A young, powerful voice but to others, a tall poppy
To submit a letter to The Age, email letters@theage.com.au. Please include your home address and telephone number. No attachments, please include your letter in the body of the email. See here for our rules and tips on getting your letter published.
Columnist Suzanne Moore is scathing in her assessment of Greta Thunberg, pictured, and 'the left' (Comment, 11/6). She asserts that Israel has the right to exist yet is silent on the right of Palestine to exist. Palestinians have been maligned, dispossessed and occupied since 1948 and the Israeli regime is becoming ever more brutal in control of Palestinian lives. These are not hard facts to understand and Thunberg is surely aware of them. She has certainly become a powerful young voice of protest on various subjects, but this does not make her an adherent to a 'moronic omnicause″. Perhaps she has become a tall poppy that others need to bring down.
Lorel Thomas, Blackburn South
At least, she is trying to do something
Columnist Suzanne Moore was scathing in her opinion piece about Greta Thunberg's attempt to publicise the plight of the people in Gaza. Ms Moore refers to Thunberg and her crew as ″cute eco-warriors in shorts″.
Of course, I realise that Thunberg isn't everybody's ″cup of tea″. She is not short of confidence and is overflowing with the arrogance of youth. But at least she is trying to do something in a situation where lesser mortals fear to tread and which is the very definition of a moral quagmire. Ms Moore and others should lighten up on her. Save your angst for the real culprits in this mess.
James Tucker, Greensborough
An unjustified attack
Suzanne Moore's comments are unjustified. It seems that those who do extraordinary things are often the target of this sort of attack. First, they are accused of acting in their own interest and gaining fame and notoriety from their altruistic actions and then their support for causes is questioned by accusing them of supporting the unsupportable, in this case, the terrifying policies of Hamas. Footage of a grim-faced Thunberg on the yacht that was seized by Israel before it had a chance to deliver much-needed aid to Gaza do not show a breast-beating egotistical young woman but someone, who from a young age, has thoughtfully tried to draw the world's attention to the climate crisis and now, the dire plight of the Palestinian people.
Graeme Lechte, Pascoe Vale
The young activists deserve respect
The article by Suzanne Moore is a diatribe about youth activists. There wouldn't be any need for radical youth activists, focused on climate, racism, sexuality etc. if previous generations had acted logically and appropriately, or, in the case of Donald Trump, reversed hard won and just gains. Whether it's the Ukraine, Gaza, land clearing, or fossil fuel addiction, the present world is in bad shape, and these young warriors deserve the utmost respect, not condemnation from journalists like Suzanne Moore.
Jeff McCormack, Javoricko, Czech Republic
They're just like Pavlov's dogs
Suzanne Moore's piece hits the nail on the head. However, I prefer to draw parallels of these career activists to Pavlov's dogs. Never mind the facts, just make the right noises to stimulate them, and off they go. Without reason, other than following a narrative, they react to mindless slogans donning the garb and flags of their protagonists without a clue on what they represent. That Thunberg refused to watch an Israeli video of the October 7 massacres is like saying, Jewish lives don't matter.
Greta Thunberg should have viewed the video and responded, 'Two wrongs do not make a right.″
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Perth Now
an hour ago
- Perth Now
UN votes overwhelmingly to demand Gaza ceasefire
The United Nations General Assembly has overwhelmingly demanded an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in the war in Gaza and aid access, after the United States vetoed a similar effort in the Security Council last week. The 193-member General Assembly adopted a resolution that also demands the release of hostages held in Gaza by Hamas, the return of Palestinian prisoners detained by Israel and the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. The text garnered 149 votes in favour on Thursday, while 19 countries abstained and the US, Israel and 10 others voted against. The resolution "strongly condemns the use of starvation of civilians as a method of warfare and the unlawful denial of humanitarian access and depriving civilians ... of objects indispensable to their survival, including willfully impeding relief supply and access." Israel's UN ambassador, Danny Danon, told the General Assembly this was "blood libel". He had urged countries not to take part in what he said was a "farce" that undermines hostage negotiations and fails to condemn Hamas. "It must be acknowledged that by failing to condition a ceasefire on the release of the hostages, you told every terrorist organisation that abducting civilians works," he said. General Assembly resolutions are not binding but carry weight as a reflection of the global view on the war. Previous demands by the body for an end to the war between Israel and Palestinian militants Hamas have been ignored. Unlike the UN Security Council, no country has a veto in the General Assembly. Libya's UN ambassador Taher El-Sonni told the General Assembly before the vote that for "those pressing the red button today to vote against this resolution (it) will become a blood stain on their fingers". The US last week vetoed a draft UN Security Council resolution that also demanded an "immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire" and unhindered aid access in Gaza, arguing it would undermine US-led efforts to broker a ceasefire. The other 14 member states voted in favour of the draft as a humanitarian crisis grips the enclave of more than two million people, where the UN warns famine looms and aid has only trickled in since Israel lifted an 11-week blockade in May. The vote came before a UN conference next week that aims to reinvigorate an international push for a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians - a meeting the US is urging countries not to attend. The war in Gaza has raged since 2023 after Hamas militants killed 1200 people in Israel in an October 7 attack and took some 250 hostages back to the enclave, according to Israeli tallies. Many of those killed or captured were civilians. Israel responded with a military campaign that has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities.
The Advertiser
9 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Aid staff killed in Gaza ambush Israel blames on Hamas
Israel has accused Hamas militants of killing five Palestinians who worked for the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in an apparent effort to disrupt their food distribution operations. GHF said in a statement that one of its buses was ambushed late on Wednesday as it headed to an aid centre near the southern city of Khan Younis, carrying local men who worked alongside a US team to deliver critical supplies. "Hamas murdered five humanitarian workers from the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation with others being kidnapped," said COGAT, the Israeli defence agency that coordinates humanitarian matters with the Palestinians. "The international community can not ignore Hamas's crimes against humanitarian workers." Hamas declined to comment on the shootings. Social media channels in Gaza said Hamas had targeted the bus because it was allegedly carrying people affiliated with Yasser Abu Shabab, the leader of a large clan which has challenged Hamas's supremacy in the enclave and is being armed by Israel. Elsewhere in Gaza, the local health authority said at least 30 Palestinians had been killed by Israeli gunfire and airstrikes on Thursday, as the small coastal enclave continued to be roiled by violence and destruction. The IDF said it had killed three militants who fired an anti-tank missile towards Israeli soldiers. It also said it had arrested several Hamas members in Syria overnight, accusing them of planning to attack Israeli civilians and IDF forces. Israel has fought for more than 20 months to eliminate Hamas after it launched deadly attacks October 7, 2023 that ignited the war. All efforts to end the conflict through negotiations have failed. Despite the bus attack, GHF said it was continuing its distribution efforts on Thursday, handing out food boxes early at one of its sites, before shutting its gates there. The GHF has handed out more than 16 million meals since it started operations in Gaza at the end of May, overseeing a new model of food distribution which the United Nations says is neither impartial nor neutral. Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry says more than 160 people have been killed by Israeli fire near the aid centres, as the aid effort repeatedly degenerated into chaos and terror with ravenous locals scrabbling for limited supplies. "This model will not address the deepening hunger. The dystopian 'Hunger Games' cannot become the new reality," Philippe Lazzarini, the chief of the UN Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA), wrote on X. "The UN including @UNRWA have the knowledge, expertise & community trust to provide dignified & safe assistance. Just let the humanitarians do their jobs," he added. Israel has repeatedly called for UNRWA to be disbanded, accusing it of having ties with Hamas. UNRWA has denied this. Besides the GHF distribution effort, Israel is also letting into Gaza trucks carrying flour for the handful of bakeries that are still operating. For the first time in months, Israel allowed humanitarian trucks to enter northern Gaza directly overnight - with 56 trucks carrying supplies from the UN's World Food Programme crossing into the largely devastated region. Israel has accused Hamas militants of killing five Palestinians who worked for the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in an apparent effort to disrupt their food distribution operations. GHF said in a statement that one of its buses was ambushed late on Wednesday as it headed to an aid centre near the southern city of Khan Younis, carrying local men who worked alongside a US team to deliver critical supplies. "Hamas murdered five humanitarian workers from the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation with others being kidnapped," said COGAT, the Israeli defence agency that coordinates humanitarian matters with the Palestinians. "The international community can not ignore Hamas's crimes against humanitarian workers." Hamas declined to comment on the shootings. Social media channels in Gaza said Hamas had targeted the bus because it was allegedly carrying people affiliated with Yasser Abu Shabab, the leader of a large clan which has challenged Hamas's supremacy in the enclave and is being armed by Israel. Elsewhere in Gaza, the local health authority said at least 30 Palestinians had been killed by Israeli gunfire and airstrikes on Thursday, as the small coastal enclave continued to be roiled by violence and destruction. The IDF said it had killed three militants who fired an anti-tank missile towards Israeli soldiers. It also said it had arrested several Hamas members in Syria overnight, accusing them of planning to attack Israeli civilians and IDF forces. Israel has fought for more than 20 months to eliminate Hamas after it launched deadly attacks October 7, 2023 that ignited the war. All efforts to end the conflict through negotiations have failed. Despite the bus attack, GHF said it was continuing its distribution efforts on Thursday, handing out food boxes early at one of its sites, before shutting its gates there. The GHF has handed out more than 16 million meals since it started operations in Gaza at the end of May, overseeing a new model of food distribution which the United Nations says is neither impartial nor neutral. Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry says more than 160 people have been killed by Israeli fire near the aid centres, as the aid effort repeatedly degenerated into chaos and terror with ravenous locals scrabbling for limited supplies. "This model will not address the deepening hunger. The dystopian 'Hunger Games' cannot become the new reality," Philippe Lazzarini, the chief of the UN Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA), wrote on X. "The UN including @UNRWA have the knowledge, expertise & community trust to provide dignified & safe assistance. Just let the humanitarians do their jobs," he added. Israel has repeatedly called for UNRWA to be disbanded, accusing it of having ties with Hamas. UNRWA has denied this. Besides the GHF distribution effort, Israel is also letting into Gaza trucks carrying flour for the handful of bakeries that are still operating. For the first time in months, Israel allowed humanitarian trucks to enter northern Gaza directly overnight - with 56 trucks carrying supplies from the UN's World Food Programme crossing into the largely devastated region. Israel has accused Hamas militants of killing five Palestinians who worked for the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in an apparent effort to disrupt their food distribution operations. GHF said in a statement that one of its buses was ambushed late on Wednesday as it headed to an aid centre near the southern city of Khan Younis, carrying local men who worked alongside a US team to deliver critical supplies. "Hamas murdered five humanitarian workers from the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation with others being kidnapped," said COGAT, the Israeli defence agency that coordinates humanitarian matters with the Palestinians. "The international community can not ignore Hamas's crimes against humanitarian workers." Hamas declined to comment on the shootings. Social media channels in Gaza said Hamas had targeted the bus because it was allegedly carrying people affiliated with Yasser Abu Shabab, the leader of a large clan which has challenged Hamas's supremacy in the enclave and is being armed by Israel. Elsewhere in Gaza, the local health authority said at least 30 Palestinians had been killed by Israeli gunfire and airstrikes on Thursday, as the small coastal enclave continued to be roiled by violence and destruction. The IDF said it had killed three militants who fired an anti-tank missile towards Israeli soldiers. It also said it had arrested several Hamas members in Syria overnight, accusing them of planning to attack Israeli civilians and IDF forces. Israel has fought for more than 20 months to eliminate Hamas after it launched deadly attacks October 7, 2023 that ignited the war. All efforts to end the conflict through negotiations have failed. Despite the bus attack, GHF said it was continuing its distribution efforts on Thursday, handing out food boxes early at one of its sites, before shutting its gates there. The GHF has handed out more than 16 million meals since it started operations in Gaza at the end of May, overseeing a new model of food distribution which the United Nations says is neither impartial nor neutral. Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry says more than 160 people have been killed by Israeli fire near the aid centres, as the aid effort repeatedly degenerated into chaos and terror with ravenous locals scrabbling for limited supplies. "This model will not address the deepening hunger. The dystopian 'Hunger Games' cannot become the new reality," Philippe Lazzarini, the chief of the UN Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA), wrote on X. "The UN including @UNRWA have the knowledge, expertise & community trust to provide dignified & safe assistance. Just let the humanitarians do their jobs," he added. Israel has repeatedly called for UNRWA to be disbanded, accusing it of having ties with Hamas. UNRWA has denied this. Besides the GHF distribution effort, Israel is also letting into Gaza trucks carrying flour for the handful of bakeries that are still operating. For the first time in months, Israel allowed humanitarian trucks to enter northern Gaza directly overnight - with 56 trucks carrying supplies from the UN's World Food Programme crossing into the largely devastated region. Israel has accused Hamas militants of killing five Palestinians who worked for the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in an apparent effort to disrupt their food distribution operations. GHF said in a statement that one of its buses was ambushed late on Wednesday as it headed to an aid centre near the southern city of Khan Younis, carrying local men who worked alongside a US team to deliver critical supplies. "Hamas murdered five humanitarian workers from the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation with others being kidnapped," said COGAT, the Israeli defence agency that coordinates humanitarian matters with the Palestinians. "The international community can not ignore Hamas's crimes against humanitarian workers." Hamas declined to comment on the shootings. Social media channels in Gaza said Hamas had targeted the bus because it was allegedly carrying people affiliated with Yasser Abu Shabab, the leader of a large clan which has challenged Hamas's supremacy in the enclave and is being armed by Israel. Elsewhere in Gaza, the local health authority said at least 30 Palestinians had been killed by Israeli gunfire and airstrikes on Thursday, as the small coastal enclave continued to be roiled by violence and destruction. The IDF said it had killed three militants who fired an anti-tank missile towards Israeli soldiers. It also said it had arrested several Hamas members in Syria overnight, accusing them of planning to attack Israeli civilians and IDF forces. Israel has fought for more than 20 months to eliminate Hamas after it launched deadly attacks October 7, 2023 that ignited the war. All efforts to end the conflict through negotiations have failed. Despite the bus attack, GHF said it was continuing its distribution efforts on Thursday, handing out food boxes early at one of its sites, before shutting its gates there. The GHF has handed out more than 16 million meals since it started operations in Gaza at the end of May, overseeing a new model of food distribution which the United Nations says is neither impartial nor neutral. Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry says more than 160 people have been killed by Israeli fire near the aid centres, as the aid effort repeatedly degenerated into chaos and terror with ravenous locals scrabbling for limited supplies. "This model will not address the deepening hunger. The dystopian 'Hunger Games' cannot become the new reality," Philippe Lazzarini, the chief of the UN Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA), wrote on X. "The UN including @UNRWA have the knowledge, expertise & community trust to provide dignified & safe assistance. Just let the humanitarians do their jobs," he added. Israel has repeatedly called for UNRWA to be disbanded, accusing it of having ties with Hamas. UNRWA has denied this. Besides the GHF distribution effort, Israel is also letting into Gaza trucks carrying flour for the handful of bakeries that are still operating. For the first time in months, Israel allowed humanitarian trucks to enter northern Gaza directly overnight - with 56 trucks carrying supplies from the UN's World Food Programme crossing into the largely devastated region.
Sky News AU
10 hours ago
- Sky News AU
‘Getting pretty close': Expert analyses Israeli potential to strike Iran
Strategic Analysis Australia Director Peter Jennings discusses the potential for an Israeli strike on Iran. 'I think we are getting pretty close to a time when a strike is going to happen,' Mr Jennings told Sky News host Sharri Markson. 'Trump's style here is, to give him credit, he attempted to have a negotiation with the Iranians, and there were five rounds of negotiations. 'I think Trump will realise that that was getting nowhere and will very quickly move back to what Israel has wanted to do pretty much since December. 'Strike while they still can before Iran does get nuclear weapons.'
