Australia & NZ.

For many Jewish New Zealanders, their decision on which political candidate to support will at least partly be based on that candidate’s position on Israel and “the conflict”, as well as their sensitivity around antisemitism as it exists in 2017. Jacinda Ardern, who may well be New Zealand’s PM in …

In choosing politics over principle, the NSW branch of the Australian Labor Party has moved further down the treacherous path laid out by Bob Carr and his ilk.  That path is contrary to the interests of peace for the people of the Middle East and to the values of freedom and …

29 July 2017 saw an anti-Israel rally in Auckland’s Aotea Square that had been billed as “Alaqsa solidarity rally” to protest against Israel’s “security measures that require Palestinians to enter through metal detectors to go pray” (sic). These measures were removed by Israel before the day of the rally, after …

Indigenous Friends of Israel spokesperson Munganbana Norman Miller again today urged the NSW and Federal Labor Party not to change its policy towards Israel.   The NSW Labor Conference will be held this weekend. Delegates were to deal with a resolution seeking Palestinian statehood but a deal has been made …

Last month, Labor Senator for Tasmania Lisa Singh gave a speech to Parliament which greatly concerned the ECAJ – Executive Council of Australian Jewry, on the Israel/Palestine issue. They wrote to Senator Singh, alerting her to some of the concerns they had, and hoping to engage with her about the …

Big new developments in the case against World Vision for funding terror linked groups in Gaza.   The Israeli Authorities have now confirmed all the claims Andrew Hamilton made back in 2012/13. Posted below the  letter to the Australian Foreign Minister and a Press Release. Regards Andrew Hamilton. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The …

The Indigenous Friends of Israel has been established in Australia to counter the growing Labor political party’s move to recognize a Palestinian State and to maintain the country’s bipartisan support for Israel. INDIGENOUS FRIENDS OF ISRAEL, AUSTRALIA PRESS RELEASE 6.7.17 Munganbana Norman Miller spokesperson for the Indigenous Friends of Israel  …

On the 14th of July 1997, 20 years ago, a bridge commissioned by Maccabi World Union (MWU) collapsed during the opening ceremony of the 15th Maccabiah Games in Ramat Gan, Israel. Four Australians – Yetty Bennett, Elizabeth Sawicki, Greg Small & Warren Zines died. Over 60 Australians including Sasha Elterman …

Both Prime Minister Bill English and new Foreign Minister Gerry Brownlee have said they want to repair the relationship with Israel in the wake of New Zealand co-sponsoring anti-Israel UNSC Resolution 2334.  However, they seem to disagree on what that relationship might look like and how to go about it. …

Fairfax media outlet, Stuff, published fake news in January 2017, which led to a stream of antisemitic comments on social media.  Now, the most recent edition of Fairfax’s Sunday Star Times has chosen to print a vile cartoon suggesting new New Zealand Foreign Minister, Gerry Brownlee, is being controlled by …

Who recently stated that Israel has “warmongering tendencies” and is engaging in a “deliberate balkanisation programme aimed at sabotaging the twin-state (sic) solution”? You would be forgiven for thinking it’s Hamas, as their charter contains very similar language.  But, in fact, it was the editor of the Dominion Post, one …

‘ANZAC’ is the acronym for the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. Anzac Day is one of Australia and New Zealand’s most important national commemorative occasions. It marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War. It further …

This week’s Australian Jewish News reported there were plans for a new Jewish community in Melbourne: WITH soaring housing prices proving prohibitive for families in and around Caulfield, plans have been put forward for the establishment of a new Jewish community outside of Melbourne, with Pakenham emerging as a popular …

The Australasian Union of Jewish Students – AUJS invited members the NSW Young Greens to a meeting with bipartisan young political staffers at the NSW Parliament. However the NSW Young Greens co-convenor, Kleon Toffetti, refused the invitation because “We have a longstanding position of not supporting this organisation because … …

The Broadcasting Standards Authority has upheld a complaint concerning TVNZ’s coverage of the Israeli maritime blockade of Gaza, on the basis that it breached the required standard of accuracy by stating the blockade of Gaza is “illegal”.  In doing so it set out some important expectations: Broadcasters should refrain from …

 After months of evasion, the New Zealand Prime Minister, Bill English, has finally admitted, in response to another question from Winston Peters about UN Security Council Resolution 2334 in Parliament earlier this week, that the resolution was not put to cabinet for approval. It did not need to be, English said, …

Since the passing of anti-Israel UN Resolution 2334 on Christmas Eve last year, co-sponsored by New Zealand, there have been questions about what kind of mandate the Foreign Minister had and the level of prior advice and knowledge of the Government. Questions about New Zealand’s involvement in the passing of …

For many New Zealanders the anti-Israel UN Resolution 2334, co-sponsored by New Zealand on the Eve of Christmas 2016, came as a shock. It is one thing for a democratic nation to criticise another democratic nation for its policies. It is quite another to lead the charge on a resolution …

As the dust begins to settle on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Australia, it is worth taking stock of the specifics of what exactly was accomplished during this short four-day trip.  While much has been written elsewhere about the visit and the broader Australia-Israel relationship, a number of …

After months of planning and anticipation, and indeed years of wondering if it would ever eventuate, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu finally came to Australia last week on a five-day whirlwind visit.  In the process, he made history as the first sitting Israeli Prime Minister to visit our fair shores. …