Community turns out to hear the facts
THE Jewish community has responded to last week's flotilla crisis by attending packed-out meetings to find out more details about what happened.
THE Jewish community has responded to last week’s flotilla crisis by attending packed-out meetings to find out more details about what happened.
In Sydney on Sunday evening, a combined 850 attended two forums in support of Israel.
Federal politicians Mark Dreyfus, Mike Kelly and Malcolm Turnbull all spoke at the larger event, hosted by the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies at Central Synagogue, where they reaffirmed their support for Israel following last week’s violence aboard the Mavi Marmara, a boat that was part of a flotilla attempting to break Israel’s blockade on Gaza.
Dreyfus told those assembled it had been a difficult period “for those of us who love and support Israel”, but said the Federal Government’s support was unwavering.
Dreyfus’ Labor colleague Dr Kelly said Israel faced very real threats from Islamist extremists and Iran.
But the best audience response was saved for Malcolm Turnbull, who received several rounds of applause. “Israel has the right, but above all the duty, to protect the safety of its citizens,” the former opposition leader said.
NSW Jewish Board of Deputies CEO Vic Alhadeff, who addressed the other meeting at Kehillat Masada, applauded those who are “doing what they can to get the message out there”.
Meanwhile, in Melbourne, hundreds of people packed Caulfield Hebrew Congregation’s hall on Tuesday night for a briefing and panel discussion.
The gathering, hosted by the Zionist Council of Victoria, gave the community an opportunity to ask questions and share the latest information available about the clash.
A briefing by Zionist Federation of Australia president Philip Chester was followed by a lengthy question and answer period, where Jewish Community Council of Victoria president John Searle was joined by Sam Tartaka, Tzvi Fleischer and Emily Chrapot to field questions and comments about the flotilla crisis.
Both audience and speakers expressed concern about the reporting of the flotilla incident in the local media.
Chester said an article that appeared on the front page of The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald appeared to pit “Muslims against Jews” and put the safety of local Jews at risk. He expressed unhappiness with what he felt was a lack of response from The Age to concerns.
“I telephoned Paul Ramadge, the editor of The Age, to explain that from the point of view of our community, that article should never have found its way into The Age and that he once again has to take responsibility for the fact that what they put in the Melbourne Age impacts upon the safety and security of the Jewish community in Melbourne.
“Let me make it abundantly clear. The editor of The Age neither took my call, nor has he returned my call,” Chester said.
GARETH NARUNSKY AND AHRON SHAPIRO
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