UNHCR statement on Syria
“GENEVA (5 August 2011) – A group of UN human rights experts today warned that the scale and gravity of the violent crackdown in the Syrian Arab Republic continues unabated, and reiterated their call for an immediate end to the violent strategies adopted by the Government to quash the on-going demonstrations.
Ghassan Khatib is on a short speaking tour of Australia.
I taped this speech by him and a couple of questions during an address at the Victorian State Parliament to the Parliamentary Friends of Palestine on 2 August 2011. Later in the day he spoke to a very large meeting organised in conjunction with the PFP by the Jewish Capital Forum, also at the same location and this is to be broadcast on Channel 31 in the near future. He is also speaking to Palestinian audiences.
Viv Porszolt, a member of AJDS and recently detained and then released in Israel, provides her account of the recent rally in Israel in support of a Palestinian state.
“On July 15, former NSW Greens MP Sylvia Hale and I used the freedom from deportation awarded us by an Israeli court to good effect. We joined the largest rally for some years in support of a Palestinian state ahead of the expected United Nations vote in September.
Robin Rothfield, an AJDS member is featured in this article about the ‘solution’ and how it goes against ALP policy. The opinions expressed are of course his own.
New Matilda also features a critique of what is going on.
The Israeli Knesset’s new law targetting those who advocate boycotts is of deep concern, as it undermines the principle of free, non-violent speech in a democracy. Merely unpopular opinions ought not be illegal.
We stand with other critical friends, both inside and outside Israel prepared to publicly stand against bad laws. As the New Israel Fund says: “many if not most Israelis oppose the settlement enterprise, and for good reasons. Criminalizing actors who refuse to perform in Ariel, or NGOs that support holding settlers economically accountable by not buying their goods or services, is appalling. We ourselves will not exclude support for organizations that discourage the purchase of goods or use of services from settlements.”
The occupation is a cancer on Israeli society, and attempts to protect the occupation by law goes against everything Israel claims to be. Even the Anti Defamation League in the US, a strongly pro-Israel organization considers the legislation as dangerous.
Regardless of the diverse political views within the Jewish community, there should be general and vocal opposition to this legislation, more of which is to come. In addition, we urge the Australian government to voice its concern about the legislation which damages Israel’s standing amongst its declared friends.
Useful background
The Israeli Knesset’s new law targetting those who advocate boycotts is of deep concern, as it undermines the principle of free, non-violent speech in a democracy. Merely unpopular opinions ought not be illegal.
We stand with other critical friends, both inside and outside Israel prepared to publicly stand against bad laws. As the New Israel Fund says: “many if not most Israelis oppose the settlement enterprise, and for good reasons. Criminalizing actors who refuse to perform in Ariel, or NGOs that support holding settlers economically accountable by not buying their goods or services, is appalling. We ourselves will not exclude support for organizations that discourage the purchase of goods or use of services from settlements.”
The occupation is a cancer on Israeli society, and attempts to protect the occupation by law goes against everything Israel claims to be. Even the Anti Defamation League in the US, a strongly pro-Israel organization considers the legislation as dangerous.
Regardless of the diverse political views within the Jewish community, there should be general and vocal opposition to this legislation, more of which is to come. In addition, we urge the Australian government to voice its concern about the legislation which damages Israel’s standing amongst its declared friends.
Useful background
[Update 14 July: both have been released after a court hearing, the only two out of hundreds of activists. Info.]
It is not too hard to be cynical about the detention of two Australia women ‘of a certain Age’ at Ben Gurion airport by the Israeli authorities. They are to ‘be made an example of’. See Report.
“The landmark bill criminalizes support of boycotts against Israel and its occupation, exposing individuals and organizations that support such boycotts to endless lawsuits and heavy fines. The anti-boycott bill is latest in a wave of pernicious legislation being debated in the Knesset which attack freedom of speech and expression, often specifically targeting Israel’s Palestinian minority.”
“A Knesset study found similar laws in countries like Venezuela and Eritrea, but not in any democracy”.
The June 2011 Newsletter is out now (see the last link below)! It includes reports on Naomi Chazan’s visit, the ins and outs of BDS, including at statement to the June 2011 Plenum of the Jewish Community Council of Victoria, a report on Labor Refugee Policy, the controversy over the St Kilda Community House, income inequality in Australia, and much more!!
Enjoy.
Follow the link for this issue, and the archive.
Gareth Evans (Chancellor of the ANU, Former Head of the International Crisis Group, Former Foreign Minister): “The Role of the International Community in Preventing Genocide and other Mass Atrocity Crimes”
The text of the speech is now available.
This speech was delivered to a large audience on Sunday 31st July at the Leo Baeck Centre.
Proceeds funded the Renate Kamener Scholarship for Indigenous students at the University of Melbourne. Renate was a beloved member of the AJDS.