What began as a powerful anti-Palestinian campaign by a few Zionist organisations and individuals turned into a victory for Adelaide Writers' Week (AWW) and the Palestinian writers who attended.
The sessions featuring the Palestinians, particularly those held in conjunction with Australian First Nations writers, were phenomenally popular; hundreds of people attended these sessions.
As Louise Adler said, “People are free to deeply object. They don’t have to come. Or come, and you don’t need to agree with what people think. But people listened. These steadfast Adelaide audiences came out in their thousands and listened with courtesy and respect for the conversation. It should be something that lifts the spirits of all of us.”
“The definition proposed for adoption by the South Australian parliament is one devised by the International Holocaust Remembrance Association (or IHRA). It is a flawed definition because it singles out one group of people for special treatment. This motion is specific to Israel and to Israel only. The motion moved by One Nation’s Sarah Game gives Israel a ‘get out of jail free’ card.
The motion itself determines the ways in which we might be allowed to criticise Israel without finding ourselves labelled as antisemitic.”
"Israeli historian Ilan Pappé has said that the motivation for the kidnapping was the murder of two Palestinian teenagers by Israeli forces in May 2014; the autopsy report which showed that the teens were killed by Israeli soldiers’ live fire had been made public the day before the kidnapping. In the aftermath of the abduction, Israel launched a crackdown on alleged Hamas associates in the West Bank."
"They also continued to use force as well during the incursions into the West Bank. In the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces wounded 11 civilians, including 3 children, a paramedic, and a journalist, while participating in the Return March. Moreover, 2 Palestinian civilians were wounded after being targeted in the border area of the Gaza Strip. In the West Bank, Israeli forces wounded a Palestinian child."
"Palestinian, Israeli and international artists have come together to put on a series of concerts as an alternative to the Eurovision Song Contest held in Tel Aviv, amid protests calling for a boycott of the music competition. The event, Globalvision, was held in Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank, Haifa, London and Dublin on Saturday and included live performances by Palestinian, Israeli and international artists."
"The day was organised by Palestine Action Group Sydney and BDS Australia. Protestors demanded the right of return for all Palestinians and a boycott of this year’s Eurovision Song Contest which is to beheld in Tel Aviv this weekend. Protesters were accompanied by a giant Palestinian flag while enthusiastic chants including, “from the river to the sea/Palestine will be free” could be heard amongst the crowd."
"As a Jew, my relationship with Israel developed against a backdrop of the separation barrier, settlements and the open air prison that is Gaza. The repetitive and incessant violence that occur in the occupied territories is devastating. Watching the news this weekend as more rockets and retaliatory attacks erupted once again towards Gaza, it would be easy to give in to a sense of hopelessness."
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