Eretz Israel is our unforgettable historic homeland...The Jews who will it shall achieve their State...And whatever we attempt there for our own benefit will redound mightily and beneficially to the good of all mankind. (Theodor Herzl, DerJudenstaat, 1896)

We offer peace and amity to all the neighbouring states and their peoples, and invite them to cooperate with the independent Jewish nation for the common good of all. The State of Israel is ready to contribute its full share to the peaceful progress and development of the Middle East.
(From Proclamation of the State of Israel, 5 Iyar 5708; 14 May 1948)

With a liberal democratic political system operating under the rule of law, a flourishing market economy producing technological innovation to the benefit of the wider world, and a population as educated and cultured as anywhere in Europe or North America, Israel is a normal Western country with a right to be treated as such in the community of nations.... For the global jihad, Israel may be the first objective. But it will not be the last. (Friends of Israel Initiative)

Thursday 17 March 2016

Australia's Carr Fumes on Behalf of "Arabic" Voters

Look who's coming to Oz – the Electronic Intifada founder
A report by journalist John Lyons in The Australian newspaper claimed this week that Mary Easson, one of five members of the New South Wales branch of the Australia Israel Labor Dialogue group (AILD) (which since its formation in 2010 has sent over 30 Aussie trades union and Labor Party (ALP) officials on fact-finding trips to to Israel), "is also a lobbyist for the Australian subsidiary of one of Israel’s ­largest arms manufacturers [Elbit]" and "has also played an active role in the emotive ­debate within the Labor Party over its policy towards Israel".

Lyons wrote:
"The fact that Ms Easson’s company, Probity International Pty Ltd, is lobbying for Elbit is ­almost certain to lead to anger within the ALP from those who have taken trips organised by the AILD.
Ms Easson has been locked in a brutal fight inside the Labor Party with former foreign minister Bob Carr over policy towards Israel. Ms Easson wants the ALP to retain its bipartisan support for Israel while Mr Carr wants a deadline for Israel to cease its expansion of settlements in the West Bank and to return to negotiations with the Palestinians.
Elbit is one of Israel’s largest manufacturers of bombs, mortars, cyber warfare systems and drones and much of its ordnance was used in the 2014 war with Gaza. On its website, Elbit says one of its products — the Soltam Spear — has “unprecedented lethality."
Sure enough, again according to Lyons in a follow-up report, former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr is on the trail, fuming that'
"It would be common sense for party leaders to say the dialogue­ must present an independ­ently audited account of its fundraising. The party’s credibility with literally hundreds of thousands of ­voters with Arabic backgrounds is at stake."
Lyons further reported:
'Ms Easson denies Elbit has ever made a donation to AILD. But Mr Carr said any connection to Elbit was “a shameful look — arms dealers, civilian deaths, the electronic fence”.'
And Israel bashing ALP member of the federal Parliament is reported as saying:
“Given the significant numbers of ALP members who are apparently being taken on these trips to Israel, it is a concern not to know who is providing the funds, particularly where there is a person associated with an Israeli weapons manufacturer on the AILD committee."
But former Queensland premier Peter Beattie, patron of the New South Wales branch of AILD is quoted thus:
“I am not interested in a petty side argument between the warring factions in the ALP over ­Israel and Palestine”
(These reports are behind a paywall.)

Meanwhile, AILD, in response to what Lyons reports, states:
"The AILD is not now, or has ever sought to be funded by Elbit or any other defence company, whether Israeli or Australian.
The Mission of the AILD is to build bridges between the Australian and Israeli Labor Parties across the spectrum of shared values such as workers rights, women’s status, gay rights, multiculturalism and shared understanding of a two state solution to the Israel Palestine conflict.
As part of our activities we arrange tours to Israel and Palestine and provide subsidies to those who cannot afford to travel to the region. Our funding comes from private donations sought from the Australian Jewish and pro-Israel Non-Jewish community.
To insinuate that because 1 of our supporters and activists is a consultant to a company that has a contract with Elbit, so AILD must be involved is both absurd and extremely poor journalism. It smacks of an opinion in search of a story in order to smear AILD and it’s democratic right to actively and openly champion a peaceful resolution of two nations for two peoples within the ALP.
There are those who seek to impose their own one-sided view on Israel Palestine within the ALP, and ban subsidised trips to Israel and Palestine. The AILD will never subscribe to impose totalitarian controls on what any individual wishes to see or do in their quest for understanding in this and any place in the world."
.And Dr Colin Rubenstein, executive director of The Australia/Israel and Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC), which sends journalists on fact-finding trips to Israel, declares:
“As noted by AILD, their program of sending union officials to the Middle East is not and has never been funded by Elbit or any other arms manufacturer, regardless of the indirect connection of one AILD director, Mary Easson, to that company, and no matter what John Lyons chose to imply ...
The only real news story here is that there is an organised campaign, as we have seen in the NSW ALP recently, to try and stop Australian political and opinion leaders going to the Middle East, meeting leaders and experts from both sides and learning the truth about the complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian issue. This campaign is determined to seize on anything, however tenuous, to try and discredit such trips, despite how much they have enriched the debate in this country. Unfortunately, Australian journalist John Lyons seems all too willing to lend his pen to this campaign.”

7 comments:

  1. John Lyons, Bob Carr and Ali Abomination, Blair's Law* in action

    *"ongoing process by which the world's multiple idiocies are becoming one giant, useless force"

    ReplyDelete
  2. From the ABC, the should-be-objective national broadcaster:
    "Focus groups from rural towns and cities demonstrate how ingrained our fear and mistrust is of new arrivals bringing terrorism along with their Islamic faith.
    This new research, commissioned by Melbourne University’s Social Equity Institute, shows that, in fact, the main drivers of prejudice against people seeking asylum is a a fear of Islam, grounded in misinformation."
    http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/rnafternoons/an-afternoon-of-muslim-speed-dating/7255460

    ReplyDelete
  3. It is about time that it was said clearly and loudly that this ugly and nasty little man as Premier prevailed over the most viciously corrupt era in history.

    And that's really saying something.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Bob Carr has the social grace of an autistic four year old.

    I once introduced him to a group of visiting Japanese businessmen who included the CEO of one of the largest computer companies in the world.

    He shuffled around like an incontinent age pensioner. I have never been so embarrassed.

    ReplyDelete
  5. "prevailed " might be the wrong word.

    "Stood over " might be more açcurate

    ReplyDelete
  6. Crikey, Geoff! And those are only his good points! :)

    ReplyDelete

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