Anti-Israel motion barred
Bellingen resident Jody Newhouse helped prevent a proposed motion with anti-Israel components from passing unchecked at a local council meeting on April 24.
Amid a worrying spike in antisemitic incidents in the Northern Rivers town she has called home for the last 25 years, Bellingen resident Jody Newhouse (pictured) helped prevent a proposed motion with anti-Israel components from passing unchecked at a local council meeting on April 24.
Newhouse spotted Greens councillor Jennie Fenton’s motion just days earlier in a Bellingen Shire Council meeting business paper.
Among the motion’s 10 points were that council “condemns war crimes perpetrated by the State of Israel, including the bombing of Palestinian civilians”, and “calls for an immediate ceasefire between all parties, and an end to the war on Gaza”.
It also requested a council report on options to divest from companies that supply equipment to the IDF, and called on the Australian government to cease selling arms to Israel.
“I contacted four councillors to give them a perspective from the Jewish community, and the antisemitism going on in Bellingen,” Newhouse said.
“I also spoke at the council meeting, as did two pro-Palestine speakers, Judy Newhouse including one from Sydney.”
Councillors voted 4-2 against the motion, and in favour of a shorter amendment, that condemned “all war crimes”, and called for a letter to the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister to state: “Council notes that foreign affairs are the responsibility of the Commonwealth Government.”
Newhouse believes that similar, or even identical, anti-Israel motions by Greens party members are being pushed at councils across Australia.
Her message to community members is: “It is really important right now that people look out for what’s happening at your local council, and what’s in council meeting agendas.
“Our aim needs to be to dismantle this motion in all councils.”
Newhouse added that there has been a rise in antisemitic graffiti in Bellingen, frequent pro-Palestine protests in a park, and a local restaurant owned by an Israeli was targeted by a boycott campaign.
“He has since sold, and left the area.”
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