Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council

"The scheduling of the Federal Election on Yom Kippur is of course somewhat disappointing, especially for those members of our community - be they politicians, political party members, campaign workers, canvassers, scrutineers or voters - who won't be able to engage on election day as they normally

On Friday January 18 at the close of the Australia-UK Ministerial Consultations (AUKMIN) conference in Perth, Foreign Minister the Hon Senator Bob Carr and UK Foreign Secretary William Hague released a joint statement on the Middle East peace process, condemning Israel's settlements as "illegal unde

The Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC) today labelled the intense focus on the issue of Israeli settlements by Foreign Minister Bob Carr "misplaced", "disproportionate" and "counter-productive." AIJAC Executive Director Dr. Colin Rubenstein AM stated " Foreign Minister Bob Carr's

The Australia/Israel and Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC) today welcomed the election of Australia to a two-year temporary seat on the United Nations Security Council in New York overnight, and congratulated the Australian Government on achieving this outcome. AIJAC National Chairman Mark Leibler sta

AIJAC today expressed extreme disappointment over the High Court's decision that accused Nazi war criminal Charles Zentai cannot be extradited to Hungary to face trial. It also called for the Federal Government to look at additional means for justice to be done for his alleged crimes.

SIX federal Coalition MPs who recently returned from Israel said they were full of praise for Israel's achievements, more understanding of its challenges and ready to spread the word. Bradfield MP Paul Fletcher, Tasmanian Senator David Bushby, Paterson MP Bob Baldwin, South Australian Senator David

The Australia/Israel and Jewish Affairs Council has hosted a meeting in Sydney at which three Australian members of Parliament told of their experiences on a recent visit to Israel. Liberal Bob Baldwin member for Paterson near Newcastle, Shadow Minister for Regional Development and Shadow Minister

AIJAC welcomes the announcement by Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd that Australia will be pursuing additional sanctions against Iran, including measures that will "further restrict business with Iran's petroleum and financial sectors." Hopefully, these measures will, when enacted, bring Australia into

The decision of the General Assembly of UNESCO to "further the folly and fiction" that there is a State of Palestine which can participate in international organisations "undermines genuine progress towards peace", the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council said today, while stressing that "i

The Australia/Israel and Jewish Affairs Council has welcomed the release yesterday by Egypt of Ilan Grapel, who served as a visiting research fellow in its Melbourne office in 2009. A law student at Emory University in Atlanta, USA, Mr. Grapel travelled to Egypt early this year to volunteer for a c

This is a very hopeful announcement, given the many years of effort by successive Israeli governments, with the full support of the Israeli people and all with a genuine concern for morality. If Gilad Shalit is released this will indeed be a joyful end to a terrible violation of  basic human ri

The Australia/Israel and Jewish Affairs Council today welcomed the announcement last night that Australia would refrain from participating in the UN's tainted Durban III "anti-racism" conference in New York next month.

AIJAC welcomes the decision of the Government of Victoria to ask the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to investigate whether organisations campaigning for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel have been conducting "secondary boycotts for the purpose of causing s

Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd and Federal MP Mr Michael Danby should be highly commended for their visit yesterday to a branch of Max Brenner in Melbourne, a target of recent anti-Israel protests, where they took a strong stance against the boycott of Jewish and Israeli-owned business. Two

The Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council congratulates the Republic of South Sudan as it officially joins the family of nations. After so many years of conflict, there is now the potential for peace and reason for optimism.

Jeremy Jones, Director of International and Community Affairs for the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council, was in the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo for a series of high-level discussions last week. The visit, organised as a result of Jones hosting leading Bosnian religious and political figu

For the first time, an Australian has participated in the Jewish delegation to the International Liaison Committee, in which Jewish representatives meet with Vatican appointees to further Jewish-Catholic understanding and dialogue. Jeremy Jones, Director of International and of Community Affairs fo

Dr. Colin Rubenstein, Executive Director of the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council said today, "AIJAC welcomes the decision by the Commonwealth Government to appeal the Federal Court's decision in the matter of the extradition of alleged murderer Charles Zentai to Hungary.

Dr. Colin Rubenstein, Executive Director of the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council said today, "AIJAC welcomes the December 24 vote by Australia at the UN against the 'Durban III' conference. The vote adds to Australia's long and proud history of acting against racism."

The Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC) has welcomed ACMA's finding that al-Manar breached Australia's broadcasting codes in regards to racism.