Refugee Rights

Robin Rothfield, a member of the AJDS Executive, has long been an advocate of refugee rights, and has had two letters published recently in the press:
[The Australian, 19 Sept 2011]
THE first step for the Prime Minister to take in reforming the ALP is to abide by decisions of the ALP National Conference, the supreme policy-making body of the party, as embodied in the Natiional Platform, 2009. Chapter 7, paragraph 157 of the Platform states: “Protection claims made in Australia will be assessed by Australians on Australian territory.”
Consistent with the platform the Prime Minister must therefore scrap plans for offshore processing.
[The Age, 15 September 2011]
What platform is that?
ACCORDING to your report “Abbott muddies water on boats” (The Age, 13/9), Senator John Faulkner explained to the Labor caucus that under Labor Party rules legislation could not be in breach of the ALP platform. Your report continues that Julia Gillard told a news conference that the plan was in accordance with Labor’s platform.
The ALP National Platform states, chapter 7, paragraph 157: ”Protection claims made in Australia will be assessed by Australians on Australian territory”, which is a clear endorsement of onshore processing. Moreover, the Prime Minister, the Minister for Immigration and all Labor MPs would have signed a pledge as parliamentary candidates: ”To do my utmost to carry out the principles embodied in the platform.”

The Point is Lost (in BDS noise).

[This letter appeared in the Sunday Age, 25 September 2011]
THE report in The Sunday Age exposes a fundamental truth of propaganda campaigns – the level of ignorance that drives them.
The protesters chanting outside Israeli-connected Max Brenner chocolates display little understanding of the complexity of the conflict about which they gather, and are apparently unaware of the way in which their aggressive confrontation taps into the collective memory of many in the Jewish community, who inevitably associate back to the picketing of Jewish businesses in 1930s Europe.
Melbourne in 2011 is not comparable to that dark period, nor can the protesters be remotely compared to people back then. But they need to be aware of why some Jews are so incensed by tactics that try to link locally owned Israeli shops with allegations against the Israeli military.
In reality, Max Brenner is not in the war business. The parent company provides ”care packages, sports and recreational equipment, books and games for soldiers”, to quote the protesters.
The consequence of their polarising tactics is that many people who support Israel vent their disgust at the protests, and ignore the oppression of Palestinians, the reality of 44 years of occupation and the brutalisation of generations of Israeli conscripts since 1967. This point is completely lost on the protesters.
LARRY STILLMAN, HAROLD ZWIER
Australian Jewish Democratic Society executive

A welcome nail into the coffin of the Malaysia Solution

Harold Zwier, an AJDS Executive member, had this letter in The Australian 21/9/2011
NOW that Tony Abbott has put a welcome nail into the coffin of the Malaysia Solution, it’s time for Julia Gillard to address the nation. She should tell us that she failed in her bid to pander to the populism of using asylum-seekers as political weapons, rather than helping people in need.
She should confirm that she has no option but to embrace the hardest of political options: to accept that asylum-seekers who arrive here should be processed here. And she should sell the benefit of that option to all Australians. Our history amply supports the argument.
The Labor government has nothing to lose. It won’t lose one vote from being pushed into doing the right thing. And it will discomfort the opposition. It would benefit genuine refugees, our self-esteem and our reputation in the world.

AJDS BDS Statement

Introduction
Recently, the AJDS issued a statement about some BDS protests that we believe work against justice for Palestinians. The statement evoked a strong reaction and has been misinterpreted by some. It was our intention that the statement clearly articulate the concerns we have with some BDS protests, as a contribution to the overall debate about the Israeli Palestinian conflict. While our concerns with the BDS protests has not altered, we acknowledge from the feedback, that aspects of our statement needed changes.
A discussion ensued within the AJDS executive on those changes and it was decided that in addition to publishing the revised statement on our website, we would also include some of the arguments that contributed to the final version of the statement.

What are the different Palestinian positions over the State of Palestine?

I’ve come to realize that there are strong divisions within the Palestinian ‘camp’ over the validity of the bid for recognition of the State of Palestine by the UN.
One of the key problems is the internal struggle over ‘who speaks for Palestinians’ and the disputed claim that the PLO is the ‘authentic voice’ of the Palestinian people. Since there has been no election process for all Palestinians or descendants of Palestinians (and the complexity that such a descent claim entails) this problem appears to be irresolvable unless in fact there is an election process set in place for the new state.

What are the different Palestinian positions over the State of Palestine?

I’ve come to realize that there are strong divisions within the Palestinian ‘camp’ over the validity of the bid for recognition of the State of Palestine by the UN.
One of the key problems is the internal struggle over ‘who speaks for Palestinians’ and the disputed claim that the PLO is the ‘authentic voice’ of the Palestinian people. Since there has been no election process for all Palestinians or descendants of Palestinians (and the complexity that such a descent claim entails) this problem appears to be irresolvable unless in fact there is an election process set in place for the new state.

Prominent Israelis who support a state of Palestine

Jstreet has an ongoing campaign in support of a two state solution. Strangely, it seems little known in Australia. What is very important is that it has the backing of the cream of the Israeli establishment including many with military and intelligence experience.
While the positions that Jstreet takes are often regarded as too compromising, its general sentiments should be lauded.

Prominent Israelis who support a state of Palestine

Jstreet has an ongoing campaign in support of a two state solution. Strangely, it seems little known in Australia. What is very important is that it has the backing of the cream of the Israeli establishment including many with military and intelligence experience.
While the positions that Jstreet takes are often regarded as too compromising, its general sentiments should be lauded.

AJDS Statement on the Proposed UN Resolution to Recognise Palestine

Update: 15 August. This statement (in an edited form) appeared as an op-ed in The Age, and was syndicated nationally online.
The Australian Jewish Democratic Society urges the Australian government, which already accepts the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, to support their bid for recognition of the State of Palestine by the UN General Assembly.