Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus is to visit Israel for a week of discussions with the Israeli government – probably not with Benjamin Netanyahu as it would seem inappropriate for our first law officer to be meeting with a man who is under indictment by the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity and is before the Israeli justice system for allegations of corruption.
Dreyfus is Jewish and one of the reasons for his visit would be to assure the Israeli administration that Australia is not an anti-Jewish country – I choose not to use the term ‘antisemitic’ as it has been overused in recent times and it neglects the fact that many of the Arab nations in the Middle East, including Palestine, are of semitic heritage.
Not that we should ignore the acts of apparent antisemitism that have been taking place but to me this seems to be a couple of disgruntled blokes – from the CCTV two men in hoodies and a getaway driver – who are clearly not ideologically driven and seem to be deficient in their graffiti talents and appear to be grammatically challenged.
However, as Bob Katter put it in his bizarre interview on matters pertaining to same sex marriage : “I ain’t spendin’ any time on it, because in the mean time, every three months, a person is torn to pieces by a crocodile in North Queensland.” And, yes the crocodiles are still out there. I was warned while walking my dog at Holloways Beach (Cairns) that there was a saltwater crocodile patrolling the shoreline looking for a feed and canines are easy prey.
But seriously, when it comes to antisemitism and other human proclivities it’s a two-way street and could even be an interstate highway with too many roundabouts and dead-ends. I was just reading of an anti-Australia day campaigner, who goes by the name of Tuet-Rosenberg and who is herself Jewish, calling for ‘violence in several inflammatory and divisive social media posts.’It’s just over two weeks until invasion day she reminds us. ‘Go and play snatch the flag – burn them all.’ she shared to her Instagram – which may or may not have been fact checked.
‘Someone go set fire to Cooks Cottage. Go and destroy monuments to colonisation. All of them. Chop down their European trees’ she suggested to her followers
It seems that no matter their caste or creed, people will be people.
It is to be hoped that Dreyfus will deliver a stern message to the Israelis that the killing in Gaza must stop and hostages on both sides must be released – it is reported that Israel is holding some three thousand Palestinians who have not been charged, convicted or sentenced for any crime and are, for all intents and purposes being held as hostages – and for Israel to remove its forces from occupation and to move rapidly towards a two state solution, which remains the stated policy of Australia, the United Nations and the international community.
I hear today in the media that there is a ceasefire imminent in Gaza and that Biden is keen to see this implemented while he is still POTUS but equally it seems that Trump would prefer that the killing continue until he is inaugurated at which time he will be pleased to claim credit for the ceasefire.
Give me strength !
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What a waste of taxpayers money
You covered it well, Terence. I hope Dreyfus doesn’t wear out his knees. I’m picturing him in a 5 star hotel being waited on hand and foot, after a day of grovelling to genocidal maniacs, while just over the wall, babies are dying of the cold or starving to death, and parents are being murdered leaving their kids orphans. And the madness of US politics. 2025 is as expected.
Peasants are revolting?
Do you mean they are not nice, perhaps a bit smelly, unwashed?
Thank you Terence for pointing out that the death toll of october last year, and the number of hostages taken, there is a huge disparity between Israeli victims and Palestinian victims.
But don’t ask for that to become common knowledge. Israelis are some of the most civilised, peace loving people on earth.
Palestinians however…… bloody terrorists….. aren’t they?
Ans please, never mention anything about 1948. And what is this thing the NAKBA?
A few years ago my dear friend Andris gave me a book, Balcony Over Jerusalem, a memoir of John Lyons’ time in Israel as a foreign correspondent. He points out that part of his introduction to Israel was a tour showing the wonders of Israel settlement, the peace, the productivity, the same tour most politicians get when they arrive for their (Israeli) state sponsored visits. A sanitised view of history.
There is not really an encouragement to drift away from the script, so we tend, or have tended to get a rather sanitised view from both politicians and journalists.
The matter of a cease fire…. the US has on four occasions blocked any deal in the UN by using its veto power.
I cannot see that change until after January 20 when the Trump magic wand ends the conflict in the blink of an eye.
Not “again”, Terence. I’ve always been revolting (by certain peoples’ standards). And I wear that badge with pride.
Whaaat? Another DREFUS AFFAIR??
You have to feel for Mark Drefus. How can he fly like an eagle when he is surrounded by turkeys?.
There he is, proudly jewish, and rather special(a bit on the delicate side,maybe) and he is surrounded by goyim.
Goys dont go along with rogue nations who foster genocide, and contempt for the rule of law
Controlling the peasants is never easy.
Interesting observations TM,
It seems you may have overlooked some intriguing and interesting depths when looking at Labor, things that seriously disturbed me; like Albo’s depths and the sending of Drefus to Israel referred to in an article in Pearls & Irritations donations and depths including Dreyfus and AIJAC. Well worth a read.
Clakka, a good article, I agree.
Despite appearing to be flippant I am sceptical about Dreyfus visiting Israel at this time and I did not appreciate Albanese trying to fob it off as just the ‘run of the mill’ visits by senior members of the Australian government. For our perspective to be influential in the region I would be a lot more comfortable if somebody like Ed Husic was accompanying Dreyfus, as he is the minister for Industry & Science and coincidentally, he is a man of Muslim faith. These two men travelling to Israel together would, I believe, demonstrate Australia’s balance and impartiality.