UN attacks Israel again, this time Australia abstains!
As part of six anti-Israel resolutions it approved on 30 November, the United Nations General Assembly recently voted overwhelmingly to disavow Israeli ties to Jerusalem. The vote was 151 in favour and six against, with nine abstentions (including Australia).
By Dr David Adler [President, Australian Jewish Association] and Allan Ellison [Hon Secretary, Australian Jewish Association]
Dr David Adler
The Australian Jewish Association is profoundly disappointed that Australia meekly abstained instead of clearly voting against such a shameful resolution. Jerusalem was established in biblical times as the capital for the Jewish nation with Kings David and Solomon ruling from there. Jerusalem has never throughout history been the capital of any entity other than the Jewish state.
The UN resolved “that any actions by Israel, the occupying Power, to impose its laws, jurisdiction and administration on the Holy City of Jerusalem were illegal and therefore null and void.” Further, the UN resolution to describe the Temple Mount / Har Habayit, only uses the Arabic Islamic name of Haram al-Sharif.
Allan Ellison
The UN has again demonstrated it earns the mantle of “House of Darkness”. No amount of resolutions of lies can delete the 3000 year Jewish history in Jerusalem.
Coming so soon after the ANZAC Be’er Sheva centenary commemoration, Australia’s failure to join the US and Canada in voting against these resolutions is regrettable.
This decision is not just profoundly disappointing, but seems cowardly and unprincipled. Our government prides itself on its close, supportive relationship with Israel and should stand up for truth.
When the UN Security Council passed a similar resolution (2334) in 2016, Australia was not at the time a Security Council member, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop made comments interpreted as Australia would have voted no. She assured “in voting at the UN, the Coalition government has consistently not supported one-sided resolutions targeting Israel.”
AJA recognises the Australian government’s obvious friendship with Israel, but rejecting such a blatant travesty would have demonstrated to both Australian and world Jewry that Australia is consistent and means what it says.
Why did Australia do this? Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon Julie Bishop, certainly has some explaining to do!
David,
Your questions are fairly easily answered and I’m wondering why you ask them, because with your background and education you surely cannot be naive? I’m not sure why you would look forward to Julie Bishop’s explanation for abstaining; she’s a professional politician and always uses the language of that particular creature, which means avoiding the truth and speaking in jargon. Australia’s easy response to every issue concerning Israel is that of the ‘two state solution’ they purport to so fervently believe in. All the warmhearted sharing the Coalition government appears to do on the surface with Israel is superficial. Every decision Australia makes in regard to Israel proves that. At least Labor is more transparent as a non-supporter of Israel. Also, our Australian coalition government is made up primarily of quite weak individuals as people. They do not govern at any level with morality and truth in mind, rather they play political games, with their own professions as politicians being the draw card. They wouldn’t know what to do with a real tragedy or threat to survival if it happened before their very eyes.
Our country is deteriorating to one in which money and the rich, personal gain and personal advancement, are the carrots attracting all energies. There is no room left for more universal reflection on history and history repeating itself, on the real suffering of people and the action required to make a difference to that. You only have to look at the ongoing plight of our own Aboriginal people, all the words spoken about that, all the committees meeting to produce findings that end up as story books; at the end of the day Malcolm Turnbull’s government rejected what Aboriginals got together at Uluru recently to advise as their needs, their vision of how in concrete terms something could actually be done to change things. So how can we expect any kind of real understanding of Israel’s particular plight?
Malcolm Turnbull used to charm many with his smile, his warm manner and his way with words. Now, increasingly, the words can be seen as empty. Just another politician who says what he thinks people want to hear, then turns his back to follow his own agenda.
And, Adrian, you have at last really exposed yourself with your comment on Australia not being subject to the control of Zionists. So that’s a good thing.
You don’t think that Australia’s major parties are not heavily influenced by their left (Labor) and right (Libs/Nationals) wing factions?!
This story is a ridiculous beat-up. Since the election of the Federal LNP government in 2013, Australia has abstained EVERY year at the UN General Assembly when the vote on Jerusalem occurs. In 2011 and 2012, under Labor when Kevin Rudd was FM, Australia actually voted FOR the resolution!
Going back further, each year between 2004 and 2010, Australia abstained on the Jerusalem resolution. Prior to 2004, under both LNP and ALP governments, Australia voted FOR the resolution. Alexander Downer changed the vote from “For” to “Abstain” in 2004 and Kevin Rudd changed it back from “Abstain” to “For” in 2011 – without giving any explanation. Julie Bishop changed it back to “Abstain” in 2013. Over many years, “Abstain” is the best Australian vote from Israel’s perspective we have had.
The unelected, unrepresentative far-right “Australian Jewish Association” were dead wrong yesterday when they emailed Michael Danby saying that Australia had previously voted “No” on the Jerusalem resolution, and falsely criticised Julie Bishop for allegedly moving from “No” to “Abstain”. As usual, the AJA got their history completely wrong. Worse, they unjustly maligned Julie Bishop, a staunch friend of Israel. No wonder the new Israeli Ambassador took a swipe at them when he spoke at the SJM yesterday.
Australia’s abstention is shameful.
I look forward to Julie Bishop’s response and detailed explanation why Australia chose to abstain.
Malcolm Turnbull, too, should be required to justify Australia’s abject stance in view of the fulsome praise he has heaped on Australia’s relationship with Israel.
I would also be interested to know whether our peak bodies such as the ECAJ, AIJAC, ZFA, SZC and NSWJDB have taken taken up the issue.
Their silence on JWire so far is deafening.
Australia may not have joined the hounds baying for Israel’s blood on this occasion – but it is not too far behind.
Congratulations to Canada and the US for standing up to be counted.
Jerusalem could have been the capital of a Palestinian State in 100% of the West Bank between 1948 and 1967. The Arabs did nothing to make that happen. Yet the world supports this spurious claim in 2017. Why?
In 1947, when the Arabs who called themselves “Palestinians” initiated a civil war against the Jewish community of The Land of Israel, having refused to share sovereignty in the Land, the United Nations, which had recommended sharing, did nothing. When Azzam Pasha, the head of the Arab League, threatened the Jews with a massacre that would eclipse the Mongolian massacres, the UN did nothing.
When six Arab state armies invaded Israel in 1948, the UN did nothing, while the USA placed an arms embargo on Israel, and Britain actively supplied and led Arab aggression.
Later in the history of the UN, a Nazi, Kurt Waldheim, became its head; another UN head, U Thant, triggered the Six-Day War by capitulating to an Arab dictator, Nasser; a third UN head, Koffi Annan, declared that ” diplomacy is good, but diplomacy backed by force is better.”
This is the essence of the UN.
You’d have to be delusional to expect strength and principled stances from Australia with its current government, mired as it is in disarray and political game-scoring, its head in its navel. And if you bother to ask Julie Bishop to explain this latest cop-out, which contributed to the travesty on the floor of the UN, you’ll get the same old boring answers that deflect from the question almost immediately. What a sad and sorry business it all is. What a time to be Australian.
If this government had a close and supportive relationship with Israel, it would not have abstained. Simple as that. So let’s not pretend otherwise. Words, words, words … that don’t mean a thing.
So Adrian because the Jewish community has lowered the bar of what we Zionists should be happy with are you saying we should be awfully grateful to our Govermnet for not voting along with all the other Arab grovellers , and this is how we now should expect our Liberal gov’t [ my party of choice] friend of Israel to behave.
Just imagine when Labor/Greens coalition come to power we had better batten down the hatches>
Australian and Australians are not controlled by right wing or left wing political minorities, including Zionists.
Australia did not join the UK, NZ and 62 other commonwealth countries who voted for that resolution either.
Yes indeed! Cowardly and inexplicable! What possible
Reason could there be for an abstention? The truth is as
Clear as the tarnish on the United Nations agency’s disgraceful
Behavior and position. It is worse than blatant antisemitism – it is
A statement that the United Nations should be shot down
With punitive measures. This institution is clearly NOT doing
It’s job – that is working in a UNITED way to capacitate a healthy
And Non-bigoted global culture! Clearly the UNITED NATIONS
ORGANISATION has OUTLIVED it’s welcome !