ALP response on the settlements
August 20, 2013 by J-Wire Staff
Read on for article
The Australian Labor Party has advised J-Wire of its policy on goods produced in the settlements on the West Bank…
An ALP campaign spokesperson told J-Wire: “The Rudd Labor Government does not intend to introduce labelling requirements for goods produced in the West Bank.
The Labor Government has a strong record in opposing boycott movements, including the Boycott Divestments and Sanctions (BDS) campaign.”
I understood that Carr said: “All Israeli settlements are illegal. I do not remember reading about Judea-Samaria. In the Arab mind all of Israel is an illegal settlement. Carr talking at the Lakemba Mosque may well agree with this sentiment. If in doubt, do not vote Labor!
Actions speak louder than words: It was Bob Carr, Kevin Rudd and Stephen Smith who rolled Julia Gillard on changing Australia’s traditional support for Israel at the UN on the vote to recognise Palestine as a “non-member observer State” which brings certain additional powers and rights such as access to the International Court of Justice.
It was Bob Carr who outside the Lakemba mosque declared Israeli settlements in Judea/Samaria (West Bank) to be illegal – a proposition which has never been tested.
Perhaps the Muslim vote in western Sydney is being enticed.
There is no longer bipartisan support for Israel.
David – “It was Bob Carr who outside the Lakemba mosque declared Israeli settlements in Judea/Samaria (West Bank) to be illegal – a proposition which has never been tested.”
I maintain there is nothing to test.
Grief, 2004:
“The Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 and the Hague Regulations of 1907 are acts of genuine international law, but they have no direct application or relevance to the legal status of Judea, Samaria and Gaza which are integral territories of the Jewish National Home and the Land of Israel under the sovereignty of the State of Israel.” Obviously this is the conclusion of a lengthy analysis (on the original Mandate for Palestine, and associated instruments), by the world’s foremost expert on this subject. I can provide many references if required, either here, or perhaps ask the Editor for my email (if interested).
“Perhaps the Muslim vote in western Sydney is being enticed.”
Two responses one my own, one a quote.
My comment – “Perhaps” (above) is surely used rhetorically.
Australian Federal elections are fought, won and lost over the marginal seats of Western Sydney. There happens to be a Federal election scheduled for Sept. 7, 2013.
A quote, for some savage humor:
“If a politician found he had cannibals among his constituents, he would promise them missionaries for dinner.
H. L. Mencken
(Ain’t it the truth!! It was then, it still is now)
“There is no longer bipartisan support for Israel.”
It does look that way, at least within the Foreign Affairs Department, and perhaps the Cabinet and caucus of the ALP.
But Labor MP Danby denies it:
“Danby, however, told The AJN yesterday he was “disappointed” by Carr’s comments, but said the Foreign Minister’s claims that it was the government’s official position were patently false.” (AJN, 22/08/2013)
I’ve only been back here for 4 years (after 25 years living in the US), and am probably the only Jew in Melbourne who does not know Danby personally.
I have no informed view on his quote. Maybe others have?
Let me say in passing, that Grief does not spare the State of Israel for its numerous catastrophic missteps and blunders which helped created many of these myths and fabrications on this entire issue.
As usual, Jews are their own worst enemy (both within, and outside Israel)
Isaiah 49:17
Thy children shall make haste; thy destroyers and they that made thee waste shall go forth of thee.
Thank you
George
I am sure somehow that you can muster better musings than radical, uncompromising ( and of course on occasion stridently false, but passionate ). I remember on the kibbutz on which I lived for a while being advised that when handling delicate stuff we must not act too enthusiastically, lest the little chooks may be squashed. They knew how to run their Animal Farm. I would handle our people, the Jews, a bit kinder than telling them that they are their own worst enemies. Sure, some are less interested in elevating their appreciation of the fine arts contained in the study of societal mechanisms, such as politics, psychological profiles of people we necessarily need to contend with etc. That’s when your everyday Moishe drops his head in disappointment muttering or rises it with bulging eyes and loud voice and says” I don’t understand what all these shlemils are sayin’, but I don’t like it !!”, after which he carries on home because he’s already late 15 minutes with the shopping and Yenta will have a go at him again for wasting time “palavering” with the abovementioned shlemils.
As about poor little Michael, it’s very Aussie ovya to stand up for a mate, but “our” Michael dropped the ball this time I’d say small time, but only because Michael never had a big time, never had a chance to be a contender. I keep thinkin’ of Marlon Brando in “On the Waterfront” kvetching to his BIG Bro ( played by a Yid, mind you ) on the back seat of the car, and imagine Michael Danby instead “…all I wanned was to be a contenda….”.
Isn’t it ironic, then, that Michael himself is a Member for THE PORTS !!!!
Then is that stuff about Carr being an unstable, alternating opportunist ( I used a few redundancies to add colour ! ). Sorry, but he is not that intellectually reliable. We are just painfully and belatedly realizing that Bob Carr had his political trajectory ALWAYS mapped with the consistency of a good, reliable donkey. We, the little freyers chanting praises for decades to a born manipulator, are to blame for his undeserved accolades of past idiocies such as ” the best friend of Israel” or, look, he visited Israel 2,871 times etc. For his uncontrolled bladder has invariably discharged in our deep pockets and we thought it was an idyllic spring time shower. We have a whole album of group pixies with smiling Yiddische groisse machers embracing habbibi Bob right here in the Jwire archives !
…………to be continued
“does not intend to” or “will not”?
Sad that there is no clear commitment. Not that the ALP’s political promises amount to much.
Any Jew who votes for Labor this election needs either education or is a self-hating Jew as the Labor Party gas a long and nasty history of anti-Semitism and is anti-Israel. They pretend that the BDS campaign was / is a human rights issue but it is just anti-Semitism repackaged and in doing so they are hurting the very Palestinians they claim to be supporting. They should be encouraging enterprise and development in the so-called ‘Territories’ as prosperity is a sure way of ceasing terrorism and hatred.
I love the wording of the ALP announcement: why the use of the word “intend”? Either they are or they are not: “intend” is something I say to myself when I’m still trying to convince myself! Example, “I fully intend to do some exercise this week”. Oh well, maybe next week!
The next announcement may go like this: “We fully intended not to join the BDS campaign, but political realities being what they are [being in bed with the Greens and having a Foreign Minister who is anti-Israeli] … we couldn’t resist”.
Oh yeh?
and they weren’t going to bring in a carbon tax either.