FEBRUARY 2011
Many of our members have written letters of support to Senator Cameron who delivered a brave speech in Parliament in February 2011. Here is a fine example sent in by Lavinia.
Senator Cameron,
Dear Sir,
Firstly I wish to commend you for your courage in raising the issue of the plight of Palestinians in our Federal Parliament. I say courage because in the past, successive governments and elected representatives from both major parties have assiduously avoided the topic.
Given that international law, UN resolutions and conventions, and universally accepted standards of human decency, justice and equality for all clearly state principles and decisions that would be consistent with any statement by states or their leaders that acknowledge that Palestinians have suffered and continue to suffer, and that they support the need to rectify the situation, one has to seek elsewhere for reasons that would explain why so few have chosen to do just that.
It cannot be because the Palestinians have not been treated unjustly.
It cannot be because their land is not occupied.
It cannot be because they are constrained and oppressed and have been for over sixty years.
It cannot be because their children, mothers, fathers, are not being killed.
It cannot be because they are not imprisoned, tortured and assassinated.
It cannot be because on top of the occupation and suppression they have not also felt the full force of a mighty military attack.
Reasons far less than this have caused previous leaders of this country to send our sons and husbands and fathers to fight to rectify a perceived wrong against many other peoples.
So why the silence?
Why so few voices of support?
The only reason I can think of is that those who choose to keep silent do so because they are afraid to speak out. And that can be for only two reasons. One is that they fear being attacked for speaking the truth about the situation that Palestinians find themselves in.
The other is that they fear having to face their complicity in the oppression of the Palestinians. Guilt often stirs vehement responses when confronted.
So what made you speak out? That is something I do not know.
But speak out you did. And in our parliament. That same parliament that refused to acknowledge the NAKBA. The same parliament that readily celebrated the establishment of the state of Israel.
So I wanted to say well done.
And thanks.
I am not Palestinian but I count many among my friends. And I am sure that they too will be glad that you have raised this issue. It’s a beginning. I hope that others will choose to follow up on the issue, and that one day we will see an Australian parliament passing resolutions that acknowledge the truth of what has happened and is happening to the Palestinians.
OCTOBER 2010
Beryl’s letter to the Australian on the ACTU and BDS
Of course Mahmoud Abbas was right to call off the peace talks because of the continued Israeli construction of homes in the West Bank. We know that Israel has no intention of a Palestinian state being formed. Continued expansion of settlements is an action that speaks volumes. A map of the West Bank looks like a Swiss cheese with settlements dotted over the land, so we know there is no possibility that a state could be formed. Are Palestinians going to be asked to make a state out of fragments of land and have settlers living in their midst? Are we expected to believe that the settlers are going to walk out of those settlements and hand that land back? Israel will go on pretending to be negotiating while embarking on its real intention of acquiring all of Palestinian land. Israel can go on forever ethnically cleansing the Palestinians. It has the U.S. to support it.
The world and the U.S.,( because of its huge financial contributions to Israel) have been paying the prices of Israeli plans. It is accepted by most thinking people that the conflict over Palestine has been the central instigator of much of the terrorism across the world, whether directly or indirectly. It is the people of the world who are dying or having to live with horrific injuries, not the politicians. Palestinians deserve a life, to live in freedom, to have the burden of Israeli plans lifted from their shoulders. There is enough strong verbal support from across the world but not enough action. What can we do?
There is a world movement developing that relies on people power and follows the principles of the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa. This is Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS), which is being used to change those plans of Israel. Protest against Israel taking part in world events like the coming Olympics, do not buy Israeli products, and convince companies doing business with Israel to stop. These are some of the actions being worked on around the world. It is a small but growing movement in Australia. It worked in South Africa. It can work to bring about change in Israel's plans.
SEPTEMBER 2010
Dr Vacy Vlazna is the coordinator of Justice for Palestine Matters. She was convenor of Australia East Timor Association and East Timor Justice Lobby and served in East Timor with UNAMET and UNTAET.
Dr Vacy Vlazna was inspired by the recent notice featuring photos taken by AFOPA members of Israeli goods stocked in local Coles supermarkets. Here is Vacy’s letter to Coles/Wesfarmers and the reply she received from Coles. Vacy’s final letter to Coles informed them of her intention to stop shopping at Coles until they removed Israeli goods from their shelves. AFOPA has also written in a similar vein.
Mr Richard Goyder
Managing Director
Wesfarmers Limited
11th Floor, Wesfarmers House
40 The Esplanade
Perth 6000 WA
Dear Mr Richard Goyder,
In an effort to stop Israeli human rights abuses of Palestinian families, I have actively joined the international Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) Campaign against Israel. This means I will personally boycott Israeli products, lobby distributors of Israeli products to join the BDS movement, and encourage the Australian public to boycott distributors of Israeli products.
I have been informed that Coles stocks some Israeli products (see below) and I urge Coles and Wesfarmers to take a principled stand and join the BDS campaign (see websites below).
As you would be aware the BDS movement was crucial in pressuring South Africa to end its indecent apartheid policies. According to the UN's definition Israel is an apartheid state where Palestinians suffer daily acts of segregation and humiliation under an illegal Israeli occupation. Palestinians must watch helplessly as their land is stolen, their young men imprisoned, their towns walled in and their homes demolished. In just one example of this apartheid state Israelis drive on super highways while Palestinians negotiate numerous checkpoints and attempt to drive on deliberately rubbled roads.
The world has stood by and watched the creation of these appalling conditions for Palestinians for 60 years. The situation deteriorates year by year with Israel ignoring UN Resolutions and world opinion. Like South Africa, Israel will not be able to ignore the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement. Please join this ever growing world-wide movement and remove Israeli products from your shelves. I will no longer shop at my local COLES until Wesfarmers and Coles have decided to take Israeli products off your shelves.
I look forward to your reply.
Sincerely
Dr Vacy Vlazna
AUGUST 2010
Ibrahim and Anne Farran sent the following letter to the Editor of The Age in response to the news item about the IDF soldier posting photographs of herself humiliating Palestinian prisoners.
Dear Sir / Madam,
The photo of an Israeli soldiers abusing Palestinian prisoners ( The Age 19/08/10 ) is not only disturbing, but holds water to the theory that the previously abused can become the abuser.
The Israeli disregard of all conventions of the UN, Geneva and the international Court of justice is for all to see.
The most worrying aspect of this are the treatment and conditions of the 10,000 Palestinian prisoners with no camera present to highlight their treatment.
Rose Ann Farran
JULY 2010
Carl takes on the ABC!
Carl saw Anthony’s piece in our last Update and he was inspired to complain to the ABC about the coverage of the assault on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla. Carl sent us a copy of a series of his email communications with the ABC. Here is the last answer, and we have attached to this email a copy of the review of his complaint.
Subject: FW: Lack of Balance in Coverage of Israeli Attack on Aid Flotilla
Date: Sun, 4 Jul 2010 15:18:17 +1000
Dear Sandra
I refer to previous correspondence in relation to the above matter.
My complaint will now be considered by the Complaints Review Executive (CRE). In addition to my complaint I would like the CRE to consider the reasonableness of the ABC's claim, set out in the below email from Mr Kieran Doyle:
I am advised by ABC News management that finding relevant people to speak about the Israeli commando raid on the Gaza-bound flotilla, only hours after those events unfolded, proved difficult. Those on board were being held in detention and were clearly not able to comment on their experiences at that time. I am advised the programs attempted to get an interview with the Turkish Foreign Minister, but he was unavailable.
I do not think attempts to have people on board the flotilla or the Turkish Foreign Minister speak only hours after the incident constitute a reasonable attempt to have an alternative view heard that evening. There are a large number of groups and individuals that advocate for the cause of Palestine and the rights of Palestinian people and could have been easily contacted to provide balance to the significant air time given to spokespeople of the Israeli Government.
Mr Doyle, in his response, noted air time given to different speakers, some neutral some who may be viewed as pro-Palestinian, after the evening of the attack. My complaint concerned the evening of the complaint. I do not think it is possible to provide balance in a matter where on the evening of an event only one view was presented by guests invited to speak on the matter.
I am also told that ABC TV news the evening of the attack included an interview with a pro-Israeli spokesperson. I have searched for transcripts of the news that evening but unable to find one. If it is the case that this occurred, I also think that the CRE should, to ensure the matter is fully considered, consider this when determining the validity of my complaint and the response of the ABC.
Regards
Carl
FEBRUARY 2010
The Mosaad hit: Lavinia Moore writes to The Advertiser
To the Editor,
Dear Sir,
The Australian Government's weak response to the international crime of murder committed in another sovereign state has now been replaced by the usual chest-thumping performance protesting about the unfriendly act of stealing the I.D. of persons with an Australian passport.
Given that it is the non-Israeli passports of Israeli residents with dual citizenship that have been the subject of identity theft, surely a close look should be made of Israel's Immigration and Foreign Affairs departments and officials to see if there is any evidence of complicity there with the murder of the Palestinian man while he was visiting Dubai.
If we were to say - as we do with persons - that you can be judged by the company you keep, surely Australia ought to reconsider its friendship with Israel. That country has remained in breach of numerous UN resolutions, including those related to its illegal occupation of Palestine as well as other sovereign states. Israel has illegally developed nuclear weapons in breach of the non-proliferation treaty and it has threatened to use them against neighbouring countries. It has committed acts of aggression against several of its neighbours, it has committed what most people would consider to be war crimes against the people of Gaza and it continually detains persons without trial, including women and children. Not the sort of country I would think most Australians would like to be associated with.
George W Bush insisted that he had the right to regard those who support terrorism as terrorists themselves. Do Australians want their country to be regarded in this way? I doubt it.
Our government needs to dissociate itself from such behaviour, and if Israel refuses to mend its ways, then we should no longer be Israel's friend.
Lavinia M
TOPIC :: Gaza Disengagement Plan
Israel's unilateral decision to remove the 7000 Israeli settlers from the Gaza strip and withdraw its forces was first brought to light in February 2004 at the peak of international criticism of Sharon's project of the Wall, with the Hague hearing scheduled to begin just a few weeks later, on February 23. The strip is home for 1.2 million Palestinians who currently control 60% of the 365 square kilometers. The Palestinians welcomed the plan as a step in the right direction but noted that this should be the first step and not the only step. Many issues are yet to be resolved regarding this plan. Those include Israel's intention to raise to the ground the homes of the settlers after vacating it. Those settlers were compensated generously by the Israeli government while the Palestinians receive no compensation for the 120,000 trees uprooted and 3,000 homes raised by the Israeli army. Let alone the use of their land and resources and the massive toll on the population for 38 years. In addition, the infrastructure in the Gaza Strip is in very poor conditions and needs massive investment to be able to service the population. Without access to jobs and the Israeli army blockade of the sea and land crossings, the Strip is likely to become the largest concentration camp in the world.Tells us what you think. Is the plan workable? Is this going to bring peace? Should the homes of the settlers be destroyed by the Israeli army? Should Israel go to the negotiation table and follow the road map to peace which was accepted by all parties?
To read about the details of the plan please click here | For analysis please click here
Your Say..
The Palestinian story, particularly the historical context, still remains largely unknown to most Australians. The dominant narrative is still largely the Zionist one where the Palestinians are ignored, marginalised or demonised. Zionist groups like AIJAC are prepared to resort to bullying and intimidation to stifle any genuine discussion of, say, what really happened in 1948 or at Camp David in 2000.
To make the Palestinian narrative better known in the community should be the Friends' first priority. Exhibitions of Palestinian art work, films and photographs can be an effective and relatively unconfrontational way of publicising the cause.
Nick Laffey :: Moonee Ponds, VIC