Adelaide support for Israel
A newly formed non-denominational group has been established in Adelaide to support Israel.
Protesters
Behind South Australians Supporting Israel are Ben White, Virginia Snape and Tania Fenwick.
Snape hosts a blog informing readers about the real situation in Israel and White disseminates information about the historical and political situation in the region.
Together with Fenwick. Tania all three are active on Facebook, posting comments about issues in Israel.
They noted in the weeks before Israel actually took action during Operation Pillar of Cloud that rocket attacks were increasing and nothing was being said in the media. When the media became obsessed with Israel again, White suggested that they create a pro-Israel group and rallied to get support.
Fenwick, who has visited Israel said: “ I have witnessed the inclusive and multi-cultural society of Israel and spent considerable time in Jordan and Israel, mostly in my archaeological pursuits. I am a field archaeologist who has worked with the University of Adelaide, Israeli Antiquities, Associates for Biblical Research and a private contractor. I have a great interest in the history of Israel and find that the archaeological proofs back up that the Jews have indigenous connections to the land. I have Jewish Israeli and Arab Israeli friends and along with Ben and Virginia are proud supporters of Israel.”
The three have connected with members of the Adelaide Jewish community.
Fenwick developed a plan to hold a rally in support of Israel.
She said “I ordered posters to be printed and learned the process as none of us had ever been part of a rally like this. I informed the Adelaide City Council and Parliament house and contacted the police who were very supportive. Christopher Pyne has indicated that he will attend a future rally, as he is a great supporter of Israel but was unable to attend on that day.
Fenwick spoke at the rally earlier this month. She said: ” Although it was a small group, all were enthusiastic. The rally took place on the steps of Parliament House. Members of the public waved and cheered from their cars and many told us they supported Israel. We handed out flyers and the whole thing was non-confrontational but underpinned that Israel wants peace, but it is impossible when Hamas and others are full of hate and have declared that they will never make peace. Other pro-Israel rallies have done the same and I hope the peaceful sentiments speak louder than the aggression shown on the other side!”
She added: “It went well – and I think it is a great building base for the future.”
Fenwick has confronted BDS protesters in Adelaide’s Rundle Mall and says “when questioned it was obvious that they know nothing of the real situation. We are not political activists, but find the anti-Israel and antisemitic undertones intolerable and feel that voices are needed at this time to support Israel.”
She said that a pro-Palestinian protester had as to why she had visited Israel. She said “ I told him about being a field archaeologist and then he asked me if I was Jewish or Israeli. When I told him I was neither, he was lost for words – this bloke was a real goose!”
White said: “ It was wonderful to see a dream that Tania had had several weeks ago turn into reality! Plenty more to come yet from SASI !”
The group is looking for funds to assist them bring speakers to Adelaide. J-Wire will pass on any offers of help. Please contact us at adelaide@jwire,com.au.
Once again we are relying on Non Jewish groups like those in Adelaide and those christian groups in Melbourne last week flying the Israeli flag or relying on the lone academic in Australia DR Bill Anderson who regularly writes in to the main stream media in defense of Israeli Human Rights .
Jewish apathy towards Israel is nauseating,is it any wonder only the Palestinian narrative or a better description propaganda and lies is getting through to them man/ woman on the Street . How true is is that when a lie is repeated enough times people will believe it , this is a perfect example .
Whilst 100% of the Arab/ Muslim community are supportive of the Palestinians even though they have so many other differences between themselves is in contrast where have have the Jewish Left/ progressives which includes Jewish academia many of the Palestinian useful idiots only ever criticizing Israel whilst giving a free kick to to Palestinian/ Arab / Muslim barbarism and daily Human rights abuses against their own people.
It would also be helpful if our Jewish Students would emulate Students for Palestinian and be active supporters for their cause Israel but thats pushing sh- t up hill to get them to become serious activists.
Michael, well said and how right you are.
This very young group has received so much support since it hitting cyber space, it very touching
Thank you everyone who has offered that support. I or they will be in touch shortly.
Wrong. You Michael are the ignorant here. Not 100% of Arabs or Muslims. There are many Christian or atheist Arabs and decent Muslims who do not support Hamas, ISIL or Hezbollah. There are many who want peace. You should check the facts first. Infact, there are a number of decent right winger folks too but people like yourself give them bad name.
Ben hopes that we won’t read Stillman’s ‘The Jews of Arab Lands’, or David Littman’s ‘Exile in the Maghreb’ or Andrew Bostom’s monumental, encyclopaedic tome ‘The Legacy of Islamic Antisemitism’ or Martin Gilbert’s ‘In Ishmael’s House’, or Mark Durie’s ‘The Third Choice: Islam, Dhimmitude and Freedom’, or Bat Yeor ‘The Dhimmi: Jews and Christians Under Islam’ and discover just exactly how awfully the Muslims have – always and everywhere – treated the indigenous peoples in the vast swathe of territory that they invaded, conquered and occupied. Among those oppressed native peoples were the Jews: in communities that in every part of the ‘Middle East’, from Algeria to Afghanistan, and especially in – of course – the Jewish homeland, the land of Israel, called ‘Palestine’ by its Byzantine Christian rulers in the 6th century AD, but also in Yemen, Egypt, Iraq, long pre-dated the arrival of Muslims on the scene. The dhimma is a system of religion-based apartheid, sacralised and codified, whereby Muslims imposed degradation, humiliation and continual physical peril – FEAR – upon captive and subject non-Muslim populations **in their own ancestral lands**. The Muslim Ummah is spitting chips because of the ‘dhimmis that got away’ – uppity Jews who have reclaimed a bit of Jewish Traditional Land from out of the ‘turf’ seized by the Ummah, and are daring to live there as free people, not as terrorised and exploited dhimmis. The Arab/Muslim war on Israel is Jihad: Jihad to destroy the affront to Islamic pride that is a non-Muslim people in a non-Muslim polity on land that Muslims conquered and occupied but finally lost (and have been trying to reconquer for the past sixty odd years). A lot of people don’t realize that just as Muslims dream of annihilating the Jewish state and seizing its land for the Ummah, they also dream of annihilating Christian Spain, Christian Greece, and Hindu India; because anything Muslims once invaded and grabbed is supposed to stay Muslim for ever.
Kol HaKavod
Ben, with people like you around we don’t need enemies.
I think it’s high time your comments weren’t published like they do in Gaza, Judea and Samaria
I would welcome a debate based on facts. Please argue against the facts I mentioned and disprove them. Ad hominem attacks prove nothing more than the intellectual and moral bankruptcy of a position.
Ben, Virginia & Tania,
I am happy to help with ideas and contacts
Ben, Virginia & Tania,
Please contact me off line via email and as I will be able to provide some you with some help.
Ben, Virginia & Tania. Contact me off line via email and I will point you in the right direction with some contacts
The reply from Ben Eleijah (a pseudonym?) demonstrates how swiftly those who give a distorted one-sided view are ready to try to swoop in to discredit another view. It is because of this we need and tank you for putting a view that is hardly heard anymore, so that was is actually a century long violent conflict between two sides is being framed as racism and apartheid. This is not to say that Israel is angelic but the deligitimization route does not lead to peace.
No Lea, just one of the loony left ‘enemy within’
9 people there? I’m embarrassed!
13. The number has been edited out
What’s your problem.?
That is great for a group which started up few short weeks ago,
Not necessarily funds. Any ideas of how to help would be appreciated too.
Thanks
They would enjoy great credibility if only their views were supported by facts on the ground. Creeping annexation, cornering water resources, exclusive roads, military rule, discrimination against Arabs, and non- askhenazi inside israel.