Following my article in yesterday’s Crikey regarding the Zionist lobby, AIJAC functionary (and rug seller) Yosi Tal responds today:
Crikey’s use of self-appointed truth revealer Antony Loewenstein shows how low Crikey has sunk. It has now joined the hysterical baying of the loony left, attempting to strip the Jewish community of its democratic right to be heard and to lobby on the behalf of itself and the state of Israel. Loewenstein first burst onto the national journalism scene approximately three years ago when the Sydney Morning Herald ambushed Colin Rubenstein of AIJAC with an article by the until then unknown internet music journalist Loewenstein. With no serious academic qualifications or journalistic qualifications on this issue Loewenstein has been lauded by some as an expert on the Middle East and the Jewish community while ignoring the fact that he has a history of hatred and vilification of the Australian Jewish community and the Jewish state. The portrayal of the Jewish lobby as a dark and sinister cabal attempting to shut down debate is outright anti-Semitic and totally dishonest. The Australian Jewish community is a broad church with a wide variety of opinions articulated in a variety of communal forums and the Australian Jewish News. We are not afraid of debate and welcome it; inside our community and in the general community. If Crikey bothered to get off its a-se and research the issue then it would not be offering Loewenstein as an expert on this issue. If anything, Loewenstein is a publicity seeking, self-hating Jew who is prepared to go to any length and sacrifice any ethics or morals to demonise Israel and the Australian Jewish community. Shame Crikey, shame.…
Perhaps Tal would also like to accuse me of being anti-Israel, anti-American and pro-terrorist. I eagerly await his next missive.