Just how gutless is the Australian government when it comes to Israel and Sri Lanka?
Showing all posts tagged Australia
The Australian government should say no
The following article appears in today’s Melbourne Age: British actor Miriam Margolyes, OBE, is among prominent Jewish people, eminent Australians, leading academics and Green MPs who have signed a petition calling on deputy MP Julia Gillard to call off her planned trip to Israel. The petition, which has more than 150 signatures, was initiated by…
The occupation, day 76532
The separate May meetings in Washington between US President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas signalled an undoubted shift from the Bush administration. Obama is reportedly examining ways he can pressure Israel to cease all settlement building in the West Bank, a reality that radically upsets the Zionist…
Our government does not speak for us
The following letter is circulating around Australia and reflects the deep anger towards the government and its media whores: As citizens of conscience we would like to protest in the strongest possible terms against the proposed Australia-Israel cultural exchange trip to Israel to be led by Julia Gillard and involving other parliamentarians, academics, business people,…
Journalists should take greater responsibility
The following article by Pip Hinman appears in the Green Left Weekly: More than 120 people packed into a seminar “Media complicity: reporting Gaza and Sri Lanka 2009” on May 27 at the University of Technology. The meeting was hosted by Wendy Bacon from the Centre for Independent Journalism and co-sponsored by the Centre for…
Keeping the world focused on Sri Lanka
In early March a Sri Lankan Crisis Statement was circulated and signed by a host of Australians to highlight the dire humanitarian situation in the country. An updated statement has now been released: We are Australian citizens who share a deep concern about the humanitarian crisis in Sri Lanka now affecting more than 300,000 people,…
Singing and dancing on those Gazan graves
The Australian Jewish News adds some colour to the upcoming Australian-government led visit – aka fellation tour of 2009 – to Israel: Alongside the high-profile leadership forum, the week-long AICE event is expected to showcase some of Australia’s best talent to Israeli audiences. Legendary pianist David Helfgott will perform in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, acclaimed…
A citizen’s way to protest oppression
The global BDS (boycott, divestment and sanctions) campaign against Israeli apartheid shows no sign of letting up. In fact, it’s only increasing as the political elite continues to ignore the state’s abuses. Here’s an interesting example from Sydney University’s Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies: ABN 15 211 513 464 Dr Jake LynchAssociate Professor and…
Credibility isn’t exactly their middle name
The following great piece by Greg Barns in today’s Crikey tackles the sickening behaviour of the local media and political elite towards the Israeli state: Back in the days when the hammer and sickle flew proudly, the Soviet Union would spend big dollars on paying for journalists, academics and diplomats to see for themselves the…
Israel’s the wrong place at the wrong time
Following yesterday’s story in the Fairfax press about an upcoming visit to Israel by the Australian political and media elite, this letter appears today in the Sydney Morning Herald: In agreeing to lead a privately organised delegation of politicians, business people and academics to Israel, Julia Gillard’s political timing seems to have deserted her (“Gillard…