In the Media

On May 18, AIJAC was approached by producers from ABC Radio National’s “Breakfast” program, compered by Patricia Karvelas, with a request to provide our views on “Nakba Day” ceremony held at the UN the previous Monday for a segment being aired the next morning. AIJAC duly provided written answers to three questions put to us by the “Breakfast” producers. However, when the segment, which mostly consisted of an interview with US-based Palestinian analyst Ghaith al-Omari, was aired, only some brief phrases from AIJAC’s answers were included. For the sake of clarity and transparency, here are the ABC Radio National questions and AIJAC’s answers in full:

1. What is the Council’s response to the UN’s Nakba anniversary commemoration?

In November 1947, the UN endorsed the partition of the British Mandate of Palestine into two states, Jewish and Arab. The Jews accepted the plan. The Arabs violently rejected it and launched a war of aggression to try to prevent the Jews from exercising their right to self-determination. It is simply bizarre that the UN today effectively has a day of mourning for the loss of a war of aggression launched against the UN’s own partition plan.

2. Does the Council support Australia’s decision not to attend the event?

By declining to attend the event, which essentially presented Israel’s very establishment as illegitimate, Australia upheld its longstanding support for two states for two peoples, Israeli and Palestinian, achieved through direct peace negotiations, something AIJAC also wholeheartedly endorses.

3. What is the Council’s response to calls from Palestinian leader Abbas to have Israel suspended in the UN?

This call was typical of Mahmoud Abbas’ recent counterproductive tactic of demonising Israel in international forums while avoiding any negotiations over peace, and should be dismissed out of hand. Negotiations are the only way forward toward peace, and by demanding the UN force Israel to concede Palestinian claims without any such negotiations, Abbas’ speech only made peace more distant. Moreover, some of his demands, such as his insistence the Israeli government must be forced to allow all Palestinian refugees and their five million descendants to enter Israel, are completely inconsistent with the international consensus of two states for two peoples.