Fred Nile on BDS
The Christian Democratic Party’s Reverend Fred Nile has addressed the NSW Parliament on the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign.He had this to say in Parliament:
The Rev Fred Nile on a visit to the Yeshiva
“I wish to speak on a serious development: the boycott of Jewish businesses, particularly of the Max Brenner chocolate and coffee shop in Melbourne’s QV Centre. In July members of the Socialist Alternative organisation demonstrated at the Max Brenner coffee and chocolate store because they said the Jewish-owned franchise company had aided the Israeli army—a claim that I reject totally. Thirteen men and six women were taken into custody after an altercation with police, and sixteen were charged and bailed. The charges included assaulting police, riotous behaviour, besetting the premises and trespass. Jewish Labor member of Parliament Michael Danby called the protest “stupid”. He is reported as saying in the Herald Sun:
- These people are prejudiced fanatics who should look into their own soul.
- … While 1,500 people are murdered in Syria, they launch their own sad little attack on a chocolate shop because it has stores in Israel.
I condemn these protests. I am very disappointed in The Greens. Information I have received indicates that The Greens New South Wales State Council has agreed to back a series of military, trade and services boycotts of Israel through the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement. The Greens New South Wales Senator Lee Rhiannon said:
- Delegates from our Greens local groups across New South Wales announced proposals as a way to support Palestinian self determination and to help bring peace to the people of Israel. We are hoping that the Greens backing of the BDS movement will win more Australian support for this action.
I condemn the Social Alternative organisation and I condemn The Greens, a recognised political party, for putting their support behind these attacks on legitimate businesses operating in New South Wales and in other States.
I commend the Hon. Walt Secord, a member of this place, who has called on the Minister for Police and Emergency Services to provide assurances regarding the protection of businesses with Israeli links in light of recent boycott, divestment and sanctions protests.
The Hon. Walt Secord, a former Australian Jewish News journalist, asked a series of questions in this House, including what measures the Government was taking to protect businesses and patrons affected by actions such as the demonstration outside the Max Brenner shop. He also asked about the status of two arrests on that evening and whether the Government had plans to respond to similar incidents. The Hon. Walt Secord is reported as saying:
- With the BDS gaining support the New South Wales Government and the police Minister must ensure that companies with an Israeli connection are protected and not unfairly targeted.
- … BDS is part of a worldwide attempt to isolate Israel, to boycott Israeli products, creativity, programs and culture. It has reached Australia and that is of concern. I vehemently oppose the BDS campaign.
I commend the Hon. Walt Secord for taking a strong stand in this regard. We all recall what happened to the Jewish people in Germany prior to World War II with the first attacks on Jewish businesses. Jewish businesses were targeted, big “Js” were written on the windows, and stormtroopers stood in front of the shops stopping anyone from entering to conduct business. This then escalated to physical attacks on the shops, with windows smashed and so on.
I am not suggesting that that will happen in Australia—I sincerely hope it will not—but when you target legitimate businesses in this way, tempers flare and anything can happen. I believe everybody should step back from the boycott, divestment and sanctions campaign. It should be scrapped. We should become involved in dialogue, not confrontation that will damage the unity and harmony of our nation.
@ Otto Waldmann
Well THANK YOU 🙂 if I may use a local expression: You ain’t half bad either 😉
Rita, you are simply superb !!!
@ Ben
1. “Hello Rita Kniting socks for the military is political act too”
Yes, exactly the political act I would do (with 2 ts though) if I could knit.
2. As you give me the non-Jewish Fred Nile and Rupert Murdoch who support Israel, I give you a certain non-Jewish Herr Schickelgruber and assorted Nazis who would (and did) support your “cause” ie persecuting Jewish shops.
Considering the warped “rationales” of a great majority of political entities, UN members, in accepting a criminally descended and criminally determined mob to create a State structure which will,more formally, allow them to pursue the only thing they know, confroting Israel and all that is Jewish, encountering much smaller irritants on web sites like this, makes perfect sense. What does not make sense at all is wasting time and worthy rationales on little personal anomalies tributary only to their limitations, prejudices and obsession with being given some attention.The Shanes, Bens and their fraternity are of such irrelevance that it gives me real,but real satisfaction to see how Israel goes on protecting its identity, its very existence,its mission of perpetuating humanity while, by necessity, confronting successfully all those active vile demons.And, in the process, all the Shanes and Bens can, time and again, dribble their bile and venom at their (only) pleasure.
And you don;t have to be Jewish to support Israel. Fred Nile, Rupert Murdoch, the English Defence League et al support it too.
Hello Rita Kniting socks for the military is political act too. An act that supports the expansion of exclusive settlements and exclusive roads, checkpoints, curfews, armed settlers and dispossession of the Palestininas. If you can come up with facts to deny this do so.
“…The Straus group clearly claims on it’s web site that it provides “comfort’ ration packs to the Israeli Defence force….”
And so what ?!!! If I could knit I would be knitting socks for those soldiers who defend THEIR people and THEIR land ! Those boys and girls have more class and humanity in their little pinkies, than the islamofascists and other totalitarian low-lives *) ,so favoured by the Shane Andersons of this world, have in their whole being.
And no, I am not Jewish. I add this to let the “Shane Andersons and his ilk” know that there are “many segments of our society” which can recognise base motivations like contemptible Judenhass when they see it ! Pfffft !
*) copyright to Paul Winter 😉
Rev Nile is to be commended on his condemnation of the BDS movement. He very clearly articulated the hypocrisy of BDS supporters and the ramifications of their actions against Max Brenner outlets. The claim that boycotting a Max Brenner outlet in Austalia is acceptable because its parent company gives comfort to IDF members is laughable. It is all the more laughable when one notes that the Max Brenner protesters have not abandoned their mobile phones, their computers of Israeli developed medicines/mediacal technologies. There is also a sinister aspect of the BDSers’ claim: if giving coomfort to IDF members is a cause of protest, when will it extend to giving them food, shelter and medicines. When will that ground for protest be extended to any supporter of Israel and anyone perceived to be hostile to the “Palestinians”, that fake politically concocted people. Equally, by what right does any group intimidate and harass their fellow citizens and what sense of justice is there in boycotting any store not for what it does, but because of whom it is associated with. Clearly the right is in the selfrighteous attitude of the haters and the justice is of the tribal variety of islamofascists and other totalitarian low-lives.
And what if Shane Anderson is absolutely right !!??
His argument that one would find EVEN muslims marching ( what an improvement this would be )against Israel is quite a blast.Speaking of which I would be interested to read at least first 3 words of Shane’s rationale re the seemingly never ending blasts coming from across the Gaza border into Israel. Wait and see how Hamas are Shane’s real local heroes, fighting alongside the muslims against apartheid, social injustices, …..TERROR but NOT agaist the Jews, as most anti Semites would. The madding crowds of disenfranchised socialists dedicated to arresting all manifestations of Israeli criminal behaviour seem coagulated by the common desire to turn their beloved Middle East into those splendid societies, political structures immersed in the deepest philosophies of humanity, tolerance, classical music, art galleries, best universities, what am I saying, the comprehensive existential delights Shane and his composite friendly society is hoisting on us, the philistine, blood thirsty Zionists.
Would our proud “socialists” have the faintest about what “socialism” looks like or reeks of ??!!
How critical can anyone get to protest day in day out agaist soldiers being given chocolate coockies !!!???
I’d like to take Shane seriously,but what am I, a MacQuarie St. specialist ??
@Shane: “The BDS campaign has support from many segments of society including church groups, unions, academics and socialist groups to name a few”. So what’s your point? Exactly the same can be said of boycott of Jewish businesses in Germany in the 30s. It is a far cry from proving any point other than how easy it is to steer anti-Jewish sentiments, even in modern day Australia with our thriving democracy.
And as “providing comfort for soldiers”- insult to intelligence really. DBS prides itself on boycotting all things Israel regardless if they give out chocolates or not so why hang on to this pathetic excuse. It is the fact that this sort of convulated logic applies only to Israel that positions this fanatic group within the racist domain and not in the sphere of a legitimate political discussion.
I am fascinated by Rev Niles rejection of the idea that Max Brenner supports the Israeli Defence force. The Straus group clearly claims on it’s web site that it provides “comfort’ ration packs to the Israeli Defence force. (It has now been removed from the english web site, but not the hebrew version of the web site).
I would also like to challenge the idea that this is simply the actions of one group – Socialist Alternative. The Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid is a broad based coalition including Christians (like myself), Jews, Muslims and Atheists. The BDS campaign has support from many segments of society including church groups, unions, academics and socialist groups to name a few.
Never thought I would ever see myself agree with Rev. Fred Nile, I suppose there is a first for everything.
“… We all recall what happened to the Jewish people in Germany prior to World War II with the first attacks on Jewish businesses. Jewish businesses were targeted, big “Js” were written on the windows, and stormtroopers stood in front of the shops stopping anyone from entering to conduct business. This then escalated to physical attacks on the shops, with windows smashed and so on.
I am not suggesting that that will happen in Australia—…
I AM suggesting that this is already happening to a degree….
Kudos to Rev. Nile for naming the beast by its name, and shame on the Instigator of these hateful actions against Jews by Lee Rhiannon. How dishonest of her to wriggle her way into power on the back of the “environmentally concerned Greens”. I would hate to be an endangered tree or animal if all I had in my corner were the “Greens”…