Category: Editorials

The following statement has been issued by the Australian Jewish Democratic Society: We write as supporters of the State of Israel and align ourselves with those who seek a negotiated two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Though the current hostilities in Gaza and Lebanon are but another round in this long-standing conflict, we have no hesitation in unreservedly condemning those, chiefly in Hamas and Hezbollah, who have triggered the current escalation of hostilities.

This was published as an opinion piece in the Australian Jewish News (2 April 2009) The AJDS is puzzled that the Australian Jewish News (26 March 2009) regards as front-page news an Anti-Defamation Commission report by Dr Phillip Mendes about events that took place nearly a decade ago.

Debate within our community on Arab-Jewish dialogue is always important, but a particular person’s anecdotal experience with a now defunct academic organisation in which two out of three of his adversaries were Jewish, provides no basis to conclude that dialogue is worthless.

Jeff Halper, the Israeli anti-demolitions activist, gives his account of the campaign of censorship by the ‘Lobby’ in Australia.  To its credit, the Australian Jewish News ran it as a letter as well.

It appeared on Anthony Lowenstein’s blog (and we don’t endorse a lot of what Anthony says), but at least he has given Jeff the space to make his case).

[ME News Service Comments: Anyone following the Israeli media would find that besides being concerned with coalition making, one of the biggest story concerns Navy Chief Major General Eli Marom’s visit to a strip club. The prediction is that he will lose his job because he lied about it. What I have been waiting is for someone to point our the obvious: In Israel’s current warped value system soldiers get punished far more severely for stealing from Palestinians (without authorisation) than for murdering them without authorisation.

[ME News Service Comments: Anyone following the Israeli media would find that besides being concerned with coalition making, one of the biggest story concerns Navy Chief Major General Eli Marom’s visit to a strip club. The prediction is that he will lose his job because he lied about it. What I have been waiting is for someone to point our the obvious: In Israel’s current warped value system soldiers get punished far more severely for stealing from Palestinians (without authorisation) than for murdering them without authorisation.

The independent Middle East News Service concentrates on providing alternative information chiefly from Israeli sources. It is sponsored by the Australian Jewish Democratic Society. The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the AJDS. These are expressed in its own statements
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Sol Salbe

For many members of our community, the word “Durban” is indelibly associated with antisemitism. The primary reason for this is not so much the September 2001 World Conference against Racism as the associated NGO Forum, which was unquestionably marred by virulent antisemitic behaviour by a number of Non-Government Organisations.

Unfortunately, the bitter taste left by the NGO Forum has led to the stigmatisation of the whole UN anti-racism conference by overzealous critics who have not mentioned the positive aspects of the event. Of course not all the NGOs behaved appallingly, but the blatant antisemitism of some tarred the official gathering of government representatives as well. This is why, by conflating the NGO Forum with the main conference, many members of our community believe that the whole meeting was antisemitic.

For many members of our community, the word “Durban” is indelibly associated with antisemitism. The primary reason for this is not so much the September 2001 World Conference against Racism as the associated NGO Forum, which was unquestionably marred by virulent antisemitic behaviour by a number of Non-Government Organisations.

Unfortunately, the bitter taste left by the NGO Forum has led to the stigmatisation of the whole UN anti-racism conference by overzealous critics who have not mentioned the positive aspects of the event. Of course not all the NGOs behaved appallingly, but the blatant antisemitism of some tarred the official gathering of government representatives as well. This is why, by conflating the NGO Forum with the main conference, many members of our community believe that the whole meeting was antisemitic.

The Middle East News Service is unique. It offers the best progressive up-to-the minute precis and translations from progressive news sources around the world, including the Hebrew-language press.

The Middle East News Service is unique. It offers the best progressive up-to-the minute precis and translations from progressive news sources around the world, including the Hebrew-language press.