Antony Loewenstein

Sticks And Stones May Break Israel’s Bones, But It’s Words That Really Frighten

The ‘Democratic State of Israel’ has decided to go ‘full North Korea’ and threaten to not renew an Australian Jewish journalist’s press visa for… wait for it… asking a question at a media event. Chris Graham explains.

Living in a free and democratic society is a glorious thing. And then there’s living in Israel… which is neither free (particularly if you’re Palestinian) nor democratic (particularly if you’re Palestinian).

And it turns out, it’s sometimes not so free or democratic for journalists either… even Jewish ones.

Antony Loewenstein is a respected Australian journalist, and an occasional contributor to New Matilda. He’s currently living in East Jerusalem, the Israeli-occupied part of the Holy City, having just finished a stint in Sudan where he’s been reporting on the civil war.

The news overnight is that the Israeli Government Press Office is “leaning toward recommending that his work permit not be renewed due to suspected BDS activity”. Which is not the real reason at all.

Read the full article by Chris Graham at newmatilda.com.