Yaalon: Palestinians believe all of Israel is a 'settlement'

From A7, 27 July 2016: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/215629

...Yaalon ...ripped the Palestinian Authority, arguing that the Palestinians would never accept any Israel of any size or shape.

“Both [Hamas and the PLO] advocate a Palestinian state ‘from the river to the sea,” said Yaalon. According to the vision presented by Palestinian leadership “there is no room for a Jewish state.”

Yaalon ridiculed the argument made by some on the Israeli left that Palestinian hatred of Israel was driven merely by a desire for statehood in Judea and Samaria.

For the Palestinians, he said “The biggest ‘settlement’ is the land of Israel is Tel Aviv, for those who don’t know, not Beit El and Elon Moreh.”

“The PLO’s leadership – Arafat and Abu Mazen [Mahmoud Abbas] – has, since the Oslo [agreement] has avoided every opportunity to reach a final status [agreement]. They could have gotten territory without giving up anything, we called it ‘land for peace’. But what we got was ‘land for terror’.”

Implications of US Disengagement from the Middle East

The United States is retreating from the Middle East. The adverse implications of this policy shift are manifold, including: the acceleration of Tehran’s drive to regional hegemony, the palpable risk of regional nuclear proliferation following the JCPOA, the spread of jihadist Islam, and Russia’s growing penetration of the region. Manifest US weakness is also bound to have ripple effects far beyond the Middle East, as global players question the value of partnership with an irresolute Washington.

Follow the link to read a 33-page monograph on this subject from BESA Mideast Security and Policy Studies No. 122, by Prof. Efraim Inbar, July 26, 2016.

http://besacenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/MSPS122.pdf

AIJAC Condemns Mosque Attacks

30 June 2016 Every Australian should be alarmed by the two recent anti-Islamic hate crimes near Perth. These deplorable incidents included the firebombing of a vehicle and spray-painting vile graffiti outside a mosque at an Islamic school and the placement of a pig's head outside another mosque. However, Australia's Jewish community, which has itself been the target of periodic antiisemitic attacks, particularly empathises with the victims of such hate crimes. The Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council condemns these attacks in the strongest terms possible, expresses our support to the Muslim community in the face of these heinous attacks and wishes law enforcement agencies every success in their efforts to bring the perpetrators to justice. Dr Colin Rubenstein Executive Director, Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council

Jewish Community Council of WA condemns attack on Mosque in Thornlie

29 June 2016

The Jewish Community Council of Western Australia expresses its total abhorrence at the nonsensical and violent act of vandalism and anti-Islam graffiti carried out at the Australian Islamist College and Mosque in Thornlie. We are gratified that no injuries occurred.

We, as the Jewish community of Western Australia, support and encourage the harmonious and respectful relationships between not only our fellow West Australians of the Islamic faith but of all Western Australians, of whatever religion or background. 

Any group or individuals who attempt to undermine the harmony and unity of West Australian society are trying to damage the very fabric of the multi-culturalism of Western Australia. They should be dealt with to the full extent of the law.

Federal Election 2016 candidates meet Jewish Community Council WA respresentatives

Last Thursday Coalition WA Senator Dean Smith brought Attorney–General Senator George Brandis, Liberal candidate for Perth Jeremy Quinn, State MLC Peter Katsambanis and Liberal candidate for Cowan Craig Buchanan to meet with JCCWA members at a cordial afternoon tea in the Maurice Zeffert Home main hall. Senator Brandis gave a comprehensive address which covered the topics of interest to the Jewish community. Many thanks to Michael Preece, CEO of MZH, for hosting this function.

And on Monday evening at the Jewish Centre Perth ALP candidate Tim Hammond had an intense and friendly round table meeting with JCCWA members which centred around similar topics.

Many questions were put to party representatives covering areas of interest including communal security, education funding, religious freedom, racial vilification, Australia–Israel relations and recognition of a Palestinian state.

It must be said that both major parties were solidly committed to financially helping the Perth Jewish community secure its people and institutions and were open to approaches by our community after the election to improve our security measures.

On all other matters there was a bi-partisan expression of support and affection for the Jewish community, and the State of Israel. Both parties have promised to increase funding for independent schools, including Jewish schools, and they both have stated that they do not support repeal or amendment of sections 18C and 18D of the Racial Discrimination Act. Each party supports greater bilateral relations between Israel and Australia at all levels and completely reject the BDS campaign against Israel. Both parties favour maintaining existing laws regarding kosher slaughter of animals and they are both in favour of religious ministers deciding for themselves whether they wish to solemnize any marriage.

With regard to Palestinian statehood the Coalition rejects recognition of a Palestinian state other than in the context of a negotiated peace agreement with Israel. Tim Hammond for the ALP maintains the Labor position is identical although he acknowledges that a resolution was passed at last year’s ALP conference to consider recognizing a Palestinian state if the next negotiations fail to produce a two state solution. He is confident that if in government, such ALP action is highly unlikely to eventuate.

The JCCWA greatly appreciates the parties’ willingness to engage with the Jewish community and thanks all members who attended the meetings.

Further information on political parties’ positions on matters of interest to the Jewish community in Australia is available on the Executive Council of Australian Jewry’s website, www.ecaj.org.au, where their responses to an ECAJ questionnaire are published.

DAVID DENVER

President

Jewish Community Council of WA

Coalition Response to the Jewish Community Council 2016 Election Questionnaire

The Liberal & National Parties' Coalition has responded to the Jewish Community Council's 2016 Election Questionnaire.

Follow this link to read the response.

Response to the Election Questionnaire, from Elizabeth Re, National Party

The following is the response to the Jewish Community Council Questionnaire, received from Elizabeth Re, candidate for the Senate representing WA, endorsed by the National Party.

1.  Safety and Security

The Jewish Community is increasingly concerned about the safety and security of community members and assets. (Refer to Appendix 1 – Jewish Community Security.)

Do you envisage any changes to government support and funding of Jewish-community security? If so, what changes?

Personally, I would hope that as part of the overall safety of all of our schools and communities that governments realize the need to improve security measurers’ city wide as all children are Australia’s future assets

2.  Private Schools

Do you envisage making changes to government funding of our Private Schools? If so, what changes?

My parents, my children and I all attended private schooling and appreciate and value the moral and cultural identity that this education system encourages and offers in the community. Private schools actually save the state money and have a history of producing well rounded students who achieve in adulthood

3.  Religious Freedom

Observance of the Jewish religion and customs include the ritual circumcision (“brit milah”) of male children at the age of 8 days, and observing Jewish dietary laws (eating food that is rabbinically-certified as kosher). Do you envisage making changes to any of the following? If so, what changes?

·         regulation of brit milah

·         regulation of kosher slaughter (“shechita”)

·         regulation of kosher certification

Personally, I do not believe that any changes are necessary, and as a health inspector who worked in disease control for many years I am very supportive of the circumcision

 

Eating kosher food is a cultural choice which I do not have an issue with or see that it needs to be changed
 

4.  Israel

Our community overwhelmingly supports Zionism as the modern political movement for the self-determination of the Jewish people; and Israel as the homeland of the Jewish people.

Do you support those notions?

Personally I believe people should retain their cultural identity as it makes Australia stronger and richer and persecuted people should be liberated

Do you support the strengthening and enhancement of government-to-government and people-to-people ties between Australians and Israelis at all levels, including trade/economic, academic and cultural ties?

Australia may be an island, but we need to engage in trade with all nations in order to prosper and move forward in this rapidly changing world

Do you consider Australian-media reporting on Israel to be fair and unbiased? If not, would you take any specific action or make any statements to promote fair, unbiased reporting?  

Personally I believe the media is biased against many issues and races and I consider that the media needs to be taken to task to promote journalism and not gutter press

Arab leaders have created a culture of death that motivates terrorism. (Refer to Appendix 2 – Incitement to Terror.) Do you consider that Australia could make a practical difference, especially considering that about a third of the Palestinian Authority’s budget is financed by foreign aid? 

Exploitation of children and terrorism can never be condoned or ignored and foreign aid should come with a balance sheet on what the money has been spent on and if a satisfactory answer is not provided then aid should be withdrawn or reduced if proof is not provided that the money is used for the intended purpose

There have been calls for unilateral recognition of a “Palestinian” State that does not yet exist. (Refer to Appendix 3 – Unilateral Recognition of a “Palestinian State”.) Will you take any action to oppose Australian recognition of such a unilateral declaration?

Personally Australia should not be involved in this and I would do my best for this not to be endorsed

 5.  Global Antisemitism

There is a global campaign to delegitimize Israel’s right to exist, including a “Boycott, Divestment & Sanctions (BDS) campaign, which is aimed at destroying Israel, in the guise of promoting peace between Israel and its neighbours. (Refer to Appendix 4 – The BDS Campaign.) Will you take any action or make any statements to stop this hateful campaign in Australia and globally?

The “Durban Strategy”, like many other strategies that have been collectively agreed to in recent years have not been founded on significant evidence or modeling and most are a byproduct of someone trying to get a notch on their belt and should be treated accordingly

6.  Antisemitism in Australia

Our community has a high degree of concern about the influence, in Australia, of anti-Israel and anti-Zionist movements such as the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign and other forms of de-legitimisation of Israel and the cover they provide for anti-Semites to express their hatred. Do you envisage taking any action in relation to any of the following? If so, what action?

·         Legal protections against promotion of racial hatred and of racially-motivated violence.  
·         Sections 18C and 18D of the Racial Discrimination Act.
·         The activities of radical preachers in schools and religious institutions.
·         Public and school education campaigns against violent and/or extremist ideologies.

 
Schools, communities and educational establishments exist to foster and promote innovation etc, education and role modeling for future generations and also learning from history to go forward, anything that promotes disunity, promotes violence, promotes hatred, and promotes violence I personally believe should not be permitted and legislation is paramount to ensure good citizen values are not compromised

7.  Relations with Iran

Iran continues to contravene its international obligations and remains the greatest state sponsor of global terrorism. (Refer to Appendix 5 – Iran: a Rogue State.)

Do you envisage making any changes to the following, without prior public consultation?

·         additional diplomatic representation of Iran in Australia
·         further relaxation of sanctions and expansion of trade

Personally I believe that Australia needs to be stronger and set up policies and legislation to reflect the sentiments of Australians that we do not condone or support terrorism in any form