The history of the Israeli Settler movement
Guests
Arie Perliger, Professor at the Scholl of Criminology and Justice Studies at the University of University of Massachusetts Lowell. His area of expertise includes, Political Violence and Extremism, Security Policy and Politics, Far-Right Politics (Europe, US and Israel), Political Socialization, Middle Eastern Politics.
Callie Maidhof Assistant Senior Instructional Professor and Associate Director of Global Studies. She is currently writing a book on the subject titled Borderline Settlers: Israel's Secular Middle Class in Palestine.
Sara Yael Hirschhorn historian at the University of Haifa and a Fellow at the Jewish People's Policy Institute in Jerusalem. She is the author of City on a hilltop: American Jews and the Israeli Settler Movement.
Akiva Eldar Israeli journalist and author of Lords of the Land: The War Over Israel's Settlements in the Occupied Territories which he wrote with Idith ZertalIdith Zertal.
Presented and produced by Annabelle Quince
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SBS Australia
5 hours ago
- SBS Australia
Israelis stage nationwide protests to demand end to Gaza war and release of hostages
Tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered in Tel Aviv to call for an end to the war in Gaza and the release of hostages, one of the largest demonstrations in Israel since October 2023. The rally was the culmination of a day of nationwide protests and a general strike to pressure the government to halt the military campaign. "Bring them all home! Stop the war!" shouted the vast crowd which had converged on the so-called Hostage Square in Tel Aviv plaza — a focal point for protesters throughout the war. The Hostage and Missing Families Forum, the initiator of the day of protest, estimated that about 500,000 people joined the evening demonstration in Tel Aviv — a figure not confirmed by the police. "We demand a comprehensive and achievable agreement and an end to the war. We demand what is rightfully ours — our children," said Einav Zangauker, mother of hostage Matan and a leading figure of the protest movement. "The Israeli government has transformed a just war into a pointless war," she told the crowd. Demonstrators have called for an end to the war in Gaza at widespread protests in Israel. Source: AP / Ohad Zwigenberg National media published a video message by Matan Zangauker, in which the hostage, weak and emaciated, addressed his family and told them he missed them. The video was filmed by Hamas and found in Gaza by the army, the family said. "This is probably the last minute we have to save the hostages," demonstrator Ofir Penso, 50, said. Netanyahu and Smotrich criticise protests The protests come more than a week after Israel's security cabinet approved plans to capture Gaza City , 22 months into a war that has created a dire humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian territory. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum campaign group vowed that protesters would "shut down the country" with the goal of bringing back the hostages and ending the war. Throughout the country, demonstrators blocked traffic arteries, set tyres on fire and clashed with the police. More than 30 protesters were arrested, law enforcement said. The protests came following the Israeli government's decision to take over Gaza City and other areas in the Gaza Strip. Source: AP / Maya Levin In Jerusalem's main shopping district, it was business as usual. A shop assistant in the city centre said the owner supported the campaign for the hostages' return but chose not to participate in the strike. "Everyone is helping the way they can," she said, declining to give her name. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticised the protesters, saying their actions "not only harden Hamas's position and draw out the release of our hostages, but also ensure that the horrors of October 7 will reoccur". Egypt said in recent days mediators were leading a renewed push to secure a 60-day truce deal that includes hostages being released, after the last round of talks in Qatar ended without a breakthrough. Some Israeli government members who oppose any deal with Hamas also criticised the demonstrations. Israel's far-right finance minister Bezalel Smotrich decried "a perverse and harmful campaign that plays into the hands of Hamas" and calls for "surrender". However, Benny Gantz, an opposition leader, condemned the government for "attacking the families of the hostages" while "bearing responsibility for the captivity of their children by Hamas for nearly two years".
ABC News
6 hours ago
- ABC News
Israelis stage nationwide protests to demand end to Gaza war and release of hostages
With drums and horns blaring, hundreds of thousands of passionate Israelis have shouted in protest on the streets of Tel Aviv. It's a common refrain, uttered week after week in hostage square for almost two years now. But Sunday's protest conveyed more urgency than normal. Families of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza have expressed their urgent fears that Israel's expanded, looming offensive could kill their loved ones. "Every bullet, every strike, could be the one to end their life," a voice rang out to the crowd. "End the war and end the suffering." "This is a very critical stage in Israel," Danny Kalmanson, who attended the protest, told the ABC. "We can't continue endlessly, we're losing all these people. "Israel can afford to say let's have a ceasefire now, bring them home." Organisers say at least 350 thousand people attended Sunday night's rally, calling for the war to end immediately and for a deal to be reached to release the hostages. There are 50 Israelis still held captive in Gaza, with 20 believed to be alive. Signs held by protesters called on US President Donald Trump to "save" Israel from its Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Naama Gild said she was there to support the families of hostages. "We don't want to be here every weekend, we just want them home," she said. "I think some of the [politicians] don't listen, I think [Prime Minister Benjamin] Bibi Netanyahu is doing an awful disservice to Israel at this point. "They need to listen up, because nothing changes." Lishay Miran-Lavi, wife of hostage Omri Miran, was also among those promoting the event earlier on Sunday. "The mobilisation from the bottom up is amazing, thousands of private companies, alongside the Histadrut [the Israeli workers' union], will allow their employees to stop everything and dedicate the entire day for our dear ones," Ms Miran-Lavi said. "The support is enormous and moving us to tears. "We feel that everyone understands that the struggle is not private to the families, but to the entire people of Israel." She insisted Sunday's protests were just the beginning of the actions. While Tel Aviv and Jerusalem were the focal points for many of the rallies, protesters took to highways and intersections across the country to make their point heard. At one stage Highway One between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, one of the busiest routes in Israel, was shut down after tyres were strewn across the road and set on fire. At least 30 protesters were detained by police. At the start of his weekly government meeting, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticised those pushing the nationwide shutdown. "Those who are calling today for an end to the war without the defeat of Hamas are not only strengthening Hamas and delaying the release of our hostages, they are also ensuring that the horrors of October 7 will repeat themselves over and over again, and that our sons and daughters will have to fight over and over again in an endless war," he said. "Therefore, in order both to advance the release of our hostages and to ensure that Gaza no longer poses a threat to Israel, we must complete the task and defeat Hamas." While Mr Netanyahu's criticism was directed at a home audience, the Israeli President Isaac Herzog had choice words for the international community. He argued the pressure being put on Israel to end the war was misguided, and ignored the role Hamas played. "Our sons and daughters are there in the dungeons of Gaza for 681 days," he said at Hostage Square on Sunday. "We want them back home as soon as possible. The world should want them back home as soon as possible. "Stop being a bunch of hypocrites. Press, because when you know how to press, you press, press and tell Hamas, 'no deal, no nothing, until you release them'." As the protests demanding the end of the military offensive in Gaza were underway in Israel, the country's military chief was touring the war-ravaged strip. "We will continue to strike until the decisive defeat of Hamas, with the hostages always at the forefront of our minds," Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir said in Gaza. "We will act with a sophisticated, balanced, and responsible strategy. "The IDF [Israel Defense Forces] will deploy all its capabilities, on land, in the air, and at sea, in order to strike Hamas decisively." Hamas described the move as "a declaration of a new wave of genocide and mass displacement", and criticised an announcement on Saturday from the IDF it would start delivering tents to the hundreds of thousands of people who would be forced out of Gaza City. "The plans to occupy Gaza and displace its population are a major war crime that reflects the occupation's disregard for international and humanitarian laws," Hamas said in a statement. "The occupation's talk of bringing in tents in southern Gaza under the guise of 'humanitarian arrangements' is a blatant deception aimed at covering up a crime of displacement and an imminent massacre." Egypt late on Sunday said it categorically rejected the "displacement of Palestinians and calls on states not to participate in this heinous crime". Gaza's health authorities say more than 61,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war, which is rapidly approaching its second anniversary. Hundreds of thousands of Gazans have been forced to move repeatedly during the war, as Israeli attacks against claimed Hamas targets have left few parts of the strip untouched. The war began when Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli authorities. ABC with wires
ABC News
6 hours ago
- ABC News
Selling out or selling up? The battle for Santos takes a twist
The gloves are off. The battle for control of oil and gas giant Santos moved up a gear this week after Ryan Stokes, chairman of Beach Energy and son of billionaire Kerry, took a swipe at the Abu Dhabi government's tilt for a large slice of Australia's energy market. A clearly incensed Stokes delivered a blunt assessment of the Middle Eastern gas giant's $36 billion takeover, suggesting it could end up denying Australians access to their own energy source. "A question we'd have is: 'Is that right in the national interest, given the importance of domestic gas?'" he asked. He didn't have to wait long for a response. The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) quickly slapped him down, dismissing the criticisms as "clearly opportunistic and [reflecting] a commercial interest in the outcome". With $36 billion on the table — the biggest all-cash takeover offer in Australian history — ADNOC too has a significant commercial interest in the outcome. There's been surprisingly little, if any, debate around the merits of the takeover or the identity of the purchaser. Had the Australian government announced plans to purchase Santos, there undoubtedly would have been furious debate over the nationalisation of a vitally important commercial operation. Instead, a foreign government with potentially shifting global allegiances and a track record of dubious activities across Africa and Asia has stumped up a stupendous amount of cash for the same crucial energy infrastructure with nary a hint of community or political questioning. He's best known in the west as the money man behind the fabulously successful Manchester City Football Club. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan, the younger brother of the United Arab Emirates's all powerful ruler, is one of the richest men in the Middle East and the UAE's deputy prime minister and vice president. Rarely seen in public, he never attends Manchester City games and has managed to maintain a low profile despite controlling key institutions like the Emirati central bank, the Abu Dhabi criminal authority and the nation's rapidly growing $330 billion sovereign wealth fund. He also chairs the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, the entity leading the Santos takeover. But his influence extends well beyond the UAE's borders. An in-depth investigation by the New York Times, published just last month, outlines a web of shadowy connections, linking Sheikh Mansour to several long-running conflicts in Africa. Until recently, he's somehow escaped scrutiny. But last year the British government intervened to prevent the sheikh buying The Telegraph over concerns it could diminish press freedom. His name was also raised in trials in the United States and Malaysia amid accusations Sheikh Mansour profited from 1MDB scandal, one of the world's biggest financial frauds. More recently, Manchester City has been accused of breaching funding rules on 130 occasions to purchase star players that have transformed the club from mediocre also-rans to top of the Premier League, accusations denied by the club. But it is the revelations of Sheikh Mansour's associations with regional warlords, outlined in the New York Times, that are concerning. For years, he has been aligned with Lt General Mohamed Hamdan, the powerful Sudanese commander who seized power in a coup and who, two years before the latest conflict erupted in the war-torn North African enclave, he had hosted at an Emirati arms fair. Just weeks before the conflict erupted into outright civil war in 2023, the NYT reported Hamdan was a guest at Sheikh Mansour's Persian Gulf palace. US Democrats have called for a ban on weapons exports to the Emirates. The UAE, meanwhile, has vehemently denied any involvement in arming Hamdan's forces, which have been accused of massacres, mass rape and genocide in the ongoing war. It is a conflict that has resulted in the death of 150,000 and displaced more than 12 million people, making it the world's biggest humanitarian crisis. For a country swimming in surplus energy, it seems almost inconceivable that Australia's most populated areas have faced gas shortages and soaring electricity prices for much of the past decade. The blame can be sheeted home to a series of bungled decisions that allowed gas to be exported from the east coast by three giant consortia without ensuring adequate domestic supplies. Domestic gas prices, which previously had traded around $3 a gigajoule, trebled and then quadrupled to match global prices and beyond. Much of the blame could be sheeted home to Santos. At the last minute, it doubled the size of its liquifying export plant on Curtis Island just off the Queensland coast near Gladstone without fully shoring up its gas reserves. Finding itself short of feed to meet its export contracts, it then proceeded to drain the domestic market. The ongoing shortfalls drove energy intensive manufacturers to the wall and were a major contributing factor to the inflation outbreak for the past three years that only now is under control. It is into this charged environment that ADNOC has parachuted. Santos, for decades a chronic investment underperformer, has been offered a price that far exceeds the company's value. According to one financier who requested anonymity, the UAE based group has suddenly decided it needs to be a global entity and is executing that strategy regardless of price. "There are only a handful of assets globally that are available if you wanted to scale up. There's a few in America and then there is Woodside and Santos. "So ADNOC is willing to deal on non-commercial terms." But there are concerns about the Middle Eastern energy giant's ambitions. Some believe that, despite its statements and assurances, it isn't the slightest bit interested in Australia's domestic gas market, Instead, the thinking is that the firm has its sights set on the Barossa gas field in the waters north of Darwin along with Santos's Papua New Guinea operations and its prospective play in Alaska. Ryan Stokes and his father Kerry have a direct interest in the outcome of this mega-deal. Their Beach Energy has a joint venture with Santos in one of the world's largest carbon capture and storage projects, in the Cooper Basin, a major gas field smack in the middle of Australia, that has supplied the east coast for decades. While Stokes has since gone to ground, insiders believe the pair were miffed at not being informed of the deal, given their commercial link, and may now be looking to expand Beach's domestic gas operations by purchasing Santos assets. ADNOC isn't alone on the transaction. There's another Abu Dhabi government entity along with US private equity group Carlyle. Exactly what role Carlyle will play has yet to be spelt out. It may be in the consortium to pick up the Australian domestic gas interests if the deal goes ahead. Or it could there to play a role in smoothing the way in the US, given the Alaska gas fields. First, however, the deal needs Jim Chalmers' tick of approval. ADNOC is still going over the Santos books and has yet to confirm a formal takeover offer. So the Foreign Investment Review Board has yet to receive an application. But ADNOC may face a tougher time than it anticipated. Foreign ownership has become a politically charged issue, highlighted by the federal government's determination to return the Port of Darwin to local ownership from Chinese control. Energy, and particularly gas, is in another realm altogether, given it is supposed to be the transition fuel to a renewables future. Then there's the history. Three prime ministers, Turnbull, Morrison and Albanese, were forced to personally intervene in the market. Such is the distrust of the gas exporters, the competition regulator has been charged with the task of keeping the east coast market under permanent review. Its most recent report forecasts ongoing and growing domestic shortages out to 2036. Not surprisingly, investors aren't all that confident the deal will proceed. The Santos share price hasn't risen above $8 since the bid was announced. That's an 11 per cent discount to the $8.89 offer.
