Time to get serious about proper sanctions on Israel

Sydney Morning Herald

19-06-2025

You hear there's food. A truck might be coming. Maybe. So you walk – miles sometimes. You bring your ID, your kids, anything you can carry. You wait in the sun, in the dust, surrounded by hundreds just like you, hoping this isn't one of the days the Israeli army decides to shoot. On Tuesday, they did, leaving 59 people dead and more than 200 wounded ('At least 59 Palestinians killed waiting for aid', June 19). They came for flour and left in body bags. This isn't the first time. Three hundred and ninety-seven people have been killed trying to reach aid trucks in the past month. And it won't be the last — unless world leaders, Anthony Albanese included, decide otherwise. That means cutting diplomatic ties. Imposing real sanctions. Halting arms sales. Anything less is complicity. Fernanda Trecenti, Fitzroy (Vic)
Thomas Friedman made a lot of good points in his article, but your correspondent Alexander Hilson (Letters, June 19) somewhat misrepresented what Friedman was saying about Palestinian self-determination. He didn't say that they would need the approval of the United States, only that any future government of theirs would need to fulfil the requirements of statehood. He went on to describe what this might entail. The real point is that thus far, all attempts at resolving the conflict have failed because the Palestinian leadership does not come close to meeting these requirements and is not fit to govern any future Palestinian state. Ridding them of Hamas has to be the first step before any recognition of Palestine. Steve Davidson, Turramurra
Israel attacks Iran and suddenly Israel striking starving Palestinians queueing for food doesn't make it onto the front page. Israel's genocide in Gaza should not be buried at the back of the newspaper. Genevieve Milton, Dulwich
Democracy no ruler
Correspondent Michael Berger says that, for the first time in 20 years, Iran was in breach of its non-proliferation obligations (Letters, June 18). Evidently, this is enough reason for Israel to assassinate whoever it wants and bomb Iran. Of course, Israel itself is not in breach of non-proliferation obligations – it does not have any because it refuses to be part of the process. It does what it wants on the nuclear field with no supervision. When we compare the two states, Iran and Israel, Israel is much less compliant on nuclear non-proliferation. But Israel is democratic, isn't it? One of the good guys. Ask the Arabs of the West Bank, east Jerusalem and the Golan Heights when they had a vote for the government of Israel. Israel is democratic in the same way as South Africa was democratic during apartheid – only some citizens get to vote. We are sometimes told that Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East. It is probably true that it is the closest to a democracy, as the free and fair election of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt was almost immediately overturned by the USA, supported by the local military. The Muslim Brotherhood is now declared a terrorist organisation. As far as many Arabs are concerned, the idea of democracy is meaningless as they will never be permitted to win by the USA and its local agents. Democracy cannot be used as a measure of legitimacy in the Middle East. Reg Lawler, Dagun (Qld)
Alan Russell presents, I fear, an overly optimistic view of the restraints on Donald Trump over the Israel-Iran conflict (Letters, June 19). It is true that only Congress has the power to declare war, as it did in December 1941 against Japan. However, America carried on a decade-long war in Vietnam with no declaration of war. President Johnson was able to conduct the conflict there on the basis of a congressional resolution, 'The Tonkin Resolution'. Don't forget Trump's action against Syria in April 2017, when he ordered Tomahawk missile strikes on the Assad regime. No congressional declaration of war there either. Ken Webb, Epping
With a foreboding sense of deja vu, I am reminded of President George W. Bush rushing into Iraq looking for 'weapons of mass destruction' (' Trump camp split over Iran ', June 19). Between the start of the war in 2003 and its end in 2011, the US had 4500 dead and 32,000 injured. They never did find the weapons. Gavin Williamson, Narrabeen
Albo dodged a bullet
I fail to see why our prime minister is so desperate to gain a brief audience with the world's most unreliable and egotistical leader – a laughing stock among other world leaders – even to trying to catch up with him on the sidelines of the Nato summit (' Albanese races to lock in new date with Trump ', June 19). Five minutes after the encounter, Donald Trump would have forgotten Albanese's name, let alone the contents of the conversation (Remember Joe Biden's reference to 'that fellow from Down Under'?) That brief but intense meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky in St Peter's Basilica in Rome failed to bring an end to the war in Ukraine. Indeed, Putin plays Trump like a trout. The tragic reality is that the US is no longer our great and powerful friend and is an entirely different nation from the one I once loved and lived in. Paul Keating is right to say that America's AUKUS review could save Australia from itself, so let's get on with it. Bernard Moylan, Bronte
Shaun Carney, Australians don't understand why Australian leaders continue to chase after their American counterparts like lost puppies (' PM can keep playing that dead bat ', June 19). Scott Morrison's sycophantic behaviour to Trump was sickening and as an aside can be blamed, in no small part, on the Coalition's downfall. If Australia stops its wanton fealty to the US, at some point the US will eventually come running for favours. At that time, Australia should have developed alternate alliances and therefore either have bigger bargaining chips, or ultimately ask the US to speak to the hand. Ted Bush, North Epping
Shaun Carney's column strikes a chord, as does Nick Bonyhady's concurrent article (' Paul Keating accuses Marles of 'careless betrayal ' over China', June 19). Gambling as a national trait is normally confined to enjoyable recreational activities, like the next race, footy match, etc. Gambling on igniting a potential world war is the 'ultimate crapshoot', one we'll happily leave to our American mates. Being pragmatic as well as maintaining our sovereignty are both part of our national DNA. Equally, kowtowing to or being bullied by any other nation doesn't sit well. Being dragged into wars, most recently by our previous US 'cousins', has concentrated our collective memory. Sitting this one out and ensuring we don't burn the bridges, economically and diplomatically, that Labor has worked hard to rebuild, is a wise move. Cleveland Rose, Dee Why
Any politician or commentator perturbed by the snubbing of Anthony Albanese by Donald Trump should instead be thankful he was. Trump is highly unpredictable and with all the noise around the Israel, Gaza and the Iran conflicts, it was hardly surprising. Although we have always imagined ourselves as a special friend of the US, that has all changed with the America First mentality of the Trump administration. What Albanese doesn't need is the public humiliation of a Trump sit-down, highly likely when seeking tariff relief. Thus, I contend that the non-meeting was a good result at this juncture, with the PM able to maintain his dignity and self-respect. Max Redmayne, Drummoyne
Trump claims to be the greatest dealmaker and has many times declared himself 'very smart'. Yet the world watches as a real master manipulator outwits and outplays him like a pro and wedges the US into a dreadful corner. They're damned if they help Benjamin Netanyahu with a war he can't finish on his own, and damned if they don't. Trump, concerned only with the optics as he struts self-importantly out of a G7 meeting that would not have been focused enough on him, is clueless about the disaster that he has been sucked into by people infinitely smarter than him. He is everyone's fool. Graeme Smith, Daceyville
In less than six months the Trump regime is beginning to turn on itself. The defence secretary is out of his depth. The trade war has been lost. America's allies want a new partnership without the US. Putin and Xi are smiling. Even our own prime minister is distancing himself from the Orange One. Now the commentators who enabled Trump's rise are enraged. When the burgers and sleepless nights finally kill him, what are the chances JD Vance will be any better? It's been just six months – there are still 42 to go. David Neilson, Araluen (NT)
Conroy is too late
Defence Minister Pat Conroy claims Mick Ryan doesn't understand Australia's 'defence initiatives' (Letters, June 19). Mick is not on his Pat Malone there. With Albo chasing Trump across the globe, begging for a meeting to grovel at his feet, what on earth are these defence initiatives? Just the one. Continuing to go all in with America. With the now reckless US no longer honouring agreements or sharing our values and goals, we are at best undefended and at worst strapped to a suicide bomb. Without a hint of irony, Conroy's response is weeks late. Those subs will be terminally late. AUKUS is nothing more than a $368 billion donation to the US military industrial complex. Those Israeli missiles don't pay for themselves. Paul Davies, Crows Nest
Is $100m enough?
Now that Optus will submit to a $100 million fine for unconscionable conduct, I have been reflecting on how our consumer protections have evolved (' Optus to pay $100 million fine over sales to vulnerable customers ', June 19). The laws are nowhere near perfect but are so much better now then in the 1970s, when freedom of contract reigned supreme and corporations ran riot over their consumer victims. Yes, it is hard to believe, but in those dark times, corporations were able to hide behind the notion that the parties had agreed to a contract, regardless of whether the consumer understood the terms. The only question now: is a $100 million fine enough? Michael Blissenden, Dural
Pay to see results
At a family get-together last weekend, I casually asked my granddaughter how she fared in recent uni exams (' Wake-up call as Australian universities slip in world rankings ', June 19). She said she didn't know. I assumed the results hadn't been released, but I was gobsmacked when I asked when she would know. Students have to pay a fee to receive their results. Once again, silly me assumed the fee was for some type of formal certificate, but no, they won't release your raw results until you pay the fee. This is a recognised top-level university. I get user-pays, lack of funding etc, but this is an absolute disgrace. Jason Clare, Federal Minister for Education, are you reading this? Albo, this is your country, slipping in the rankings. Brian Jones, Leura
Wasted years
It is not an apocryphal 'obsession with renewables' which will prove 'the greatest economic folly in the history of our nation' (Letters, June 19), but the decades Australia has wasted pandering to the wilful ignorance of right-wing ideologues, fossil fuel-funded fabulists and Murdoch minions ignoring the immutable laws of physics that rising CO2 emissions drive increasingly extreme weather events – then pretending that the observable reality isn't happening. New data from NASA has confirmed that these events will get more intense and costly until humanity accepts that the transition to renewables isn't optional (we either do it voluntarily or have it forced upon us by nature), so your correspondent Ian Morison's address is apt, as you can't see the trees from the Forrest unless you're prepared to ACT on observable reality outside it. Chris Roylance, Paddington (Qld)
Profit from misery
It is no surprise that the politicisation of refugees and the willingness of successive governments to outsource our responsibilities to countries willing to take our money has resulted in this level of corruption (' AFP probes firm's insured luxury ', June 19). While the alleged corrupt activities of Canstruct individuals is appalling, it is just one of many allegations of misappropriation of taxpayer dollars by various companies since the Rudd government announcement that no refugees coming to Australia by boat would ever settle in Australia. The only answer to this ongoing issue is to reinstitute onshore processing. It is more humane, more economical, and would go some way to restoring our international reputation on human rights. Judith Reynolds, Leura
An entire article on the 'corruption-prone, dysfunctional and wasteful management of offshore processing' and not one mention of the name of the responsible government minister at the time of the contracts, and a suggestion that it was a political problem for the Albanese government, despite them being in opposition during that period. Very strange. Graeme Finn, Campsie
In the interests of clarity, it was Peter Dutton, not the current government, who presided over the billions of dollars in government contracts to companies like LNP donor Canstruct and Paladin, ignoring warnings about them for years. Dutton was home affairs minister from 2017 to 2021. It was his department under former secretary Mike Pezzullo (whom Albanese sacked) that initiated the contentious Nauru offshore processing contracts. Alison Stewart, Riverview
How perverse that the CEO of the company responsible for running the detention centre in Nauru, full of the most desperate individuals, was able to buy himself a $600,000 car. That our tax monies were used and are still being used to run this cruel and questionable policy that allowed the company concerned to make super profits is abhorrent. Alan Morris, Eastlakes
Goldie-clocks
The specialists driving expensive cars mentioned by your correspondent obviously didn't get the memo (Letters, June 19). A specialist with whom I once worked on the days he had a clinic would remove his Rolex watch before the first patient arrived and substitute it for a $20 Kmart variety. Elizabeth Maher, Gordon
Dead last
I have lost access to the crosswords without a premium subscription. Because I can't keep my mind active, I'm likely to be in the obituaries, if they are ever published again (Letters, June 19). Jenny Greenwood, Hunters Hill