanyahu’s vision of a ‘Greater Israel’ from the Mediterranean to the Jordan with a minimalist form of internal Palestinian ’self-rule’ is plainly evident from the Likud’s Policy Platform on the Knesset website. This vision of Greater Israel is further demonstrated by Netanyahu’s unmitigated support of settlement expansion, and his support of the siege of Gaza. At least one US General gets it – General Petraeus outlined the West’s cotton-glove approach to Israel has devastating effects across the Islamic World and to global peace because of the glaring double-standards.
This is not to ignore the legitimate security concerns Israel has towards the militarism and violence of Hamas. But the Palestinian response must be considered in a 60 plus year context of dispossession and the creation of Palestinian refugees; and Israel as the military, economically and politically superior power must commit its international obligations.
On the issue of climate change, the former Prime Minister’s government failed to produce a national response to climate change; and failed to meet the MDG aid target of 0.7% of GDP to poor countries. So who really has the credibility gap Foreign Minister? People in glass houses shouldn’t really throw stones.
Thank You.
