Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council

Public debate in Australia has taken on a dark and worrying tone over the past few weeks. Recent revelations about the disturbing circumstances surrounding the death of Australian-Israeli Ben Zygier raised a spectre of racial hatred that most Jewish-Australians had hoped would have been left behind in the middle of the last century.

When it was confirmed that the controversial Dutch MP Geert Wilders would be visiting Australia, supporters of Australia's model of cultural diversity considered the most appropriate responses.

Given that Australia has a raft of federal and state laws designed to protect targets of racist demonisation and harassment and, in some constituencies, religious vilification, there was a strong argument that he would either respect our laws or deal with the consequences.

OUR society is founded on civility, tolerance and fair opportunity for all people, regardless of religion, racial or ethnic origins, to achieve their maximum potential.

This is why it is a fundamental concern that Australia's laws against public expressions of racial hatred are being targeted for dilution or even repeal.

Tragically, with a series of trials ending without prosecutions, with Nazi murderers avoiding trials due to infirmity or old age, with each and every tactic used to avoid and delay prosecution or extradition, no person who came to Australia has borne punitive consequences.

With the decision in August by the High Court of Australia to prevent extradition to Hungary of Charles Zentai, the eyes of all concerned with the fate of criminals against humanity were turned towards Australia.

Compared to the revolutionary upheavals in the Arab states, the Jewish state is a haven of political stability, domestic quiet and economic prosperity. And while it involves a hazardous, overland desert journey fraught with Bedouin marauders and human traffickers, Israel's largely unfenced Negev border with the Egyptian Sinai has nonetheless seen between 1,000 to 2,000 foot-weary, traumatised Africans crossing into Israel each month over the past few years.

However, entries are expected to fall dramatically when the 247-kilometre-long fence being constructed along the Sinai border is completed by the end of 2012, according to Israeli PM Binyamin Netanyahu.

Cabramatta is one of my favourite suburbs in Sydney. It is colourful without being too boisterous, assertive without being too aggressive.

The substantial Vietnamese-Australian immigrant population has contributed in many ways, devoting industry and passion in efforts to ensure that their children were given every chance to be part of, and succeed in, Australian society.

As the SBS documentary series "Once Upon A Time in Cabramatta", broadcast in January, highlighted, there were quite a few factors militating against the migrants who came to Australia in the aftermath of the Vietnam War.

A few days before this article was written, it is doubtful many, if any, readers were familiar with the name Anders Behring Breivik.

Perhaps some of my international colleagues who research and attempt to understand the various personalities that participate in the shadowy world of European extremism may have stumbled upon his rantings and rationalisations, but the dispassionate mass murderer had not been flagged as a person of any influence or likely impact, even though he had reportedly been on a Norwegian government watch list since March.

Now he is notorious - as a callous mass murderer.

While other mosques, together with temples, churches and synagogues, routinely welcome members of the public, a mosque associated with the infamous Sheikh Tajeddin el-Hilaly and an association which has been identified with the controversial and self-contradictory Keysar Trad had more reason than most to display openness and engagement.

Australian multiculturalism is a policy that has served us well and, properly weighted between our rights and responsibilities, can further help us resolve pressing social challenges. If revitalised and renewed, it will continue to benefit Australia's harmony, diversity and cohesion.

The recent federal election was unlike any other since World War II, and may have changed politics in this country forever. What did not change, however, was the plethora of minor and special interest parties participating. As always, a number of these had policies that would be of concern to the majority of the Jewish community. This article examines both the policies and the electoral performances of these fringe parties.

Despite the obvious concern that accompanies any change of government - particularly one that had ruled for 11 years - by and large the changeover to the Australian Labor Party saw a continuity of bipartisanship on a raft of Israel and Jewish communal issues. The sudden change of the prime ministership from Kevin Rudd to Julia Gillard in late-June does not dramatically change this calculus and may even strengthen it, with the latter's long standing commitment to the Jewish State and the Australian Jewish community not in question. Indeed, Gillard reaffirmed her support for Israel upon assuming the leadership...

Unfortunately, I did not have the chance to study the Australian government's new Counter-Terrorism White Paper, released on Feb. 22, as closely as I would have liked before press time. However, on a quick reading, I can say that I do think it got the main focus largely right in identifying the seriousness and nature of the threat.

They say that the Middle East conflict has become domestic politics in Europe. And they're right. Of all the issues exercising European minds, none is more contentious and emotive than that of immigration.

The Australia/Israel and Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC) today welcomed the changes to Australian Citizenship testing processes announced this week by the Federal Government.

Of course, most of the time when journalists get stuck on what they mistakenly believe to be the correct interpretation, there is no budging them. SBS 'Dateline' maintains an unflinching tradition of only reporting bad news from Iraq, despite all improvements there.

An issue on which Obama and McCain agree is on the need to isolate Hamas unless and until it agrees to abide by the requirements set out by the Quartet: renounce violence, recognise Israel's right to exist, and agree to abide by agreements signed by the Palestinian Authority.

Has the surge in Iraq worked to improve the lives of Iraqis, giving them security and the chance of better lives? You hear a lot of different views on the subject, but if you look at the views of Iraqis themselves, the answer is very clear.

Within six days in April, I was fortunate to be at three events in Sydney which promoted dialogue and the exchange of ideas, providing reasons for pride and confidence in the intellectual and social maturity of contemporary Australia.

Australian Multiculturalism... has been official bipartisan policy, federal and state, for more than 30 years and has helped create and sustain what is one of the most successful multi-ethnic, tolerant, democratic societies in the world. It contributes effectively to our social cohesion, economic prospects and positive profile in our region and beyond.

There is no doubt that Hamas scored a propaganda coup on January 21, when the evening news was dominated by the blackouts in Gaza, which were blamed on Israel's closing of its transit points into Gaza and limiting fuel deliveries.

It has been widely reported that Israeli security and intelligence officials dispute the latest American National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) on Iran, which says Iran suspended its military nuclear program in 2003.

When asked to speak at Melbourne International Conference on Counter Terrorism 2007: Counter Terrorism Policing and Culturally Diverse Communities, I explored a number of options in considering what I could most constructively contribute.

The Washington Post had a piece earlier this week reporting that not only are many in Washington saying that "Al-Qaeda in Iraq" has now been "crippled", but, while there are debates about the detail, virtually everyone agrees that the organisation has suffered "major blows" over the past three months.

The bulk of this Update analyses the Israeli cabinet decision two weeks ago to declare Gaza "enemy territory" potentially opening the way to using a variety of sanctions as a response to ongoing rocket attacks from there with the support of the Hamas authorities. In particular, it attempts to address some of the myths being spread about this decision.

As has become traditional in the lead-up to a federal election, the Australia/Israel Review posed a series of questions to Prime Minister John Howard and Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd focusing on international security, the Middle East, and domestic polices of special interest to the Australian Jewish community.

The long-awaited reports on the state of the Iraq troop "surge" strategy were made in Washington yesterday by the US Commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus, plus the US Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker, who dealt with military and political progress respectively.

Excellent reporting and analysis about the changing situation in Iraq continues to appear, and some more of it is featured in this Update.

The heart of this Update is a long analysis by Max Boot, a security expert at the venerable US Council on Foreign Relations, looking at the various options being canvassed in debates about Iraq at the moment.

This Update deals with more assessments of aspects of the Iraqi situation, as the "surge" continues.

Today's Update features a couple of pieces looking knowledgeably at the aftermath of the Turkish election last week, where the AKP party, which has Islamist roots, convincingly won re-election.

This Update features eyewitness accounts of the progress of the troop surge in Iraq, as well as some big-picture analysis of how the strategy, finally now in full effect, is going.

The New York Times, which has been highly critical of the war in Iraq from the beginning, has taken an additional step and called in a long editorial for the withdrawal of US combat troops as quickly as this can be logistically arranged...

Today's Update features two pieces evaluating where the "surge", the troop escalation and change of strategy in Iraq, currently is.

Today's Update features two analyses that tie the crisis in Iraq to the wider Middle East situation from world-renowned Middle East scholars.

This Update features some new accounts of the situation inside Iraq as the troop "surge" starts to become significant.

This Update contains some reflections on the state of the conflict in Iraq four years in, and some updates on what is going on at the moment as the "surge" of US troops starts to hit Baghdad in a new attempt to restore order.

While most of the additional US troops promised as part of the Iraq "surge" announced by US President Bush have yet to arrive, the change in strategy which is also part of the plan has already begun to be implemented over recent weeks.

Much is being made of the supposed "reversal" of US policy announced late last week, with US Secretary of State Rice agreeing to an international conference on Iraq including Iran and Syria, with whom the US has largely avoided direct negotiations until now.

AIJAC pulled out of our planned participation in the program of visiting Israeli Professor Raphael Israeli after he reportedly made controversial remarks about Muslim immigration and communities.

THE Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC) cancelled our planned participation in the program of Israeli professor Raphael Israeli after his controversial remarks about Muslim immigration and communities. Characterising Muslim communities as a threat or danger per se is a sentiment we reject and with which we do not wish to be associated.

This Update features two good pieces on the relationship between President Bush's "surge" and the civil conflict in Iran.

There are reports that the offensive designed to restore security in Baghdad which is the key component of US President Bush's plan for a "surge" of 21,500 troops to Iraq may already have begun.

This update features pieces with a focus on how the planned troop surge in Iraq, announced by US President Bush last week, relates to the theory and practice of counter-insurgency.

As readers are probably aware, US President Bush yesterday gave an important speech Wednesday night Washington time, setting out a new strategy for Iraq, one that has been anticipated for a number of weeks by Washington watchers.

The end of year hiatus in Updates witnessed a number of events which invite comment and analysis - not least the continuing conflict and kidnappings in the Palestinian territories and the passage at last of long-discussed (but very limited) UN sanctions on Iran's nuclear program.

The American political pendulum has swung again, this time depriving the Republicans of their majority in both houses, and casting a shadow over George W. Bush?'s Middle East policy, arguably the hallmark of his increasingly embattled presidency.

MULTICULTURALISM has been official bipartisan policy, federal and state, for more than 25 years. It has helped create and sustain what is arguably one of the most successful multi-ethnic, tolerant democratic societies in the world, and is vital for our social cohesion, economic prospects and positive profile in our region and beyond.

The Australia/Israel and Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC) today congratulated Prime Minister John Howard and MHR Petro Georgiou on their agreement to modify Australia's immigration detention procedures.

The Australia/Israel and Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC) today welcomed the pledge by Prime Minister John Howard to work with Liberal backbenchers to find ways to administer immigration policy "in a speedier, more flexible, more humane way."

The 24 June 2005 edition of the Herald Sun reported that a mosque in the Melbourne suburb of Brunswick was propagating extremist Islamic hate literature. These books and pamphlets encoura ged Muslims to wage jihad against non-Muslims and advocated hatred and violence towards Christians and Jews.

The Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC) today called for a thorough and immediate review of legal and policy counter-measures in the wake of new revelations about the extent of extremist hate material and pro-terror propaganda in some Australian bookshops in Mosques and Islamic schools.

It has been an eventful month, even by the standards of 21st century global politics. At either end of the Asian continent, nuclear proliferators have cast sand into the gears of the global mechanism that is designed to prevent the spread of atomic weaponry.

Don't imagine it will reduce the jihadist threat

The Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC) today called for all participants in the current Australian debate about integration of the Muslim community to recognise the centrality of "core values" to both the concept and the success of Australian multiculturalism.

The most basic function of any government is to provide security to its people. The Iraqi government is currently failing at this task in large areas of the country.

â??I have a confession to make. If you are Jewish... I used to hate you. I hated you because I thought you were responsible for the war which took my father from me for so long... I saw poor people from a place called Palestine...

At the commencement of military operations in Iraq in 2003, the threat on the ground was thought to come from the Iraqi Republican Guard.

Despite the breathless predictions of an imminent civil war in Iraq, March and April have seen good news come from the beleaguered country.

Recently translated documents found by American troops in post-Saddam Iraq have revealed extensive links between the former regime and a whole host of Iraqi and international terrorist organisations...

Yeah. Victory. Almost forgot about that one. Only time and continued effort will tell whether President Bush can retake the high ground in the debate over the Iraq war...

There is a lot of to-ing and fro-ing about whether the media paints an unduly gloomy picture of the situation in Iraq by concentrating on terror, violence, and other negative stories.

While most Australians rightly expressed their revulsion at the December 11 riots that took place in Cronulla and spread to neighbouring Sydney suburbs, many on the far-right see the events as a golden opportunity to achieve their objectives.

When Iraqis went to the polls on October 15 to approve their new Constitution, it was a remarkably positive sign for Iraq'?s future on a number of levels. Firstly, the referendum went ahead with high participation and little violence.

November?s extraordinary political developments in Israel could have dramatic consequences for the Middle East as a whole.

I was in Baquba during Iraq's January elections, having hitched a ride with the US Army to a polling site. There were bombs exploding, mortars falling, and hot machine guns. The fact that the voting was going great despite the violence was something few people expected.

In the Middle East last month the cats came out of their bags. The truth is out, with teeth bared and claws flashing to reveal the direction of an extremism far too mainstream in the region. But first it is important to emphasise that the main problem in the area is not terrorism. Indeed, the concept of terrorism is starting to get in the way of understanding what is actually happening.

I landed in Israel on Tuesday, July 12. Just before my plane touched down a suicide bomber blew himself up in Netanya, proclaiming his arrival in paradise, and Ã?Â?Ã?Â? as a certification of his entitlement to paradise Ã?Â?Ã?Â? announcing that he had taken the lives of five Jews with him.

They say that springtime is for lovers. And for lovers of Middle Eastern democracy, the northern Spring of 2005 has ushered in an early blossoming that is unprecedented in the region's history.

American novelist Mark Twain once remarked that reports of his death had been greatly exaggerated. If the author of Huckleberry Finn were alive today, he'd doubtless make a similar observation about the ideologically-motivated doom and gloom merchants who are peddling a narrative of looming disaster in Iraq.

It would be hard to think of a more auspicious way to begin 2005 than by holding elections in Iraq and the Palestinian Authority. Indeed, it would be difficult to overestimate the potential impact of these two momentous events on the future of the region, and even on regions far removed from the Middle East.