A Unique Opportunity for Australia
The more we veer towards the Israeli dictated American policy we are certain to alienate the majority of the Muslims in the region and outside.
Yes, we need to get more balanced in our approach to the Middle East. We have to accept the fact that there has been a paradigmic change in the geopolitics of the region with the revival of Shiite Islam and the influence of Iran. The more we veer towards the Israeli dictated American policy we are certain to alienate the majority of the Muslims in the region and outside. Australia has a unique opportunity to play the role of an honest broker if we distance ourselves from the US-Israeli agenda. Indonesia and Malaysia will throw their weight with us if we decide to take a balanced approach. The Israeli lobby in Australia country seems to be having a stranglehold in the successive political regimes of this nation. Why?
We should make our voice clear that we support a two-state solution in principle but the following conditions must be satisfied:(a) Israel must remove its settlements from West Bank and Gaza (b) negotiate its permanent territorial borders with the Arab community and after that Israel’s security must be guaranteed by the international community (c) Jerusalem must be an Abrahamic territory managed by the Abrahamic community, and (d) a partial return of the Palestine refugees to their homeland should be allowed with cash inducement to those refugees who want to settle outside Palestine.
About Dr Ameer Ali
Dr Ali is an eminent figure in the Australian Muslim community.
He is Chairman of the Muslim Community Reference group, appointed by the Prime Minister. He is immediate past-President of the Australian Federation of Muslim Councils, and the executive council member of the World Muslim League.
With more than 40 years commitment to the Muslim community, Ameer is a passionate advocate of interfaith dialogue in Australia.
He is an associate editor of the Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs, and is a substantial contributor to international journals and conferences.
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