Protesters in Tel Aviv criticise Netanyahu government's handling of war in Gaza
The rally is being held a day before a general strike called for by the families of Israeli hostages, who are calling for an Israel-Hamas agreement to secure the release of around 50 hostages who remain in Gaza.
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Sydney Morning Herald
an hour ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Trump has been played like a political yo-yo by Putin
As the saying goes, every picture tells a story. And so it is with the tragicomedy being conveyed in the image of Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin following their joint press conference in Alaska (' Europe on edge as Trump risks his biggest Taco moment ', August 17) as Putin beams a sly grin while Trump's face is drawn down, along with his shrunken stature. Perhaps it ould have been smarter for Trump to follow his own advice from his book The Art of the Deal: ' You can't con people, at least not for long. You can create excitement ... do a wonderful promotion and get all kinds of press ... But if you don't deliver the goods, people will eventually catch on.' It's as if he could see that gold medallion slipping from his clutches, while all the while the world has known that it takes more than pageantry to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Mary Carde, Parrearra (Qld) If ever there was a sign that Putin was not open to compromise in any meaningful way, it was signalled by his statement at the Alaska news conference that the next meeting 'should take place in Moscow' (' Putin came in from the cold, Trump flew out empty-handed ', August 17). Clearly, if Putin had any real intention of giving in to Volodomyr Zelensky and Europe's demands in order to accomplish peace, he would not want to do that in front of his own countrymen. Quite the opposite. He will hold firm and try to extract his key demands with a minimum of concessions. So, don't hold your breath over the next talks, regardless of the venue. Larry Woldenberg, Forest Lodge What a nauseating display of pseudo-affection between the self-appointed Emperor of Alaska and Vlad the Impaler. Even as they smiled and nodded at each other, bombs were being dropped on Ukraine. Actions speaking much louder than words. With no deal, no ceasefire and no path to peace, Trump was trumped and humiliatingly revealed to be an emperor with no clothes. Lyn Savage, Coogee Trump threw the dice in Alaska and came up snake eyes. All his vaunted negotiation skills came to nothing against a Putin determined not to lose the advantage he has gained. The emperor paid court to a war criminal and lost his clothes in the process. Ian Adair, Hunters Hill When will Trump supporters finally get it through their skulls that their presidential 'dealmaker' has been played like a political yo-yo by Putin and that other troublesome leader, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu? Eric Palm, Gympie (Qld) The meeting reminded me of the organ grinder and his monkey. It is pretty obvious who was the organ grinder and who was the monkey. Ross Hudson, Mount Martha (Vic) Someone needs to tell Trump that brown-nosing Vladimir Putin does nothing to make America great again. Genevieve Milton, Dulwich Hill Blackmail by F-35 Peter Hartcher says 'Australia has to find a way to preserve as much of the US alliance as possible' supporting this with statements such as 'Without the latest software updates ... Australia's fleet of F-35 fighter jets is useless' ('To US eyes, Australia's blooming', August 16). If he's seriously suggesting that we won't be provided with the necessary software updates unless we maintain our alliance with the US, it's surprising that countries such as Singapore and the United Arab Emirates, who aren't allied to the US, have also purchased F-35s. John Moratelli, Castlecrag Peter Hartcher's report quotes Sussan Ley as critical of the federal government's national preparedness and resilience, asking the prime minister 'do we have enough stored fuel in the event that supply lines are cut?'. That's a bit rich, seeing as she was a cabinet member when the Morrison government made the inexplicable decision in 2020 to house the stockpile of Australian emergency crude oil in the US. Edward Grieve, Woolloomooloo Hartcher quotes one of the Australian American Leadership Dialogue delegates as saying 'What's unspoken is the impact on our identity as Americans.' Gandhi once said: 'If there is an idiot in power, it means those who elected him are well represented.' Salle-Ann Ehms, Glebe Sick system As a practising GP for over 40 years, I take issue with the 'medical misogyny' many women have complained about when in fact it is simply the poor health outcomes of 'six-minute medicine' – a direct consequence of our bulk-billed Medicare system (' Gaslit, dismissed and treated as hypochondriacs: The gender divide in iron deficiency ', August 16). A medical student would fail their exams for missing these blatant cases of severe anaemia on clinical examination alone. Simple blood tests could have provided solutions. In a longer consultation, a doctor could explore this issue with their patient (male or female), and through correlating symptoms with a thorough history and examination, come to a proper diagnosis. Nowhere in the article was there any suggestion that women (and men) should be encouraged to eat more iron-containing foods (such as red meat), which are infinitely better than supplements. Far from being benign, iron infusions (particularly in malnourished patients) can lead to low levels of phosphate, a mineral essential for energy production, which can be life-threatening. Rather than playing the gender card, I believe the health of all Australians would be better served by recognising the problem for what it is. Leanne Barron, Bowen Hills (Qld) I had similar problems with getting bone density treatments. Despite having a series of broken bones and a bad family history, both were dismissed by the GP as irrelevant. I had to metaphorically beat them over the head to get a referral to a bone density specialist. When I got there, the first comment from the specialist was 'with that family history, you should have been here years ago before you had any breaks'. GPs are clearly not on the same page as the specialists. Susan Duffy, Thornleigh Left in the lurch Reading the article about Munjed Al Muderis was reliving my own story (' Disgraced surgeon's battles with patients revealed ', August 16). A different surgeon but a similar scenario. There was no informed consent obtained. A catastrophic accident occurred during hip surgery that so severely damaged the nerves to my left leg that I had no function. After a very brief bedside visit to survey the damage, the surgeon disappeared, never to be seen or heard of again. No responsibility, no aftercare, no way forward. Two years on and I still cannot walk. How many others are out there permanently disabled and abandoned by their surgeon when things went wrong? Anna Cooper, Como Hamas doesn't fool us There's no need to fret over Hamas's reaction to the decision of Australia and other countries to recognise the state of Palestine (Letters, August 16). This is pure self-serving rhetoric and media bait. We Herald correspondents, who are masters of the art of rhetorical ornamentation, should not be sucked in. Meredith Williams, Baulkham Hills Which terrorist group considers Australia to be an ally, Diane Armstrong (Letters, August 16), Hamas or the ultra-right wing Israeli cabinet? Ian Falconer, Turramurra The fact that many countries are supporting a separate Palestine state is not a reward for terrorist group Hamas, but a direct response to the ruthless and total war conducted by Israel against the people of Gaza. Norm Young, Cooranbong Politics puts summit at risk The whole point of releasing productivity proposals before the summit is to allow people time to think about the ideas (' Chalmers hits back at critics talking down economic talkfest before it has even begun ', August 16). After weighing up the merits and consequences, the ideas might well be rejected. But they shouldn't be 'ruled out' based on ideology or politics. Unfortunately, many (including the PM) want to do just that. They can't resist it. There is concern that it will just become a 'talkfest'. If people insist on playing this game, there won't be anything left to talk about. David Rush, Lawson Bank branches vital It seems naive and cynical for Australian Banking Association chief executive Anna Bligh to suggest banks don't need to keep branches open and hint that actual branches will one day be things of the past (' How bank branches can avoid the same fate as video stores ' August 16). Banks exist to enable monetary functions for business, communities and individuals. Without government and community funds, they would not exist, so bending low to serve us humble folk should not be beneath them. Every business day, my nearest branch has queues waiting for teller attention and people having private appointments. While some expert might insist that I could negotiate a term deposit remotely, I would not appreciate loaning a bank my money without dealing with an actual person. Courtesy and security are involved. Banks that offer services for business and investment, especially in regional centres, will get community custom. Those that close their branches will not. Susan Webb, Valentine Sowing division Identity politics is divisive. It is a flawed ideology. It divides Australians (' It's time to stop looking at identity politics as a weakness ', August 16). It focuses on our differences rather than our similarities and uses religion, race, gender, sexual orientation or ethnicity to foster conflict and discord in our society. Its function is trying to convince minority groups that they are oppressed. Black, brown and grey is good. White is bad and linked to white privilege. Female and trans is good. Male is bad and is associated with toxic masculinity. Australia is a fully functioning society where so many other nationalities want to live. We have a welfare system second to none. We should be a country where the harder you work, the better off you are. Dividing Australians into identity categories is just plain wrong. Riley Brown, Bondi Beach Grant permanency now The Fast Track Assessment Process was abolished by the present government because it was flawed and unfair. About 8000 asylum seekers who have lived in Australia for 12 or 13 years are still in limbo due to succeeding governments' failure to resolve this. The Department of Home Affairs says people with new, credible claims may seek ministerial intervention in their asylum applications. This is a slow, drip-feed process, and applicants risk losing work rights during the interim. Not all Fast Track victims even have work and study rights. As Alex Hawke, a former Coalition immigration minister, recently said, these people are here to stay. They have been contributing to our society for 13 years and it is now easier to resolve this issue than in the past. It's time to give permanent visas to 8000 people who have lived and worked in our communities for so long, all the while in trepidation that their temporary visas could be cancelled. Marilyn Lebeter, Smiths Creek Parade unfairly targeted It is interesting that the police and Blacktown Council want to block what is one of Sydney's smaller, quietest and most organised of traditional celebrations (' Annual street parade blocked by police due to crowd, safety fears ', August 17). Why has the Sikh celebration suddenly become an issue after 20 years without a problem? I note that Great North Road is being closed between Queens Road and Lyons Road in Five Dock for a much larger Italian celebration. This is closing a major thoroughfare for about 15 hours. They can close the Harbour Bridge for a demonstration and major eastern suburbs roads for the City to Surf for many hours. Streets around the Lakemba Mosque are closed regularly, causing major disruption. What am I missing? Terry Cook, Ermington 'Annual street parade blocked by police due to crowd, safety fears' seems to point out that objections have been made by Blacktown Council for the annual Sikh procession, which might attract 2000 people next Sunday in Glenmore. But it's OK to shut down major parts of the city for a march, including the Harbour Bridge, at a moment's notice, or for the Catholic Church to shut down part of the city in June, in which an estimated 20,000 people attended a planned religious procession. Surely, this long-running community event should not be sent to the local showground. Or if this is the outcome, which I hope it is not, then street processions of all kinds should be held in parks. One rule for all, no matter who you are. Mark Leary, Woolloomooloo Ride-shares for elderly I feel for Jennifer McKay, who lost her mother in a car accident (Letters, August 16). I also lost my mother in similar circumstances. It's a horrendous way to lose a loved one who had so much more living left to do. We can use 'the stick' and regulate older people out of the driver's seat, but regulation can only do so much. To be effective, we also need 'a carrot' – one that works for those who can't walk far unaided or carry their week's shopping on the bus. Volunteer-operated community ride-share services can replace driving without people losing the sense of independence that a car offers. One, HillsCarPal, has been successfully running in the Sydney Hills District since 2013. It's a model other communities who want to help elderly driver pensioners transition to the passenger seat could consider. John McQuarrie, Kellyville Give gas its due As Herald letter writers consistently point out, there are many negative environmental impacts of Western Australia's export gas industry, but never an acknowledgement that LNG has replaced coal as a fuel and the net effect has been to materially reduce global CO2 emissions. Peter Lane, Margaret River (WA)
ABC News
5 hours ago
- ABC News
Trump is calling for peace. But how exactly do you end a war?
It took more than 150 meetings and two years before the Korean War armistice agreement was reached. The Western Sahara conflict began in the 1970s and continues today. So what does it take to end a conflict? Despite multiple rounds of peace talks and mounting international scrutiny, there doesn't appear to be an end in sight to the bloodshed in Israel-Gaza. Russia and Ukraine are caught in a similar stalemate, with the weekend's Alaskan summit between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin failing to make any inroads on peace with Kyiv. But mediators warn negotiations are "highly technical" and "incredibly difficult". And history shows it will take time, patience — and for world leaders like Mr Trump to keep applying pressure — before we will see peace. Here is a look at what happens when you get two enemies in a room, and how to guide them towards a solution. Peace talks can involve direct negotiations between warring parties or the use of a mediator. Paul Dziatkowiec is the director of mediation and peace support at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy, and previously worked as an Australian diplomat for about a decade. He says mediators must be trusted by both sides and should traditionally be seen as impartial. Although that's not always the case, such as with Mr Trump. "You see the US president trying to play this kind of role, pushing and prodding and using sanctions and economic incentives to try to force a result," Mr Dziatkowiec says. Peace talks can also be extremely tense affairs, so mediators need to have a knack for keeping people calm. "Behind closed doors, there are times when [people] insult each other and swear at each other," Mr Dziatkowiec says. Mr Dziatkowiec says wars often boil down to people's "needs and fears". "This is the underlying reason for many conflicts. This is often where the solution can be found," he says. Both sides can be driven by basic things. "They're afraid for their security, they're interested in respect, dignity, economic opportunity, and a more comfortable life for their family unit, for their community," Mr Dziatkowiec says. These are just some of the levers mediators can pull when guiding negotiations. Dr Damien Kingsbury is a professor emeritus of politics and security at Deakin, and has participated in multiple peace talks. He says compromise is key. "If you come out with a 50-50 compromise, you end up with only half of what you want," he says. "But it's half of something, rather than 100 per cent of nothing." External factors can also make or break negotiations. Dr Kingsbury was an advisor at the 2005 peace talks that ended a brutal, three-decade separatist war in the Indonesian province of Aceh. He says both sides were caught in a "hurting stalemate" — a deadlock causing significant harm to each, with no clear path to victory. But by 2005, both sides were inching toward a peace deal. The Free Aceh Movement was considering dropping its demands for full independence, while in Jakarta, new Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was ready to pursue a peace deal as part of his strategy to curb the powers of the country's military. Moves towards peace were given extra impetus as the region struggled to recover from the impact of the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. "They had a willingness to be at the table and a genuine desire for some sort of resolution," Dr Kingsbury says. If there isn't "political will" for peace from the top, talks will inevitably struggle. Mr Dziatkowiec worked on the Russo-Ukrainian War for six years before Moscow's full-scale invasion in 2022, and experienced this firsthand from Russia's Vladimir Putin. "I knew if one man sitting in Moscow didn't want there to be a breakthrough, then it wouldn't matter how effective our discussions were," he says. Dr Kingsbury says while Kyiv seems genuinely interested in negotiation, Moscow doesn't appear to be. "So it may come to the table, but not be prepared to make any substantive compromises in order to find a resolution," he says. As for the Israel-Gaza conflict, Dr Kingsbury says it seems neither Israel nor Hamas is genuinely interested in a peace agreement. He says the Israeli government appears to want a "military success" against Hamas, similar to the one that ended the Sri Lankan civil war. That 26-year conflict finished after Sri Lanka's military crushed the Tamil Tigers, killing as many as 40,000 civilians in the final months. In addition to a lack of political will, Dr Kingsbury says "spoilers" can also hamper talks. These are people who continually undermine peace talks by launching military actions or politically blocking agreements. They are typically third parties, such as terrorist groups or rogue commanders, but can also cause havoc in the "main negotiating parties". Facing these kinds of barriers, Mr Dziatkowiec says some days can feel hopeless for mediators. "Your job is to be the last one that gives up," he says. This is where "private diplomacy" comes in. These are secret talks between mediators and warring parties, including people that governments are "uncomfortable talking to directly", such as terrorist or rebel groups. Mr Dziatkowiec works in this space and says unofficial talks are always happening, even if official diplomacy has been abandoned or isn't yet on the cards. "You try to find entry points, you try to find creative ways to engage and build trust and get things moving," he says. History shows that other countries can play a significant role in peace talks, but there must be sustained engagement. Former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger is a prime example of this. He spent months flying between Middle East capitals after the 1973 Arab-Israel war to deal with the fallout — a tenacious approach that coined the term "shuttle diplomacy". Mr Trump has an equally significant role to play in current major conflicts, according to Mr Dziatkowiec. He just needs to stay focused. The mediation expert says the US president has brought a "new energy" to negotiations and has the greatest potential to change the course of these wars. He has also shown a willingness to engage with leaders who are shunned by other Western nations, such as Mr Putin. And Mr Trump is not alone. Other countries, such as Türkiye and some Gulf states, have also tried to mediate between Russia and Ukraine. "They bring unique strengths and a fresh and nuanced approach to the table, though they don't have the same carrots and sticks as the US does," Mr Dziatkowiec says. China could also play a powerful role "if it wanted to", with Russia growing increasingly dependent on the eastern superpower as it continues to face punishing sanctions. "It could influence Putin to change course," Mr Dziatkowiec says. In the meantime, it remains to be seen whether the Trump administration will continue to provide sufficient military support for Ukraine, and the US president's tight ceasefire deadlines are concerning some. "Tight deadlines rarely bring lasting breakthroughs in these situations," Mr Dziatkowiec says. "I hope he stays committed to a genuine peacemaking role, because he could achieve big things around the world if only he is an honest broker, stays determined, and doesn't get his attention diverted."
Perth Now
7 hours ago
- Perth Now
MP's big issue with Albo's Palestine pledge
Anthony Albanese should have consulted the opposition before pledging to recognise Palestinian statehood next month, a Liberal frontbencher says. The Prime Minister unleashed a firestorm when he declared his intention on Monday. He has been both accused of 'rewarding terrorists' and praised for joining the global push to realise the rights of Palestinians. Sussan Ley has criticised him for, in her view, bungling one of the biggest foreign policy challenges facing governments and vowed to reverse Palestinian recognition. In the same breath, she has also lashed him for being 'fixated' on events abroad. Though, with more than 100,000 marching across the Sydney Harbour Bridge in protest of the war in Gaza, it is a hot-button issue for Australians – especially the many with family ties in the region. Senior opposition MP Tim Wilson on Sunday said it would have been 'sensible' to reach out to the Coalition and form a bipartisan position that could go beyond the government of the day. Opposition frontbencher Tim Wilson says Labor should have consulted the Coalition on Palestinian recognition. Martin Ollman / NewsWire Credit: News Corp Australia 'We've taken a long-term bipartisan position around a two-state solution based on a series of preconditions that we would expect in that - like the lasting security and respect for the state of Israel, like making sure Israeli hostages are returned, like making sure there isn't going to be Hamas running any government,' Mr Wilson told the ABC. 'Up until last Monday, that was also the position of the government.' He said the Albanese government has 'thrown that into turmoil by making a commitment to recognise a Palestinian state but not being able to then say if those preconditions are going to be met'. 'There wasn't the engagement with the opposition up until this point,' Mr Wilson said. 'I would have thought that actually having an engagement with the opposition for a lasting policy position from the Australian government would be a sensible way forward. 'They've chosen not to take that path.' When announcing his Palestine pledge, Mr Albanese outlined four 'commitments' he secured from Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority (PA). The first two were Hamas having 'no role' in a future Palestinian state and the PA recognising 'Israel's right to exist in peace and security'. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pledged to recognise Palestinian statehood at the UN General Assembly. Martin Ollman / NewsWire Credit: News Corp Australia While Mr Albanese said Mr Abbas 'reaffirmed' his support for the second point, the PA administers the West Bank and has no presence in Gaza or over Hamas. The PA itself is often criticised for its corruption, ineffectiveness and lack of elections. The last presidential vote was in 2005. It also faces accusations of supporting terrorism by paying families of 'martyrs' – Palestinians wounded or killed in flare-ups with Israel. Mr Albanese said Mr Abbas also committed to scrapping the 'Martyrs Fund' as part of broader transparency reforms, demilitarising, and holding elections. Both independent experts and the opposition have said it is impossible for these commitments to be fulfilled before the UN General Assembly, where Mr Albanese and several other Western leaders have vowed to recognise Palestine.
