Letters, January 23, 2009
ANTI-SEMITIC DIATRIBE
AFTER reading Michael Backman’s opinion piece (The Age 17/01), we have cancelled our subscription to The Age newspaper. For a popular Australian daily newspaper to publish such nonsense is irresponsible, to say the least.
Such a diatribe should never have been allowed, and we hold The Age responsible for encouraging anti-Semitism and anti-Israel sentiment.
Backman has blamed Israel for the London bombings, the Bali bombings and even the loss of the World Trade Centre, and in the light of such remarks, no self-respecting Jew or humanitarian should be subsidising such anti-Semitic “moralists”.
DAVID FREILICH
Toorak, Vic
STAND UP TO THE AGE
THE opinion piece by Michael Backman in the Business section of last Saturday’s edition of The Age illustrates just how this newspaper has sunk to a new low. This piece of invective blamed Israel (and by inference, Jews) for most of the terror attacks in recent history and posited that Palestinian resentment of its treatment by Israel is the root cause of worldwide Muslim enmity to Jews.
As a writer on economics in Asia, one wonders what possessed Backman to even comment on Middle Eastern politics, other than to express his controversial views. He is, of course, entitled to his opinion, and the Jewish community should never be surprised at the degree of anti-Semitism in the world, but the real responsibility lies with the editorial staff at The Age for publishing it in the first place.
This piece is the sort of diatribe that would be comfortably at home on any Nazi or jihadist website, and should never have made it into print. Our Jewish community needs to demonstrably show The Age that it will not accept this standard of journalism in its paper.
The Age is unlikely to care if a few Jewish households cancel their subscription to the newspaper, but they may care a great deal more if Jewish businesses withdraw any advertising support they are currently providing, and I urge business managers to review any advertising funding directed to The Age.¬†Israel’s detractors may subsequently claim that the “sinister Jewish lobby” is again attempting to manipulate world opinion, but you know what? I don’t particularly care!
ALAN FREEDMAN
St Kilda East, Vic
 
NEW LOW
THE Age newspaper continually disappoints and I fully support David Schulberg’s remarks regarding it. This paper continues to publish anti-Zionist and anti-Semitic columns and letters, reaching a new low with Michael Backman’s article, “Israelis are living high on US expense account” (17/01).
An excerpt of this article reads, “But Israel’s utter inability to transform the Palestinians from enemies into friends has imposed big costs on us all.
We have paid for Israel’s failure with bombs on London public transport, bombs in bars in Bali, and even the loss of the World Trade Centre towers in New York.” Further to my earlier comments in past weeks, while narrow-minded people writing such articles exist, surely editors of our media should demonstrate a common-sense approach to freedom of speech before choosing to publish such nonsense.
VINCENT SHARP
Caulfield South, Vic
 
BEYOND OFFENSIVE
I COULDN’T believe my eyes when I read Philip Mendes’ letter (AJN 16/01) suggesting that “Hamas is like a combination of ‘right to lifers’ and Pauline Hanson …”¬†Right to lifers, Philip? Don’t you mean right to “death”ers? Equating people who campaign for the lives of unborn children to a death-dealing terrorist group is beyond offensive.
JUDITH RONA
Bondi, NSW
 
IRRESPONSIBLE RESPONSE
JOHN Searle, president of the Jewish Community Council of Victoria, and Dr Danny Lamm, president of the Zionist Council of Victoria, should both resign from their positions for their irresponsible response in the letters page of The Age (19/01), to the anti-Semitic article by Michael Backman in the Business section of last Saturday’s Age (17/01).
People rarely look into the Business section of the paper, whereas most of them read the letters. What Searle and Lamm did was reiterate, point by point, all the anti-Semitic rubbish that Backman put forward for all the world to see.
Searle and Lamm said little to defend our case, other than call the piece anti-Semitic, and condemned The Age for publishing it — yet another string in the bow of our detractors who claim we try to quash free speech.
Searle and Lamm would have done us all a service by leaving it well alone and instead investigated if The Age and Backman had breached Victoria’s racial and religious vilification laws.
HENRY HERZOG
St Kilda East, Vic
 
PRO-PALESTINIAN MYTH
I NOTE in The AJN repeated references to “Pro-Palestinian” activists — including within the January 16 editorial “Violence, Abuse — it’s just not on”. I am finding it difficult to identify any “pro-Palestinian activists” among the myriad Israel haters.
It is apparent that the Palestinian agenda has been consumed by haters and I would think it more accurate to replace the descriptor “pro-Palestinian” with “Israel-hating”, or at least “anti-Israel”.¬†I urge The AJN to refrain from making the mythical reference to “pro-Palestinian” and replace this with “anti-Israel”.
DAVID LION
Bondi, NSW
 
FAIR COMMENT
I WOULD like to congratulate Robert Goot, president of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, for his “Comment” on page 43 of yesterday’s Sun-Herald (18/01), as I thought it was explanatory and very fair.¬†We need people such as Robert Goot to explain Israel’s situation in an open fashion, as there are so many commentators that are biased and cause anti-Semitism.
WESLEY BROWNE
President, FAJEX
 
DUBIOUS INFORMATION
GIVEN that western media can’t get into Gaza, how is it possible for there to be wall-to-wall coverage in our papers with “detailed” claims of alleged Israeli atrocities and ¬≠violations?¬†Surely these media outlets are relying on Palestinian sources. Did it occur to editors that the information might be suspect if it arises from Palestinian correspondents and anti-Israel NGOs serving as “impartial” witnesses?
These unconfirmed reports, including claims of numbers and proportions of dead and injured, must be treated with the highest suspicion and indicated as Palestinian claims in the news articles in which they appear.¬†When have we seen a report of Hamas “fighters” being killed? It is always children and women.
Surely the Israelis have killed a few Hamas operatives. Perhaps Hamas does not want the western media to know when this happens? Surely it is in Hamas’ interest to attract Israeli fire towards civilian positions in order to ramp up the anti-Israel publicity. And how might they do this? Perhaps by launching attacks on the Israel Defence Forces from these positions.
PAUL ROZENTAL
Melbourne, Vic
 
APPALLING JUSTIFICATION
ISRAELI Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni asserts that the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) operation was serving the interest of the Palestinian people (Ha’aretz, 13/01). An earlier Ha’aretz headline reported, “Gaza offensive is good for the Palestinians”.
Killing nearly 1000 people, nearly half of them women and children, is “good for the Palestinians”? Wounding nearly 4500 Palestinians (again, nearly half women and children) — many of them permanently disabled now — and overwhelming the already depleted and increasingly devastated medical systems — this is “serving the interest of the Palestinian people”?
Starvation, poverty, nearly complete lack of water, electricity and sanitation, destruction of the economy, agriculture, schools, infrastructure and social structures — this is all “good for Palestinians”? This “serves their interests”?¬†How dare any Israeli-Jewish politician assert what is “good for Palestinians”! How despicable for an Israeli minister to decide what “serves the interest of Palestinians”!
JUDY BAMBERGER
O’Connor, ACT
 
ON INTER-FAITH RELATIONS
THE important issue of inter-faith relations was raised in last week’s edition of The AJN — implicitly by The AJN through its editorial and explicitly through a letter writer, Manny Waks (16/01).¬†The AJN has highlighted the disappointing fact that “other faith communities in Australia have not reached out in solidarity with the Jews”. This despite the public reports of increased anti-Semitism globally, including in Australia, especially during the recent conflict in Gaza.
Leaving politics aside, it is astounding to see that other faith groups refuse to support our community and publicly condemn the blatant racism that our community is currently experiencing. What is the purpose of inter-faith relations — to hold dialogue just for the sake of dialogue?¬†As Mr Waks rightly notes, we urgently need to examine our position on inter-faith relations. We need to assess its benefits and detriments. There needs to be transparency and accountability in these relationships.
ARIANNE LOEWINGER
Caulfield, Vic
 
BUY BLUE & WHITE
IT was interesting to read Peter Haskin’s vox pop, “How should you support Israel in difficult times?”¬†People seemed to think that prayer alone can save Israel. No-one even stopped to mention that perhaps we should buy something made in Israel.
If every Jew in Australia bought one Israeli-made food product on their next shopping trip, we would immediately inject tens of thousands of dollars into the Israeli economy. Furthermore, there are organisations, such as the United Israel Appeal and the Jewish National Fund, which are doing such vital work in the Holy Land.
MARK KESSEL
Elsternwick, Vic
 
NOT THE REAL DEAL
WE get to hear excerpts from Osama bin Laden’s speeches as broadcast on Al-Jazeera, and when translated, he generally lambasts the “Zionist” enemy and vows to attack the transgressors who service Israel. We all know he struck it lucky in 2001 when his organisation successfully infiltrated the US, however, not once has Bin Laden actually launched any attack on Israel.
Sure, he has his cronies from neighbouring Syria, Lebanon and Gaza to do that (dirty work) for him, but all Bin Laden does is cry foul of Zionism and Israel. And when the Arab states were seeking unilateral help from their own, not a squeak from Osama.¬†Is he really the wunderkind he’s hyped up to be?
THOMAS TENENBAUM
Caulfield, Vic
 
GIVING CREDIT WHERE DUE
ON Sunday, January 4, I had the great pleasure of being present at the pro-Israel rally organised on the steps of Melbourne’s Parliament House. The idea of holding such a rally came from Byron Hodkinson, the non-Jewish president of the Australian Liberal Students Federation.
Hodkinson, who brought the idea to members of the Jewish community, worked tirelessly to promote the rally, but in order to put the interests of Israel first, took a back seat on the day and refrained from claiming at least some of the credit due to him, so as to ensure that what occurred did not appear to be a partisan Liberal Party effort, and that the bipartisan nature of the event was clearly ­apparent.
Given Hodkinson’s efforts in promoting this event, I felt it necessary to write this letter to help ensure that he does receive ample recognition.
Mention should also be made of Young Labor leaders, such as Ben Maxfield, who also dedicated time to help promote the rally and showed strong support for Israel. It is clear from the effort invested by these two future leaders, among many others who were in attendance, that Australia’s close and bipartisan relationship with Israel is set to continue and go from strength to strength.
JOSH KOONIN
National political officer, AUJS
 
THINK FIRST
WHILE I was volunteering at the Aleph Melbourne/Young Aleph stand at the 21st Gay and Lesbian Midsumma Carnival in Alexandra Gardens, I saw a guy I knew, but to my amazement, the only thing he had to say to me was “Israelis are Nazis because of what they’re doing”.¬†I asked him not to say that and he just reiterated his sentiments. I was upset by his comments, particularly because it was someone I knew, someone who had no connection with Jews, Palestinians or the Middle East, and because the comments were deeply insensitive and hurtful.
As a Jew in Melbourne, a long way from the turmoil in the Middle East, I have heard some very polarised views on what is happening over there. I have also heard some very tempered and considered views. I would like to say that before anyone points fingers and makes accusations, we consider all perspectives, understand all sides fully, realise we are dealing with human lives and think before speaking.
MICHAEL BARNETT
Ashwood, Vic
 
ON THE WAR IN GAZA
HOW could it be that the Gaza population is short of food and fuel, yet still able to smuggle in 8000 rockets and ammunition?
OZYJACK
ajn.com.au
SADLY, the Palestinians have been brainwashed from an early age … There is no way they can be made to understand that it would be better for themselves if they spent the money given to them by UNRWA and their energy into doing something worthwhile, instead of forever being destructive.
MARY
ajn.com.au
 
ON THE AGE ARTICLE
GLAD I’m not the only one to express outrage. Legal action is a must.
ERAN
ajn.com.au
 
ON THE INJURED HINENI CAMPER
DURING our son’s final preparations for his bar mitzvah in shul, we met the family of the injured boy and had the privilege of being present as the rabbi said prayers for his speedy recovery. As we celebrate, we are acutely aware and touched by this family’s pain and we will be donating a portion of our bar mitzvah “gelt” to the Spinal Unit of Royal Prince of Wales Hospital.
WOLVZ
ajn.com.au
 
ON A NON-JEWISH partner
AFTER 42 years with a non-Jewish wife and three kids who did take to the faith — two of whom worked in youth movements — I can only say that when you find your soulmate, stay with it and tell the rabbi to daven for understanding.
AVI GESHON
ajn.com.au
 
ON SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL
NEVER again must the Jewish people allow themselves to suffer not only the horrors of the Holocaust, but also the thousand years of repression during their history. This is a fight for survival.
DABTAR
ajn.com.au
 
ON CONCERN OVER VANDALISM
THERE’S a simple answer. Aliyah!
JEWISH GUY
ajn.com.au
 
ON WOMEN IN WAR
YOU forgot to acknowledge and mention the fact that women fight in the Israeli army as well as the men — and these women are just as brave and courageous.
RIVKAH
ajn.com.au
ON UNIONS AND GAZA
HOW can you compare a democratic state like Israel, where workers, including foreign nationals, get a fair wage with what goes on in Gaza?
DITA
ajn.com.au
 
If you would like to submit a letter, email
 letters@jewishnews.net.au
comments