ECAJ asks for balance
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry has asked the Save the Children Fund to introduce balance to their current campaign seeking support for Gaza’s young.
The campaign called for an end to the blockade of Gaza but makes no mention of the rockets being fired against Israel.
President Robert Goot and executive director Peter Wertheim sent the following to the Save the Children Fund:
“We are writing to you following the receipt by the ECAJ of numerous complaints concerning a 30 second advertisement being screened by your organization at Village cinemas.
We of course decry the death and injury of children in conflict, and do not take exception with your message “Stop the use of explosive weapons in Gaza and Israel”.
However, in support of that statement, your advertisement calls for action from one side of the conflict only, and that is to “End the blockade”.
One might have expected that a statement in aid of innocent children would have at least included the call “End the rockets”, or “End the use of human shields”.
And does Save the Children Australia, have nothing to say about the 160 Palestinian children (at least) who, according to a report in the Journal of Palestine Studies, have died in cave-ins in the course of constructing Hamas’s tunnels?
As it is, your advertisement is one sided and partisan.
Further, calling for an end to the blockade to ’save the children’, is entirely misconceived. The blockade does not prevent food, medicine and other humanitarian aid from entering Gaza from Israel, and this occurs under UN auspices. Indeed, the blockade has prevented the loss of more innocent lives by restricting the importation by Hamas into Gaza of the very explosive weapons, which you condemn.
Put another way, ending the blockade is the surest way to bring about an influx of explosive weapons and munitions into Gaza, as it would remove the only obstacle that presently exists to the smuggling of rockets, mortars and other weapons from Iran into Gaza.
We ask that you remove or modify the advertisement and the petition which it supports.”
Has there been any expression of contriteness from STC over this issue?
Thank you ECAJ. I am not sure whether STC are showing their true colours or their true ignorance.
A great letter which the Jewish community should applaud.
A great letter which, apart from STC, only the Jewish community will read.
Apart from sounding wonderful in the ECAJ echo chamber, what else do those jaw jawing professional Jews contribute to standing up against our enemies?
Not fair , Paul.
I am very excited about the prospects of ECAJ suing “Save the Children” if they refuse to respond in the next three months and THAT will show them !!!!!!
Stay tuned ………