Letters, August 27, 2010

I’m Jewish, I’m Green and I’m proud of it

BY the time you read this letter, the voting will be over and those of you, my fellow Jews, who have urged an anti-Green vote will be either pleased or sadly disappointed.
For the record, The Greens are not anti private schools. They are pro public education and against wealthy schools receiving big grants of public money that could be going to under-resourced, public school education.
For another record, The Greens are not anti-Israel. We are not as pro-Israel as many Jews would like. We are not as pro lots of things that some people would like, nor as anti, for that matter.
I am a Jew and I am a Green. I grew up in a Jewish family where my dad served the community big time. He certainly left his mark on this city’s Jewish community.
My dad would have been proud of me, putting my efforts into what I hold to be ethically important in my life, holding office in The Greens, being a Greens councillor in local government, and working Green in every political campaign for nearly two decades.
The Greens are the only party that proposes action now to prevent climate change going out of control. We believe the vast majority of scientists and economists who have done the sums and made the recommendations that most political parties do not want to hear. Some of us can look our grandkids in the eye and say we did our best to leave them with enough natural resources, enough food and a tolerable climate.
This is all far more important to me than being judged politically incorrect over my thoughts on which country is behaving worse in the Middle East and which private school is feeling it might be short-changed in the education funding.

Greens are at odds even with the Palestinians

I AM writing in response to the full-page article on The Greens (AJN 13/08), in particular the official Greens policy on Israel/Palestine.
I am not a politician and I am not a diplomat. But I like to call a spade a spade.
The Greens’ resolution/policy calls for¬†a Palestinian state based on 1967 borders alongside an Israeli state.¬†But the charter of the Gaza Strip’s¬†democratically elected government, Hamas, forbids such a scenario. The charter forbids any recognition of an Israeli state; full stop.
If it’s not even the policy of the Palestinians, how come it’s the policy of The Greens?

Supporting the enemies of the Jewish State

CONGRATULATIONS on editorially questioning “Will Boycotters Face Sanctions?” (AJN 20/08) regarding whether our community can accommodate the Australian Jewish Democratic Society (AJDS), which has acted against Israel in a way beyond the widest¬†range of acceptable community views. The question should have been raised by the Establishment long ago.
Whatever the AJDS may claim, its stance is anti-Zionistic. That view was respectable pre-Shoah, pre-Israel’s establishment. No longer. Societies can argue about abortion and even contraception. But no civilised society will debate the merits of infanticide.
Yet in one case only — that of the Jewish State — the world ponders the merits of politicide. For that is the aim of the Boycott Divestment Sanctions (BDS) campaign, supported by the AJDS. And of many Palestinians and of Islamofascists.
Jews can be Zionists and, in the Diaspora,¬†even non-Zionists. But one cannot claim group membership and¬†simultaneously act to hurt other members on¬†behalf of the group’s enemies.

Drawing a line when it comes to inclusivity

I¬†REFER to Jewish Community Council of Victoria (JCCV) president John Searle’s comments in reference to the Australian Jewish Democratic Society’s (AJDS) policy to support partial boycotts on Israel, in which he states “the fact that the AJDS has sought to legitimate its views by describing itself as a community-affiliated Jewish organisation, claiming credibility by associating itself with the JCCV, is reproachable”.
While I fully agree with these sentiments, I do question why it is that the JCCV has allowed the AJDS under its roof body in the first place, and why it has, to date, not moved to expel it considering its views on Israel, which are clearly opposed to the views of the vast majority of Victorian Jews and are, quite frankly, views many Jews find offensive.
While Searle qualifies the AJDS’ association with the JCCV by saying “while the AJDS is an affiliate of the JCCV, this is a tribute to the latter’s inclusive nature rather than an acceptance of the AJDS’ views”, I fail to understand why the “inclusiveness” of the JCCV should be to the detriment of the Jewish ¬≠community?
Inclusiveness and equality are very important traits and, in general, should be applauded, however, there are clearly instances in which we must draw the line, and I fervently believe that this is one of them.

AJDS is encouraging anti-Semites

THANK goodness for the unswerving, if not always uncritical, support for Israel by the overwhelming majority of Australian Jews. There is scope for legitimate debate reflecting opinions across the entire political spectrum, and our community organisations reflect and encourage genuine differences.
By contrast, the actions of self-styled “Jewish groups” such as the Australian Jewish Democratic Society (AJDS) and Independent Australian Jewish Voices reflect only prejudice and bigotry.
Why do we never hear those independent voices raised in defence of the rights of Israeli civilians, or in condemnation of the atrocities perpetrated by our enemies? After years of anti-Israel rhetoric, the AJDS has reached a new low by publicly supporting Israel boycotts.
Faced with the creeping Islamisation of Europe and the downgrading of support from the Obama Administration, it behoves all who are concerned for Israel’s safety and security to rally to its support.
When Jews like those at the AJDS purport to speak “as concerned Jews”, they are doing far more than expressing a contrary or independent political view.
They are encouraging and emboldening all anti-Semites who cower behind the cloak of anti-Zionism, including those committed to the annihilation of Israel. In so doing, they are endangering the physical safety of Israelis and the well-being of all Jews.

Nothing ‘friendly’ about church boycott

I READ Mike Lyons’ letter with bemusement (AJN 06/08). Calling for a boycott is not “friendly criticism”, but punitive action. True friends give criticism directly, in private. They do not shun, ostracise or injure those they claim friendship with, and still less do they call on others to do so.
Better an honest enemy than a false friend. At least with the former you know to guard your back.

Getreu needs to see the big picture

IT was very concerning to read Australasian Union of Jewish Students (AUJS) national president Liam Getreu’s article “Weighing Up Israel’s Role in the Election” (AJN 13/08). It’s a voter’s democratic right to choose which issues matter to them and base their vote on who addresses these issues to their satisfaction. If not the Jewish community, who will support and stand up for Israel? Apparently not the current AUJS president, who proclaims that continual public support of Israel is not in anyone’s best interest.
Moreover, when he chooses to use the term “trigger-happy” to describe Israel, it not only indicates a deep lack of understanding of the complexities of the conflict and the truth on the ground, but also offends me as a proud Israeli who served my country and has experienced the struggle and pain of war and conflict.
Getreu needs to start looking at the bigger picture beyond his own agenda and understand that by calling for a withdrawal of public support for Israel, he is doing the work of our enemies.