Stick to the facts
Zionist Federation of Australia president Phillip Chester has described as “totally uninformed and mischievous” claims by some media commentators that the purpose of Israel-experience programs supported by community organisations is to recruit Australian Jews to serve in Israel’s intelligence organisations.
Philip Chester
He said: “Contrary to the assertions of these commentators, these programs are aimed at educating Jewish youth about their heritage and about contemporary Israel, and have nothing to do with recruiting people for intelligence organisations.
“Some Australian Jews decide to emigrate to Israel (known in Hebrew as “Aliyah”) because they consider Israel central to their Jewish identity. Australia and Israel share many common values. Australians in Israel generally continue to maintain strong links to Australia and take great pride in Australia’s impact on their upbringing and the contribution that they made to Australian society.
“Since its inception, Israel has faced hostile neighbours and military service is a necessary reality. Migrants of military age are expected to join their Israeli born contemporaries in fulfilling this national imperative. This does not contravene Australian law.
“As a multicultural society Australia has long recognised and accepted that its citizens have the right to hold dual nationality. Many Australians enjoy the rights and privileges of citizenship in other countries by reason of birth or the nationality of their parents or grandparents.
“Much rumour, innuendo and speculation surround the death in custody of Ben Zygier. The ZFA respects the Zygier family’s privacy as should the media. It can only be hoped that they will be left to contend with their loss without continued intrusion fuelled by intense media interest and speculation.”
Strictly intuitively I feel that Richard-Rafael is quite right. The open day speculative feast on a case which is known perhaps only to a 1% degree by all those anxious to put in their hafpenny wisdom, but extatic about having a go at the Yids, has offred so far next to nothing about the poor bugger Ben and, respectively the same gurnischt about what and how Israel acts on any matters confidential.
To this extent even the reaction of the local Jewish communal heads can be seen as unsatisfactory to those who would love to find out more. Fact is that , although leaders of the Aust. Jewish community, there is no reason why Mossad, ShinBet or any othergov. instrumentality in Israel should keep abreast their distant cousins wth stuff that they are NOT entitled to know. As such for the 1st time I am applauding the (necessary ) ignorance of the same important groisse machers.
Presumably they will be equally forebearing if an Australian Iranian was working for the Revolutionary Guards.
As someone with some experience (many years ago) of Intelligence Organizations – including Israel’s – I can assure your readers that the (quote) “media commentators” are completely wrong. These ‘would bes if they could bes’ have no idea of the recruiting processes of (most all) intelligence agencies. Organizations such as the Institute (MOSSAD) have very strict guidelines on recruiting and assessment. We may never know why Zygier was incarcerated but I can assure you that Intelligence Agencies, including MOSSAD and Shin Bet, come under the most rigerous scrutiny by parlimentary and judicial committees, set up specifically to ‘watch the watchers’.
Don’t you think you should contact the “media commentators ” concerned. The “totally uninformed and mischievous” person in question just happens to be a Muslim.
No offence intended to J-Wire, but posting such a ‘cute little item’ here Philip, it won’t be read by those involved.
This is beyond ridiculous and needs to be dealt with. The feeling in the Community is that we need to make a stand and stop hiding.