This is an in\u00adstruc\u00adtive story of how main\u00adstream Aus\u00adtralian Jew\u00adish groups are pet\u00adri\u00adfied that a) the pub\u00adlic will hear crit\u00adi\u00adcal and truth\u00adful views about Is\u00adraeli be\u00adhav\u00adiour in the West Bank and b) a de\u00adsire to \u201cpro\u00adtect\u201d Jews from even un\u00adder\u00adstand\u00ading what Is\u00adraeli oc\u00adcu\u00adpa\u00adtion means.<\/p>\n
A fea\u00adture ap\u00adpeared<\/a> in The Age<\/em> and Syd\u00adney Morn\u00ading Her\u00adald<\/em> last week by Ruth Pol\u00adlard which de\u00adtailed shock\u00ading new al\u00adle\u00adga\u00adtions by IDF per\u00adson\u00adnel and their be\u00adhav\u00adiour against Pales\u00adtin\u00adian chil\u00addren. Mur\u00addoch\u2019s Aus\u00adtralian<\/em> also cov\u00adered the rev\u00ade\u00adla\u00adtions. The Aus\u00adtralian Jew\u00adish News<\/em> was out\u00adraged,<\/a> pro\u00advid\u00ading a space for Zion\u00adist spokes\u00adpeo\u00adple to damn all the al\u00adle\u00adga\u00adtions:<\/p>\n \u201cAn\u00adother Is\u00adrael-bash\u00ading head\u00adline\u201d, \u201ca fla\u00adgrantly one-sided piece\u201d and \u201cthread\u00adbare and un\u00adsub\u00adstan\u00adti\u00adated \u00adallegations\u201d.<\/em><\/p>\n Just a hand\u00adful of com\u00adments from com\u00admu\u00adnity lead\u00aders and the Is\u00adraeli em\u00adbassy this week fol\u00adlow\u00ading the ex\u00adten\u00adsive cov\u00ader\u00adage in the Aus\u00adtralian media of a re\u00adport is\u00adsued by Is\u00adraeli vet\u00ader\u00adans group Break\u00ading The Si\u00adlence (BTS) about the treat\u00adment of Pales\u00adtin\u00adian chil\u00addren at the hands of the IDF.<\/em><\/p>\n A state\u00adment was re\u00adleased<\/a> by Danny Lamm, Pres\u00adi\u00addent of the Ex\u00adec\u00adu\u00adtive Coun\u00adcil of Aus\u00adtralian Jewry:<\/p>\n \u201cHow sad it is that once-great broad\u00adsheets like the Syd\u00adney Morn\u00ading Her\u00adald and The Age have been re\u00adduced to fea\u00adtur\u00ading crude pro\u00adpa\u00adganda on their front page.<\/em><\/p>\n Their story al\u00adleg\u00ading mal\u00adtreat\u00adment of chil\u00addren by the IDF re\u00adlied on state\u00adments sup\u00adpos\u00adedly made by ex-IDF per\u00adson\u00adnel to the vet\u00ader\u00adans\u2019 group \u2018Break\u00ading the Si\u00adlence\u2019. But the thrust of these state\u00adments is a re\u00adhash of re\u00adports pub\u00adlished in pre\u00advi\u00adous months by a group of British lawyers who vis\u00adited Is\u00adrael\u2019s mil\u00adi\u00adtary courts and by the NGO, De\u00adfence of Chil\u00addren In\u00adter\u00adna\u00adtional, and they ap\u00adpear to be based on the same or sim\u00adi\u00adlar sources.<\/em><\/p>\n The state\u00adments pub\u00adlished by \u2018Break\u00ading the Si\u00adlence\u2019 were char\u00adac\u00adterised by the Her\u00adald and the Age as \u201ctes\u00adti\u00admonies\u201d but in fact they are anony\u00admous, non-spe\u00adcific as to times and places, de\u00advoid of crit\u00adi\u00adcal de\u00adtail and untested by any kind of cross-ques\u00adtion\u00ading. The pho\u00adtographs of cry\u00ading chil\u00addren lack any de\u00adtailed ex\u00adpla\u00adna\u00adtion or con\u00adtext and are cal\u00adcu\u00adlated to play to the emo\u00adtions of read\u00aders, not to in\u00adform.<\/em><\/p>\n It is im\u00adpos\u00adsi\u00adble for the IDF, or any or\u00adgan\u00adi\u00adsa\u00adtion, to in\u00adves\u00adti\u00adgate al\u00adle\u00adga\u00adtions of such a gen\u00ader\u00adalised na\u00adture, es\u00adpe\u00adcially while Break\u00ading the Si\u00adlence in\u00adsists on main\u00adtain\u00ading the anonymity of all of its sources and with-hold\u00ading other rel\u00ade\u00advant in\u00adfor\u00adma\u00adtion. One sus\u00adpects that their com\u00adplaints are not being made with a view to hav\u00ading them in\u00adves\u00adti\u00adgated and\u00a0ad\u00addressed but solely for their pro\u00adpa\u00adganda ef\u00adfect.<\/em><\/p>\n If Break\u00ading the Si\u00adlence is gen\u00aduine in its com\u00adplaints and is not sim\u00adply seek\u00ading to pur\u00adsue a po\u00adlit\u00adi\u00adcal agenda, it has a moral duty to make all rel\u00ade\u00advant ma\u00adte\u00adr\u00adial avail\u00adable to the of\u00adfice of the At\u00adtor\u00adney Gen\u00aderal or the Mil\u00adi\u00adtary Ad\u00advo\u00adcate, who have re\u00adpeat\u00adedly of\u00adfered to in\u00adves\u00adti\u00adgate any com\u00adplaints as soon as they have some\u00adthing con\u00adcrete to in\u00adves\u00adti\u00adgate. They have never shrunk\u00a0from in\u00adves\u00adti\u00adgat\u00ading, and where ap\u00adpro\u00adpri\u00adate pros\u00ade\u00adcut\u00ading, spe\u00adcific al\u00adle\u00adga\u00adtions of wrong-do\u00ading that have been re\u00adferred to them.<\/em><\/p>\n Sadly, many Aus\u00adtralians will have read this story in a su\u00adper\u00adfi\u00adcial way or merely viewed the head\u00adline and the pho\u00adtographs. They are being left with the false, in\u00addeed ridicu\u00adlous, im\u00adpres\u00adsion that the IDF is a se\u00adri\u00adous abuser of chil\u00addren\u2019s rights, in\u00addeed the most se\u00adri\u00adous abuser of such rights in the Mid\u00addle East. There is not a word in the story about the sys\u00adtem\u00adatic in\u00addoc\u00adtri\u00adna\u00adtion of Pales\u00adtin\u00adian chil\u00addren at school and through the media and the de\u00adlib\u00ader\u00adate use of chil\u00addren as com\u00adbat\u00adants and ter\u00adror\u00adists by armed Pales\u00adtin\u00adian or\u00adgan\u00adi\u00adsa\u00adtions.<\/em><\/p>\n It was also telling that a gen\u00aduine and sub\u00adstan\u00adti\u00adated re\u00adport about a mas\u00adsacre of ap\u00adprox\u00adi\u00admately 300 civil\u00adians by the Asad regime in Syria the pre\u00advi\u00adous day was rel\u00ade\u00adgated to a minor story on page 7 of the Her\u00adald and was un\u00adac\u00adcom\u00adpa\u00adnied by pho\u00adtographs of dead and dying Syr\u00adian\u00a0chil\u00addren, which are dis\u00adtress\u00adingly easy to find on\u00adline.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Other Jew\u00adish \u201clead\u00aders\u201d, in\u00adclud\u00ading AIJAC head Colin Ruben\u00adstein and Labor MP Michael Danby, added more sound and fury<\/a>:<\/p>\n Michael Danby told J-Wire: \u201cI felt The Age cov\u00ader\u00adage was worse than the Syd\u00adney Morn\u00ading Her\u00adalds as their head\u00adline was more bi\u00adased and the graph\u00adics used were larger and more emo\u00adtive.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Speak\u00ading at the open\u00ading in Mel\u00adbourne of the Is\u00adraeli Film Fes\u00adti\u00adval, Danby said: \u201cI was not sur\u00adprised to see the Fair\u00adfax share price plum\u00admet\u00ading. On days when hun\u00addreds of civil\u00adians were being killed in Syria, The Age and the Syd\u00adney Morn\u00ading Her\u00adald were re\u00adhash\u00ading un\u00adver\u00adi\u00adfied re\u00adhashed pro\u00adpa\u00adganda against Is\u00adrael.\u201d He ap\u00adpealed to Greg Hay\u00adwood, the chair\u00adman of Fair\u00adfax to ex\u00adplain why his chain gave such promi\u00adnence to this story.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Colin Ruben\u00adstein:\u00a0It was pro\u00adfoundly dis\u00adap\u00adpoint\u00ading to see Aus\u00adtralia\u2019s lead\u00ading broad\u00adsheets \u2013 the Aus\u00adtralian, Syd\u00adney Morn\u00ading Her\u00adald and Age –\u00a0 so un\u00adcrit\u00adi\u00adcally re\u00adpeat\u00ading the lat\u00adest re\u00adhashed\u00a0 pro\u00adpa\u00adganda from the con\u00adtro\u00adver\u00adsial left-wing Is\u00adraeli NGO Break\u00ading the Si\u00adlence.<\/em><\/p>\n There is lit\u00adtle new in\u00adfor\u00adma\u00adtion in the re\u00adport. It is es\u00adsen\u00adtially a repack\u00adag\u00ading of some 30 ex\u00adist\u00ading so-called \u201ctes\u00adti\u00admonies\u201d of for\u00admer sol\u00addiers from the or\u00adgan\u00adi\u00adsa\u00adtion\u2019s files in a politi\u00adcised at\u00adtempt to por\u00adtray the IDF as sys\u00adtem\u00adatic abusers of Pales\u00adtin\u00adian chil\u00addren, and gain head\u00adlines.<\/em><\/p>\n More\u00adover, of the 30 tes\u00adti\u00admonies cited in the re\u00adport, about half iden\u00adtify no ac\u00adtual wrong-do\u00ading \u2013 only that some sol\u00addiers were un\u00adcom\u00adfort\u00adable with cer\u00adtain per\u00adfectly legal tac\u00adti\u00adcal de\u00adci\u00adsions such as con\u00adduct\u00ading late-night ar\u00adrest raids on homes.<\/em><\/p>\n Even in the un\u00adlikely event that the 15 or so in\u00adci\u00addents of al\u00adleged wrong-do\u00ading, oc\u00adcur\u00adring over six years, in this re\u00adport were fully con\u00adfirmed, this would not alter the fact the IDF re\u00admains prob\u00ada\u00adbly the most moral army in the world. This is not merely slo\u00adga\u00adneer\u00ading but a re\u00adal\u00adity based upon the rig\u00ador\u00adous stan\u00addards it im\u00adposes upon it\u00adself and the self-polic\u00ading mech\u00ada\u00adnisms in place.<\/em><\/p>\n Break\u00ading the Si\u00adlence then re\u00adleased<\/a> a re\u00adsponse to all the crit\u00adi\u00adcisms:<\/p>\n In re\u00adsponse to a re\u00adcent pub\u00adli\u00adca\u00adtion by the Is\u00adraeli vet\u00aderan or\u00adga\u00adni\u00adza\u00adtion Break\u00ading the Si\u00adlence, Dr Danny Lamm, pres\u00adi\u00addent of the Ex\u00adec\u00adu\u00adtive Coun\u00adcil of Aus\u00adtralian Jewry, bla\u00adtantly at\u00adtacked us \u2013 vet\u00ader\u00adans of the Is\u00adraeli De\u00adfense Forces –\u00a0call\u00ading the pub\u00adli\u00adca\u00adtion \u201ccrude pro\u00adpa\u00adganda\u201d\u2026.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n From Dana Golan [Ex\u00adec\u00adu\u00adtive Di\u00adrec\u00adtor – Break\u00ading the Si\u00adlence]<\/em><\/p>\n Dr Lamm in\u00adsin\u00adu\u00adates that the tes\u00adti\u00admonies pub\u00adlished by Break\u00ading the Si\u00adlence are not cred\u00adi\u00adble, sug\u00adgest\u00ading that they are man\u00adu\u00adfac\u00adtured by the or\u00adga\u00adni\u00adza\u00adtion\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u201csolely for their pro\u00adpa\u00adganda ef\u00adfect.\u201d The anonymity of the tes\u00adti\u00admonies and the fact that they are al\u00adlegedly \u201cuntested by any kind of cross-ques\u00adtion\u00ading\u201d is his sole ev\u00adi\u00addence.<\/em><\/p>\n Break\u00ading the Si\u00adlence is an or\u00adga\u00adni\u00adza\u00adtion of over 850 Is\u00adraeli vet\u00ader\u00adans \u2013 male and fe\u00admale com\u00adbat sol\u00addiers and of\u00adfi\u00adcers who served in the IDF in the harsh\u00adest days of the last decade. Our pub\u00adli\u00adca\u00adtions meet the high\u00adest stan\u00addards of in\u00adves\u00adtiga\u00adtive jour\u00adnal\u00adism. All un\u00adusual and ex\u00adcep\u00adtional tes\u00adti\u00admonies must be cor\u00adrob\u00ado\u00adrated by two in\u00adde\u00adpen\u00addent sources be\u00adfore pub\u00adli\u00adca\u00adtion; and anonymity, as every jour\u00adnal\u00adist knows, is a con\u00addi\u00adtion for ex\u00adpo\u00adsure of wrong-do\u00ading. As any vis\u00adi\u00adtor to the web\u00adsite can see, dozens of vet\u00ader\u00adans have in fact tes\u00adti\u00adfied with\u00adout anonymity, their names and faces re\u00advealed on cam\u00adera.<\/em><\/p>\n Now we vet\u00ader\u00adans won\u00adder how some\u00adone who pur\u00adports to be a sup\u00adporter of Is\u00adrael can make such in\u00adsid\u00adi\u00adous al\u00adle\u00adga\u00adtions against us, ques\u00adtion\u00ading our loy\u00adalty and in\u00adtegrity. How can some\u00adone who is sup\u00adposed to have our backs then at\u00adtack us from be\u00adhind? From where, we ask, does Dr Lamm draw the\u00a0chutz\u00adpah\u00a0to sling mud at us, sol\u00addiers who were lying in the mud to pro\u00adtect the coun\u00adtry in whose name he swears from afar?\u00a0We won\u00adder what mo\u00adti\u00advates a Di\u00adas\u00adpora Jew pre\u00adtend\u00ading to love Is\u00adrael to dis\u00adcredit us, vet\u00ader\u00adans who con\u00adtinue to risk our lives in its de\u00adfense and give our time and en\u00adergy to for\u00adtify its moral stature.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0Con\u00adcern for Is\u00adrael and its democ\u00adracy can\u00adnot be the fac\u00adtor dri\u00adving an as\u00adsault on its civil so\u00adci\u00adety. At\u00adtacks on Is\u00adraeli vet\u00ader\u00adans are cer\u00adtainly not mo\u00adti\u00advated by love for Is\u00adrael and its peo\u00adple, for these vet\u00ader\u00adans are Is\u00adrael. Dr Lamm\u2019s as\u00adsault, it ap\u00adpears, must have a dif\u00adfer\u00adent set of mo\u00adti\u00adva\u00adtions. In\u00adstead of serv\u00ading his com\u00admu\u00adnity and lend\u00ading sup\u00adport to Is\u00adrael, he serves his po\u00adlit\u00adi\u00adcal mas\u00adters. A vocal op\u00adpo\u00adnent of the peace process, it seems that Dr Lamm has for\u00adgot\u00adten his place as a Di\u00adas\u00adpora com\u00admu\u00adnity leader.\u00a0We would never dare in\u00adter\u00adfere with the in\u00adter\u00adnal af\u00adfairs of his\u00a0com\u00admu\u00adnity,\u00a0let alone in the au\u00adda\u00adcious way in which Lamm in\u00adter\u00adferes in ours.<\/em><\/p>\n While the ques\u00adtion of whether and to what de\u00adgree Di\u00adas\u00adpora Jews should ad\u00advo\u00adcate their views on in\u00adter\u00adnal Is\u00adraeli af\u00adfairs is an open one, beat\u00ading on Is\u00adraelis of other po\u00adlit\u00adi\u00adcal con\u00advic\u00adtions is not.\u00a0Lamm\u2019s arm\u00adchair Zion\u00adism pon\u00adtif\u00adi\u00adcat\u00ading from afar, while true Is\u00adraelis put their lives on the line, im\u00adposes cer\u00adtain re\u00adstraints on his en\u00adgage\u00adment. A de\u00adcent per\u00adson would re\u00adgard this also as rea\u00adson for some hu\u00admil\u00adity in opin\u00adion. It is pre\u00adcisely be\u00adcause we have been on the front lines that we un\u00adder\u00adstand that the fu\u00adture of our coun\u00adtry de\u00adpends on its moral\u00a0for\u00adti\u00adtude no less than on its mil\u00adi\u00adtary might.<\/em><\/p>\n It is no won\u00adder that Lamm fails to rec\u00adog\u00adnize this as surely the view from Aus\u00adtralia is dif\u00adfer\u00adent from that of real-life Is\u00adraelis who re\u00adal\u00adize the Zion\u00adist ideal with their sweat and blood and not merely with their job ti\u00adtles.\u00a0Zion\u00adism, for us, is about the will\u00ading\u00adness to make bold sac\u00adri\u00adfices for the se\u00adcu\u00adrity and fu\u00adture of the Jew\u00adish state. For im\u00adpos\u00adtors like Lamm, it is an in\u00adstru\u00adment for pro\u00admot\u00ading a po\u00adlit\u00adi\u00adcal agenda, the con\u00adse\u00adquences of which we will have to bear, not him.<\/em><\/p>\n Rep\u00adre\u00adsen\u00adta\u00adtives of Break\u00ading the Si\u00adlence on be\u00adhalf of our mem\u00adbers,<\/em><\/p>\n Lieu\u00adtenant Dana Golan \u2013 Bor\u00adder Pa\u00adtrol (Ex\u00adec\u00adu\u00adtive Di\u00adrec\u00adtor, Break\u00ading the Si\u00adlence)<\/em><\/p>\n Cap\u00adtain Mikhael Manekin \u2013 Golani In\u00adfantry Brigade<\/em><\/p>\n Lieu\u00adtenant Noam Chayut \u2013 Nahal In\u00adfantry Brigade<\/em><\/p>\n Lieu\u00adtenant Oren Kalis\u00adman \u2013 Spe\u00adcial Forces, Para\u00adtroop\u00aders<\/em><\/p>\n First Sergeant Yehdua Shaul \u2013 Nahal In\u00adfantry Brigade<\/em><\/p>\n First Sergeant Avi\u00adhai Stol\u00adlar \u2013 Kfir Brigade<\/em><\/p>\n First Sergeant Tal Wasser \u2013 Oketz<\/em><\/p>\n First Sergeant Achiya Schatz \u2013 Du\u00advde\u00advan<\/em><\/p>\n First Sergeant Ayal Kantz \u2013 Spe\u00adcial Forces, Nahal Brigade<\/em><\/p>\n First Sergeant Nadav Weiman \u2013 Spe\u00adcial Forces, Nahal Brigade<\/em><\/p>\n First Sergeant Shachar Zemach \u2013 Spe\u00adcial Forces, Nahal Brigade<\/em><\/p>\n First Sergeant Hil\u00adlel Cohen \u2013 Com\u00adbat En\u00adgi\u00adneer<\/em><\/p>\n First Sergeant Guy Klein \u2013 7th<\/sup>\u00a0Ar\u00admored Brigade<\/em><\/p>\n First Sergeant Yoni Levi \u2013 Spe\u00adcial Forces, Gi\u00advati Brigade<\/em><\/p>\n First Sergeant Gil Hil\u00adlel \u2013 Sachlav, MP<\/em><\/p>\n The re\u00adsponses by the Jew\u00adish es\u00adtab\u00adlish\u00adment are noth\u00ading short of mean\u00ading\u00adless in\u00adtol\u00ader\u00adance. And para\u00adnoia. In\u00adcreas\u00adingly the re\u00adal\u00adity of Is\u00adraeli crimes are en\u00adter\u00ading the main\u00adstream and all they can do is bleat about pro\u00adpa\u00adganda and Is\u00adraeli moral\u00adity. Fewer and fewer peo\u00adple be\u00adlieve this in 2012. The Break\u00ading the Si\u00adlence com\u00adments are in\u00adter\u00adest\u00ading and strong though per\u00adson\u00adally I\u2019d rather the de\u00adfence of Zion\u00adism wasn\u2019t in there. Re\u00adgard\u00adless, it\u2019s an im\u00adpor\u00adtant or\u00adgan\u00adi\u00adsa\u00adtion and chal\u00adlenges the con\u00adcept, still laugh\u00adably used by Is\u00adrael de\u00adfend\u00aders, that the IDF is the \u201cmost moral army in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n I thought this would be the end of the story but then this week I re\u00adceived an email (I\u2019ve pub\u00adlished it all below, re\u00admov\u00ading any rel\u00ade\u00advant names) that re\u00adveals at\u00adtempts by the sup\u00adpos\u00adedly more lib\u00aderal wing of the Jew\u00adish com\u00admu\u00adnity to en\u00adcour\u00adage peo\u00adple not to at\u00adtend Is\u00adrael\/Pales\u00adtine re\u00adlated talks in Aus\u00adtralia be\u00adcause their minds must be cor\u00adrupted. Or some\u00adthing. It reeks of big\u00adotry and fear.<\/p>\n It\u2019s no won\u00adder many peo\u00adple, in\u00adclud\u00ading me in a new book After Zion\u00adism<\/em><\/a>, now cam\u00adpaign for a whole\u00adsome chal\u00adlenge to the Zion\u00adist and Jew\u00adish com\u00admu\u00adni\u00adties. If even lis\u00adten\u00ading to dif\u00adfer\u00adent points of view from Is\u00adrael is too much for sup\u00adpos\u00adedly sen\u00adsi\u00adtive Jew\u00adish ears, be\u00adliev\u00ading that re\u00adform of Is\u00adrael and the Di\u00adas\u00adpora is pos\u00adsi\u00adble, and the oc\u00adcu\u00adpa\u00adtion ended, is dan\u00adger\u00adously delu\u00adsional think\u00ading. Zion\u00adism it\u00adself is the prob\u00adlem here:<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014\u2014- For\u00adwarded mes\u00adsage \u2014\u2014\u2014-<\/em> To\u00admor\u00adrow night Hashy are host\u00ading an event where the au\u00addi\u00adence will hear<\/em>\u00a0from two speak\u00aders, one of the speak\u00aders is Micha Kurz, who is the<\/em>\u00a0co-founder of a NGO in Is\u00adrael called \u2018Break\u00ading the Si\u00adlence\u2019. Hear\u00ading<\/em>\u00a0this came at quite a shock to me and I want to highly en\u00adcour\u00adage any\u00adone<\/em>\u00a0think\u00ading of going to read this email be\u00adfore you go and show your<\/em>\u00a0sup\u00adport. \u2018Break\u00ading the Si\u00adlence\u2019 are highly crit\u00adi\u00adcised for being an<\/em>\u00a0anti-Zion\u00adist and anti-Is\u00adrael or\u00adgan\u00adi\u00adsa\u00adtion, and are also crit\u00adi\u00adcised for<\/em>\u00a0being left wing ex\u00adtrem\u00adists. Taken from their web\u00adsite we can see that<\/em>\u00a0their mis\u00adsion state\u00adment is to \u201cex\u00adpose the Is\u00adraeli pub\u00adlic to the<\/em>\u00a0re\u00adal\u00adity of every\u00adday life in the Oc\u00adcu\u00adpied Ter\u00adri\u00adto\u00adries\u201d, which is not<\/em>\u00a0nec\u00ades\u00adsar\u00adily the issue at hand, but rather the issue lies in their<\/em>\u00a0ap\u00adproach, way that they at\u00adtempt to do this, and what it cre\u00adates in<\/em>\u00a0peo\u00adples un\u00adder\u00adstand\u00ading and be\u00adliefs about Is\u00adrael, Zion\u00adism and the IDF.<\/em><\/p>\n Anti Is\u00adrael sen\u00adti\u00adment is grow\u00ading through\u00adout the world, as we see on<\/em>\u00a0our own uni\u00adver\u00adsity cam\u00adpuses, and \u2018Break\u00ading the Si\u00adlence\u2019 are<\/em>\u00a0po\u00adten\u00adtially fu\u00adelling a lot of this opin\u00adion. \u2018Break\u00ading the Si\u00adlence\u2019<\/em>\u00a0rely on the use of very ex\u00adtreme ex\u00adam\u00adples, in\u00adclud\u00ading in\u00adter\u00adviews,<\/em>\u00a0tes\u00adti\u00admonies and imag\u00ading, to show and un\u00adcover what they term the<\/em>\u00a0shock\u00ading re\u00adal\u00adi\u00adties of Is\u00adrael and the IDF. They are highly crit\u00adi\u00adcised<\/em>\u00a0for pro\u00advid\u00ading a non-Zion\u00adist and highly over-sim\u00adplis\u00adtic view of the<\/em>\u00a0is\u00adsues at hand and pre\u00adsent a pic\u00adture of IDF ac\u00adtions against<\/em>\u00a0Pales\u00adtini\u00adans that is com\u00adpletely re\u00admoved from and ig\u00adnores the larger<\/em>\u00a0Is\u00adrael-Pales\u00adtin\u00adian con\u00adflict, which as a re\u00adsult adds in a se\u00adri\u00adous way<\/em>\u00a0to the world wide anti-Is\u00adrael sen\u00adti\u00adment that af\u00adfects our lives as<\/em>\u00a0Zion\u00adists in a se\u00adri\u00adous way. In short, the ex\u00adam\u00adples that they use to<\/em>\u00a0ful\u00adfil their mis\u00adsion are very ex\u00adtreme and are taken out of con\u00adtext,<\/em>\u00a0they crit\u00adi\u00adcise the IDF and the Is\u00adraeli gov\u00adern\u00adment with a very<\/em>\u00a0one-sided agenda, and also in\u00adclude no pro\u00adduc\u00adtive stance about a more<\/em>\u00a0pos\u00adi\u00adtive di\u00adrec\u00adtion for Is\u00adraeli so\u00adci\u00adety.<\/em><\/p>\n A very dif\u00adfi\u00adcult ques\u00adtion re\u00adsounds in me, do we re\u00adally want to be<\/em>\u00a0sup\u00adport\u00ading an or\u00adgan\u00adi\u00adsa\u00adtion that is often crit\u00adi\u00adcised for being<\/em>\u00a0anti-Zion\u00adist and that through its ac\u00adtions and the lack of per\u00adspec\u00adtive<\/em>\u00a0that they pre\u00adsent cre\u00adate huge amounts of an\u00adi\u00admos\u00adity and ha\u00adtred to\u00adwards<\/em>\u00a0the State of Is\u00adrael, in\u00adclud\u00ading its de\u00adfence force and its gov\u00adern\u00adment,<\/em>\u00a0as well as its peo\u00adple and sup\u00adport\u00aders. I am not sug\u00adgest\u00ading that the<\/em>\u00a0ex\u00adam\u00adples they use should be ig\u00adnored, as I be\u00adlieve that in Habonim Dror<\/em>\u00a0we need to un\u00adder\u00adstand the re\u00adal\u00adi\u00adties of ac\u00adtions taken in Is\u00adrael by the<\/em>\u00a0IDF, but we need to place these un\u00adder\u00adstand\u00ading its con\u00adtext of the<\/em>\u00a0larger his\u00adtor\u00adi\u00adcal pic\u00adture and also strive to find a more ac\u00adtive,<\/em>\u00a0pro\u00adduc\u00adtive and cre\u00adative an\u00adswer for the fu\u00adture of the<\/em>\u00a0Is\u00adrael-Pales\u00adtin\u00adian con\u00adflict, rather than the sim\u00adplis\u00adtic and nar\u00adrow<\/em>\u00a0in\u00adsight that \u2018Break\u00ading the Si\u00adlence\u2019 has to pre\u00adsent to Jews and<\/em>\u00a0non-Jews around the world. In my mind what they are doing is no<\/em>\u00a0bet\u00adter, and prob\u00ada\u00adbly a lot more de\u00adstruc\u00adtive than the mind\u00adless ha\u00adtred<\/em>\u00a0that or\u00adgan\u00adi\u00adsa\u00adtions like the So\u00adcial\u00adist Al\u00adter\u00adna\u00adtive cre\u00adate to\u00adwards<\/em>\u00a0Is\u00adrael and Jews.<\/em><\/p>\n I am by no means an ex\u00adpert on the or\u00adgan\u00adi\u00adsa\u00adtion, and my un\u00adder\u00adstand\u00ading<\/em>\u00a0is some\u00adwhat lim\u00adited, so after read\u00ading this email I highly en\u00adcour\u00adage<\/em>\u00a0you to do your own read\u00ading and re\u00adsearch and make up your own mind, but<\/em>\u00a0I do ask that if you choose to go please think care\u00adfully about whether<\/em>\u00a0you wear a Habonim Dror Chultzah as it is a big state\u00adment about our<\/em>\u00a0move\u00adment and our ap\u00adproach and be\u00adliefs in Zion\u00adism and the fu\u00adture of the<\/em>\u00a0State of Is\u00adrael.<\/em><\/p>\n You can also have a look at this web\u00adsite for \u2018Aus\u00adtralians for<\/em>\u00a0Pales\u00adtine\u2019, who are the or\u00adgan\u00adi\u00adsa\u00adtion host\u00ading Micha Kurz and very much<\/em>\u00a0con\u00adnected to \u2018Break\u00ading the Si\u00adlence\u2019.<\/em>\u00a0http:\/\/www.australiansforpalestine.net\/67184<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Below is a few quotes that I found from var\u00adi\u00adous ar\u00adti\u00adcles on\u00adline, but<\/em>\u00a0as I said be\u00adfore please do your own read\u00ading, and please don\u2019t hes\u00adi\u00adtate<\/em>\u00a0to talk to me about your thoughts:<\/em><\/p>\n The ex\u00adhibit is com\u00adpletely one-sided and por\u00adtrays Is\u00adrael un\u00adfairly. The<\/em>\u00a0pre\u00adsen\u00adta\u00adtion lacks any con\u00adtext or pro\u00adpor\u00adtion\u00adal\u00adity what\u00adso\u00adever. It does<\/em>\u00a0not pre\u00adsent \u2014 or even at\u00adtempt to pre\u00adsent \u2014 the com\u00adplex\u00adity of the<\/em>\u00a0po\u00adlit\u00adi\u00adcal and mil\u00adi\u00adtary sit\u00adu\u00ada\u00adtion in the West Bank and Gaza. Rather,<\/em>\u00a0the ex\u00adhibit seeks to pre\u00adsent a dis\u00adtorted image of Is\u00adrael, its peo\u00adple<\/em>\u00a0and its de\u00adfense forces. In short, it is noth\u00ading more than anti-Is\u00adrael<\/em>\u00a0pro\u00adpa\u00adganda under the guise of art\/so\u00adcial crit\u00adi\u00adcism. The fact that<\/em>\u00a0\u2019Break\u00ading the Si\u00adlence\u201d in\u00adcludes Is\u00adraelis is of no mat\u00adter; they<\/em>\u00a0rep\u00adre\u00adsent a fringe within Is\u00adraeli so\u00adci\u00adety that have come to the United<\/em>\u00a0States with a mis\u00adguided mes\u00adsage in order to gain pub\u00adlic\u00adity and fund\u00ading<\/em>\u00a0not avail\u00adable to them in Is\u00adrael. In re\u00adal\u00adity, they do not care or<\/em>\u00a0un\u00adder\u00adstand the dam\u00adage that the ex\u00adhi\u00adbi\u00adtion will do to Is\u00adrael.<\/em> We should have known all the facts at that time. But since we didn\u2019t\u00a0we now are stat\u00ading that our of\u00adfi\u00adcial view\u00adpoint is that pro\u00adgrams and<\/em>\u00a0or\u00adga\u00adni\u00adza\u00adtions that sup\u00adport such pro\u00adgrams that de\u00admo\u00adnize and cause<\/em>\u00a0ha\u00adtred for Is\u00adrael should not have a place on the Is\u00adrael on Cam\u00adpus<\/em>\u00a0Coali\u00adtion. For that rea\u00adson, we vote to re\u00admove the UPZ from the<\/em>\u00a0Coali\u00adtion for its sup\u00adport of the \u2018Break\u00ading the Si\u00adlence\u2019 pro\u00adgram.\u201d<\/em> \u201cBreak\u00ading the Si\u00adlence,\u201d re\u00adpeats a view that is often heard on the<\/em>\u00a0ex\u00adtreme Left of the Is\u00adraeli po\u00adlit\u00adi\u00adcal spec\u00adtrum and speaks of the<\/em>\u00a0na\u00adtion\u2019s mea\u00adsures of self-de\u00adfence as il\u00adle\u00adgit\u00adi\u00admate and il\u00adle\u00adgal. The<\/em>\u00a0speak\u00aders are Is\u00adraeli vet\u00ader\u00adans who be\u00adlieve that the Is\u00adrael De\u00adfence<\/em>\u00a0Forces coun\u00adtert\u00ader\u00adror\u00adism mis\u00adsion is, as prac\u00adticed, de\u00adhu\u00adman\u00adiz\u00ading and<\/em>\u00a0im\u00admoral.<\/em> \u2013<\/em> ___________________<\/em><\/p>\n Antony Loewenstein is a Sydney-based independent freelance journalist, author, documentarian, photographer and blogger. He has written for the Sydney Morning Herald<\/a>, The Australian<\/a>, The Guardian<\/a>, Juan Cole<\/a>, Mondoweiss<\/a>, Washington Post<\/a>, New Statesman<\/a>, Huffington Post<\/a>, The Daily Star<\/a>, The National<\/a>, Al Akhbar English<\/a>,\u00a0Dawn<\/a>, Haaretz<\/a>, The Nation<\/a>, BBC World Service<\/a>, Adbusters<\/a>, Al Masry Alyoum<\/a>, Tehelka<\/a>, and many others.<\/em><\/p>\n He was a contributor to the 2008 Verso Books release, A Time to Speak Out: On Israel, Zionism and Jewish Identity<\/a>. He is a contributor<\/a> to the 2011 book My Favourite Teacher<\/em><\/a>, published by NewSouth<\/a>. He has a chapter<\/a> in the 2011 book, On Ut\u00f8ya: Anders Breivik, right terror, racism and Europe<\/em><\/a>, on the nexus between Israel and the Right. He\u2019s the co-editor, with Ahmed Moor, of After Zionism<\/em><\/a> in 2012. A collection of the world\u2019s leading writers and thinkers on the Israel\/Palestine conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n
\nFrom:\u00a0Daniel Crook<\/strong>\u00a0<\/em>
\nDate: Sat, Aug 25, 2012 at 2:20 PM<\/em>
\nSub\u00adject: [mel\u00adbogs] Please Read {01}<\/em><\/p>\n
\n– Asaf Romirowsky<\/em><\/p>\n
\n-Matthew Wag\u00adner<\/em><\/p>\n
\n– Ameinu, North Amer\u00adica<\/em><\/p>\n
\nDaniel Crook<\/em>
\nHabonim Dror Aus\u00adtralia Inc<\/em>
\nFed\u00aderal Rosh Chin\u00aduch (Head of Ed\u00adu\u00adca\u00adtion)<\/em>
\n\u05d4\u05d1\u05d5\u05e0\u05d9\u05dd \u05d3\u05e8\u05d5\u05e8 \u05d0\u05d5\u05e1\u05d8\u05e8\u05dc\u05d9\u05d4<\/em>
\n\u05e8\u05d0\u05e9 \u05d7\u05d9\u05e0\u05d5\u05da<\/em><\/p>\n