Palestine – Rhiannon Propaganda Pamphlet Threatens Greens Political Integrity
Australian Greens Leader Senator Richard Di Natale needs to immediately shred a misleading and deceptive pro-Palestinian pamphlet authorised and printed by Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon…writes David Singer.The pamphlet contains two statements purportedly made by Israel’s Moshe Dayan in 1969 and Ariel Sharon in 1973.
Dayan is quoted as saying:
“We came to a region of land that was inhabited by Arabs and we set up a Jewish State … Jewish villages were built in the place of Arab villages”
Dayan actually said:
“We came to a region that was inhabited by Arabs, and we set up a Jewish state. In many places, we purchased the land from Arabs and set up Jewish villages where there had once been Arab villages.”
Dayan’s statement refutes the canard repeated in Palestinian text books and media that
“the Zionist gangs stole Palestine”
Why Rhiannon deleted Dayan’s highly significant remarks remains unexplained.
The authenticity of Sharon’s supposed statement is shrouded in uncertainty.
Michael Shaik writing in the Greens Left Weekly claimed the statement was made by a British journalist boasting at Israel’s National Press Club.
Max Blumenthal writes it was made in a private chat with Winston Churchill’s grandson in 1973.
On 18 July 2002 George Hishmeh – an Arab-American journalist based in Washington elucidated:
Winston S. Churchill III, grandson of the famed British prime minister, recalled last October [11 October 2001 – Ed] at the National Press Club here a telling encounter he had had in 1973 with the hawkish Ariel Sharon, now the Israeli prime minister, about Zionist objectives. “What is to become of the Palestinians?” Churchill asked. “We’ll make a pastrami sandwich of them,” Sharon said. Churchill responded, “What?” “Yes, we’ll insert a strip of Jewish settlements in between the Palestinians, and then another strip of Jewish settlements right across the West Bank, so that in 25 years’ time, neither the United Nations nor the United States, nobody, will be able to tear it apart.”
Hishmeh identified as his source – Geoffrey Aronson:
“who is recognized in the US as the preeminent American expert on the Israeli settlement movement, loves to relate this significant exchange as he did in an interview with The [Lebanon – Ed] Daily Star on two different occasions.”
Churchill recounting a 1973 private discussion in such precise detail at the Washington National Press Club twenty eight years later – is highly suspect.
Churchill never made any mention of this conversation with Sharon in his published speech at the Press Club – although he could have recalled the conversation as an aside or in some discussion with Aronson or others afterwards.
Churchill’s bombshell revelation seems to have gone unnoticed as this contemporaneous report indicates. No other reports have been found.
I have been unable to listen to or download a copy of a tape that apparently exists and could possibly shed some light on what Churchill said.
Please help me retrieve it if you can.
Whether that tape surfaces or not – a question mark must hang over the accuracy of Sharon’s previously unpublished 1973 private remarks – only disclosed by Churchill in 2001.
Sharon and Churchill are not alive to confirm or deny what was said – yet the terms of this private conversation are quoted with unerring accuracy and entrenched as gospel in Rhiannon’s pamphlet.
Rhiannon’s continuing use of Sharon’s “statement” – compounded by her excluding part of Dayan’s statement – raises questions as to the propriety of the Greens using this pamphlet to garner votes in the upcoming July Federal elections.
Shredding these pamphlets has become an urgent priority.
The Greens political integrity requires its support for the Palestinian Arabs be based on solid grounds – not shaky foundations.
David Singer is a Sydney Lawyer and Foundation Member of the International Analysts Network
David,
As I had heard no further from Senator Rhiannon or Senator Di Natale, after the response received from Bjorn Wallin, Rhiannon’s Campaigns and Policy Adviser, I wrote to Bjorn Wallin, advising of that.
Today I received an email from BW as follows:
‘Apologies for the delayed response.
We accept that you have legitimate political disagreements with the booklet, however all the content is within Greens policy.
Regarding your claims of factual inaccuracy, we would be happy to review any sources you can provide. I would say, however, that the five points you have listed under ‘omission of facts’ in your original email are essentially political arguments.’
Regards,
What a dismissive cop-out this is. No. 1, it’s up to them to do their own research adequately in the first place (I’ve already mentioned the fact in my original email that the maps had been declared inaccurate by McGraw Hill and publication withdrawn, and trashed.) And No. 2, there is no response to my complaint of taxpayer’s money being spent on such a publication. It’s news to me that Ms. Rhiannon’s own personal obsession and hate-fest is now Greens policy – my, things do move fast.
I am open to your suggestions as to my next move, David. Although, you would have to view my original email to Lee Rhiannon first I would think.
Liat
Yes it seems like a cop out – but that is what politicians try to do when they have no answers.
Could you please send copy of your email(s) to Di Natale and Rhiannon to [email protected]
David,
I received a response to my email to Lee Rhiannon re the Greens leaflet/booklet today, from Bjorn Wallin, Campaigns & Policy Adviser. It says, ‘Thanks for the feedback on the booklet. I will forward it to Senator Rhiannon and she will consider it shortly.’
If it were not four weeks before an election, most probably I would not have received this. I do urge others to take advantage of this pre-election situation and voice their objection/concerns on the matter. Be sure to send Richard Di Natale a copy of anything you write. I have not yet had a response from his office.
I was not sure whether to air on J-Wire my particular email to Rhiannon, so that others could see my particular take on the matter. Thought that perhaps at this stage I should wait for a reply.
Thank you for the discussion, Deborah. I am looking forward to the day when Progressive/Reform branches of Judaism are given the equal respect they deserve, but think it will be a long time coming. There are many Progressive Jews passionate about Judaism and very serious and respectful about the way they live their lives in regard to it, who nevertheless meet with disdain from the Orthodox. I have been involved with both Orthodox and Liberal synagogues during my life. The organisation IRAC in Israel, headed up by Anat Hoffman, is doing a terrific amount of work in fighting for religious pluralism.
What is the situation with the Conservatives in regard to the father/mother issue?
I have friends, both born of Orthodox parents, and both with considerable loss of family in the Holocaust, who married in a Progressive Jewish service, and are in the ridiculous position whereby their three children (now adults) are thereby considered illegitimate halachically! Really, more needs to be done to rectify the situation of Jewish marriage and recognition of Jewish identity, particularly in Israel.
I have another friend who is an older man and an artist, who has constant awareness, and yearning, in regard to his Jewish identity through his father. On approaching an Orthodox Rabbi in Melbourne, he was told it was best to forget about it under the circumstances. He hasn’t therefore pursued it formally, but his heart and soul will never forget about it.
Thanks for your comments Liat. It’s a sad situation that needs addressing.
You asked : What is the situation with the Conservatives in regard to the father/mother issue? http://www.cjvoices.org/article/revisiting-patrilineal-descent-conversion
Can not she be taken to court for defamation?
I do not believe she can – but others with different opinions might disagree.
The issue here is that politicians seeking your vote will not try to deceive and mislead you.
I have pointed out the deceptive and misleading nature of the pamphlet and booklet authorised and printed by the Greens and Senator Rhiannon.
From my perspective this calls for the Greens leader to shred these documents.
The material contained in these documents has been brought to his attention.
He needs to respond without delay.
Ignoring the electorate will not send a positive signal either.
If Senator Di Natale remains silent – the voters will have the opportunity on 2 July to not vote for the Greens because its foreign policy has been based on deceptive and misleading material contained in these documents.
McGraw Hill maintained its integrity by trashing a textbook when its attention was drawn to four inaccurate maps that also appear in the Greens booklet.
If it is good enough for McGraw Hill – why would the Greens refuse to do likewise?
Because they are greens. I would not be looking for any excuses such as anti Zionism is not the same as antis emotion etc. it is all BS. The reason is simple – they simply hate all Jews no matter where these Jews live. Just the fact that we exist gives them a nightmare. And for all Jews haters around the world it does not matter what Israel does or doesn’t Israel is always wrong. So we should sue them as often as possible. At least we should punish them financially. I am just surprised why they have not been sued
I would like to comment on the halachic ruling that a person can be Jewish from parentage where the mother is Jewish and the father not, but not the reverse. I’m aware of the analysis that it’s more readily provable through the mother, but you do have the ridiculous state of affairs where the blood and genetic connection is exactly the same for children of such parents, no matter which one is Jewish, and yet one is denied Jewish identity if it’s the father and not the mother.
It’s unfair and causes a lot of unnecessary hurt and rejection. Please don’t respond by saying conversion is the way to go. That is offensive to someone who in real terms is Jewish.
In the case of Lee Rhiannon, if her grandfather was Jewish, then she has a Jewish background. Although would probably prefer it was not recognised as such.
Hi Liat
Are you aware that in the Progressive/Reform branches of Judaism we totally accept a Jews patrilineal or matrilineal decent? Sexism shouldn’t play a part in today’s Judaism as it’s from a time when Jewish law accepted discrimination against men and/or women and/or children and/or slaves and/or homosexuals etc etc .
If a adult child has a Jewish father (and they identify as a Jew) how can we justifiably discriminate against them or their father. I feel for the Othodox Rabbis as they are caught between a rock and a hard Halachah.
I believe that the majority of ‘orthodoxy affiliated’ Jews wouldn’t necessary agree with their Rabbis who about holding onto blatant discrimination.
So, it’s time for Jews who affiliate with Orthodoxy (in reality some are happy to eat anything and shop on Shabbat) to look deeply into their hearts and CHALLENGE their Rabbis with their beliefs on these matters. If not the chasm between orthodoxy and progressive Judaism will just keep getting bigger and bigger. Alarm bells should be ringing. As for Rhiannon who cares if she’s a Jew. Either way we can just add her to the list of sad and misguided ones.
David,
I have written to Rhiannon via email, with copy to Richard Di Natale, apropos your earlier J-Wire article. I have made the distinction between expressing a personal view and following a personal agenda, and the role of a government senator representing and working on behalf of an electorate. That the two should mix in the way of this leaflet, and taxpayers’ money to be used to facilitate that, is bad enough. That the leaflet involved is deceptive and misleading, both with the maps displayed and the assertions, is tantamount to incitement and propaganda, and has no place in Australian political life. With the points I have made against this leaflet, and the complete inappropriateness of it, I have demanded that it be shredded and a public apology made by the Greens for authorising and distributing such a document.
Would you please provide the website details for access to the leaflet here, with this current article, so that others can see for themselves. I would like to suggest that all who view it, and decide against it, write to Senator Rhiannon, with a copy to Di Natale, objecting to it. We need to do this, not just complain to one another. Now is a good time to register our objection and concern, just before an election. We need more than just one or two, or a few, to make impact, so that it cannot be ignored, which has been your experience.
If I get a response I shall let you know.
Email addresses are as follows:
[email protected]
[email protected]
Liat
Well done – and I hope many other readers similarly write to Rhiannon and Di Natale.
I hope you receive a reply – and soon. I have tweeted the article to them both as well.
Make no mistake – this Greens policy of support for the Palestinian Arabs is part of its foreign policy with the aim of garnering votes at the upcoming elections – which is its perfect right to pursue.
What is wrong is the use of printed material it circulates that is demonstrably shown to be deceptive and misleading.
The link to the Rhiannon pamphlet purporting to contain Dayan’s quote is:
http://i2.wp.com/www.jwire.com.au/wp-content/uploads/DSC02434.jpg
The link to the pamphlet containing the four inaccurate maps is:
http://i2.wp.com/www.jwire.com.au/wp-content/uploads/DSC02433.jpg
The four same maps appear on page 27 of the Greens booklet “Australian Greens for Palestine” which can be found at the following link:
http://lee-rhiannon.greensmps.org.au/sites/default/files/140515_final_palestine_booklet.pdf
These should all be shredded and removed from further public distribution.
Rhianon is no stranger to nixing the truth.
She went to Stalin totalitarian Communist school in Moscow in 1977 to learn the techniques of twisting the truth, and destroying democracy.
ASIO has 8 thick, fat files ,on her for good reason-afterall she supported Dubcech being deposed and thrown out by the Rusian invasion of Prague in 1968.
She remains the most vitriolic and powerful Jew hating Australian politician with Mousselmane.
And yes ofcourse she has Jewish background through her mother–anotherself hater.
Nope
Not Jewish. her mother is the product of a Jewish father and non-Jewish mother so not halachically Jewish
correction–Jewish background is not defined as halachic.
my statement stands.
lets not be petty.
The lies that the Greens print as truth should be advertised widely.
well done David Singer