David Singer

UN Security Council Must Get Serious On Destroying Islamic State

Brussels in lock-down, mayhem in Mali and the shooting down of a Russian war plane by Turkey have swiftly followed the unanimous passage on 20 November 2015 of an ineffectual French-sponsored Security Council Resolution 2249 (2015) in the record breaking time of just 34 minutes.

Israel's History Trumps European Union Labelling Laws

Jewish history spanning 3000 years is set to trump the European Union's (EU) unprecedented action requiring the way goods are labelled originating from four areas of territory disputed between Arabs and Jews--the West Bank, Golan Heights, East Jerusalem and Gaza.

Syria and the Islamic State: America Capitulates - UN Security Council Procrastinates

President Obama has finally abandoned his 2011 policy calling for Syria's President Assad to step aside and allow the future of Syria to be determined by its people - opening the way to a UN-led process on the political future of Syria being undertaken without first removing Assad.

Palestine--Obama Gives Up On Bush's Two-State Solution

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to the White House this week has confirmed President Obama's assessment that the much vaunted two-state solution proposed by Obama's predecessor President George W. Bush on 30 April 2003 (the Roadmap) will not happen whilst Obama is President--or indeed ever.

Security Council Permanent Members Herald Armed Action Against the Islamic State

An international conference in Vienna on 30 October--attended by all five Permanent Members of the UN Security Council--America, China, France, Russia and the United Kingdom - has made an important breakthrough towards defeating the Islamic State and ending the conflict in Syria and Iraq.

Palestine – Peres Trashes Rabin’s Oslo Accords Vision

Former Israeli President Shimon Peres has pre-empted the memorial rally this Saturday evening to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the assassination on 4 November 1995 of Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin - by writing – quite misleadingly - of Rabin’s vision in the Jerusalem Post this week.

Palestine – 1922 Two-State Solution Key To Resolving Arab-Jewish Conflict

United Nations Secretary-General Ban-Ki moon has jetted into Jerusalem on a fool’s errand - with tensions continuing to escalate between Arabs and Jews as their conflict spanning almost 100 years remains unresolved. The Secretary-General observed:

Islamic Lifelines Can Prevent Islamic State Dead Lines

Australia was introduced to a high school chaplain and Muslim community leader Sheikh Wesam Charkawi on one of Australia's most widely viewed TV shows - Q and A - last Monday evening.

Iraq Exacerbates America-Russia Standoff on Destroying Islamic State

America and its 62 nation coalition is becoming increasingly isolated and irrelevant as Russia maintains its airstrikes in Syria and has now commenced firing cruise missiles from warships in the Caspian Sea 1500 kilometres away.

Palestine--United Nations Bedazzled By Abbas Word Wizardry

PLO Chairman Mahmoud Abbas's speech to the UN General Assembly last week contained a concoction of half-truths and outright lies that everyone who listened to him should question.

Syrian Sinkhole Swallowing Obama and Putin's Credibility and Political Judgment

President Barack Obama's continuing focus on removing Syria's President Assad to secure America's co-operation with Russia to destroy the Islamic State--whilst President Putin has now independently commenced Russian air strikes in Syria - supposedly on Islamic State forces--exposes both leaders lack of credibility and political judgment.

America's Policy Mistakes Give Islamic State Big Breaks

America's ongoing insistence on wanting Syria's President--Bashar al-Assad--removed from power -continues to hinder American policy on removing the Islamic State as a threat to international peace and security.

Russia and America Must Jointly Confront Islamic State

The possibility that Russia and America may at long last be seeking common ground on confronting Islamic State has been increased with US Secretary of State John Kerry revealing that his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov has approached America proposing military talks over Syria.

Obama and Kerry Must Stop Playing Games Affecting Israel's Future

Attempting to secure the Congressional vote required to confirm President Obama's nuclear deal with Iran has necessitated Secretary for State John Kerry pledging Obama's "rock solid" diplomatic support and increased military assistance for Israel--the bitterest opponent of Obama's Iranian proposal.

Iran--Is Obama Conning 340 Rabbis or 200 Generals?

The upcoming debate and vote in the US Congress to endorse the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action with Iran (JCPOA) has become even more critical now that President Obama has reportedly secured the necessary votes to veto any Congressional resolution of disapproval.

Palestine -- Changed Narratives Needed To Nurture New Negotiations

France is not expected to present its anticipated draft proposal for the declaration of a Palestinian State to the U.N. Security Council in September -- having reportedly been criticized both by Israel - which does not want any external solution imposed on it - and by the PLO - which fears the Security Council will not meet its demands.

Palestine: More Straight Talking-- Less Doublespeak

The well-publicised "secret meeting" recently held in Jordan between Israel's newest negotiations Minister Silvan Shalom and perennial PLO chief negotiator Saeb Erekat is but the latest in a 20 years old meaningless talkfest that has seen little tangible signs of ending the 100 years old Jewish-Arab conflict-- despite two offers made by Israel in 2000/2001 and 2008 and rejected by the Palestinian Authority. Talks have been conducted on Israel's side within a framework comprising the 1993 Oslo Accords and the 2003 Bush Roadmap (with 14 documented Israeli reservations.)

Palestine - Chickens Coming Home To Roost For Turkey

Turkey's championing of the Palestinian Arabs in their quest for an independent State has come back to bite Turkey with a vengeance - as Kurdish Statehood is once again firmly placed on the political agenda.

Iran deal presages UN military action against Islamic State

China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom, America and the European Union (E3/EU+3)-- the Septet-- have shown a rare degree of international cooperation in signing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with Iran aimed at limiting Iran's nuclear horizons.

Abu Dhabi And Sydney--A Tale Of Two Cities

An Australian woman--Jodi Magi - has been arrested, jailed and deported from Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates after being found guilty of "writing bad words on social media about a person"--reportedly a cyber-crime in the United Arab Emirates. Her crime?