/qnotables/ - ===Q Notables===

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/21723603 (070858ZOCT24) Notable: Iran Summons Australian Envoy over Canberra’s ‘Biased’ Stances - "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran summoned the Australian Ambassador to Tehran in protest at his government’s unjustified and biased positions on the regional situation. Following the repeated biased positions of the Australian government, which are deemed to be contrary to the principles of international law regarding the recent regional developments, Ian McConville, the Australian ambassador to Tehran, was summoned to the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs by the Director General for Asia and Oceania of the ministry. The Iranian official expressed strong objection to the unjustified and biased positions of the Australian government regarding regional developments and the adventurism of the Zionist regime in escalating regional tensions -including the assassination of the political bureau chief of the Hamas movement in Tehran, the secretary general of Hezbollah in Lebanon, and IRGC General Nilforoushan who was a senior Iranian military advisor in Beirut. Mohammadi condemned Australia’s double standards concerning regional developments and its silence regarding the repeated aggressions of the Zionist regime against Gaza and Lebanon, the Foreign Ministry’s website reported. He referred to the inherent right of Iran to legitimate self-defense in response to the repeated aggressions of the Zionist regime against the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iran, as well as the attacks on Iranian nationals and interests. Mohammadi described the missile operations by the armed forces of Iran as a lawful and responsible action, essential for safeguarding the national security of the Iranian people and the stability of the region." - tasnimnews.com

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>>240797

>>241065

Iran Summons Australian Envoy over Canberra’s ‘Biased’ Stances

tasnimnews.com - October, 07, 2024

TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran summoned the Australian Ambassador to Tehran in protest at his government’s unjustified and biased positions on the regional situation.

Following the repeated biased positions of the Australian government, which are deemed to be contrary to the principles of international law regarding the recent regional developments, Ian McConville, the Australian ambassador to Tehran, was summoned to the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs by the Director General for Asia and Oceania of the ministry.

The Iranian official expressed strong objection to the unjustified and biased positions of the Australian government regarding regional developments and the adventurism of the Zionist regime in escalating regional tensions -including the assassination of the political bureau chief of the Hamas movement in Tehran, the secretary general of Hezbollah in Lebanon, and IRGC General Nilforoushan who was a senior Iranian military advisor in Beirut.

Mohammadi condemned Australia’s double standards concerning regional developments and its silence regarding the repeated aggressions of the Zionist regime against Gaza and Lebanon, the Foreign Ministry’s website reported.

He referred to the inherent right of Iran to legitimate self-defense in response to the repeated aggressions of the Zionist regime against the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iran, as well as the attacks on Iranian nationals and interests.

Mohammadi described the missile operations by the armed forces of Iran as a lawful and responsible action, essential for safeguarding the national security of the Iranian people and the stability of the region.

The Iranian diplomat reiterated the urgent need for an immediate cessation of the genocide in Gaza and the aggressions of the occupying Zionist regime against Lebanon. He also called for responsible action from Australia and other Western countries supporting Israel.

He emphasized that unilateral and biased approaches to regional developments, coupled with a self-serving interpretation of international rules and norms, do not contribute to de-escalation in the region, but rather embolden the aggressor.

For his part, McConville outlined the Australian government’s efforts to establish a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon, stating that he would convey Iran’s official protest to Canberra.

https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2024/10/07/3173081/iran-summons-australian-envoy-over-canberra-s-biased-stances

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/21723608 (070904ZOCT24) Notable: Government 'makes no apology' for its views on Iran missile strikes after Australian ambassador summoned - The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) says it "makes no apology" for Australia's comments on Iran's "reckless" missile strikes on Israel, after the Australian ambassador was summoned for a meeting with the Iranian government. Iranian news agency Tasnim on Monday, local time, reported that ambassador Ian McConville was called in by the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs over what it described as the "unjustified and biased positions of the Australian government". In response, a DFAT spokesperson said in a statement that "Australia makes no apology for the views it has expressed about Iran's actions or the actions of its Ambassador to Australia". The spokesperson also condemned Iran's strikes on Israel, describing them as "reckless" and "a dangerous escalation" that "increased the risks of a wider regional war". It is the second time in just over a month Mr McConville has been summoned by the Iranian government. In September the ambassador was called in over an Instagram post on the embassy's official page marking "Wear It Purple Day", which celebrates LGBTQ+ young people.

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>>240797

>>240771

>>241079

Government 'makes no apology' for its views on Iran missile strikes after Australian ambassador summoned

Maani Truu - 7 October 2024

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) says it "makes no apology" for Australia's comments on Iran's "reckless" missile strikes on Israel, after the Australian ambassador was summoned for a meeting with the Iranian government.

Iranian news agency Tasnim on Monday, local time, reported that ambassador Ian McConville was called in by the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs over what it described as the "unjustified and biased positions of the Australian government".

In response, a DFAT spokesperson said in a statement that "Australia makes no apology for the views it has expressed about Iran's actions or the actions of its Ambassador to Australia".

The spokesperson also condemned Iran's strikes on Israel, describing them as "reckless" and "a dangerous escalation" that "increased the risks of a wider regional war".

It is the second time in just over a month Mr McConville has been summoned by the Iranian government.

In September the ambassador was called in over an Instagram post on the embassy's official page marking "Wear It Purple Day", which celebrates LGBTQ+ young people.

Iranian ambassador called into DFAT last week

The meeting came just days after Iran's ambassador to Australia, Ahmad Sadeghi, was called into DFAT over comments praising Hezbollah's assassinated leader.

Mr Sadeghi described Hassan Nasrallah, the former Hezbollah leader, as a martyr and an "unparalleled leader" in a post on social media.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the post but resisted Opposition Leader Peter Dutton's calls for the ambassador to be kicked out of the country.

Mr Dutton argued that Mr Sadeghi's statements were "completely and utterly at odds with what is in our country's best interests" and urged the government to expel him from Australia.

The prime minister said Australia had maintained a continuous relationship with Iran since 1986 "not because we agree with the regime but because it is in Australia's national interest".

"It has never been an endorsement of the regime, but a channel to protect Australia's interests and to communicate our views and the views of our allies, like-minded countries," he said.

The Iranian ambassador was also called into the foreign department in August, that time for a tweet that called for removing Israelis from the "holy lands of Palestine ... no later than 2027".

At the time, Mr Albanese described the ambassador's remarks as "abhorrent".

Earlier this month Iran fired hundreds of ballistic missiles towards Israel, following the killing of members of the Islamic Republic's Revolutionary Guard, and senior Hamas and Hezbollah leaders.

On Monday, a DFAT spokesperson said the government "continues to call on all parties to exercise restraint and de-escalate".

"The destructive cycle of violence in the region must stop," they said.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-07/australian-ambassador-summoned-by-iran/104439588

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/21729793 (080950ZOCT24) Notable: ‘Professional protester’: Chris Minns hits out at serial activist as costs pass $5m - Police could soon have the power to reject protests that stretch over months, as a clearly frustrated NSW Premier Chris Minns decried the more than $5m spent on controlling pro-Palestine rallies and attacked the leader of the protest movement as a “professional demonstrator”. The move came after hundreds of police were deployed at rallies and vigils in Sydney on Sunday and Monday on the anniversary of the October 7 Hamas atrocities in Israel. The protests were largely peaceful after police issued strong warnings not to bring the flag of the Hezbollah terrorist group, but two men were arrested for displaying swastikas superimposed on the Israeli flag. The Premier hit out at Josh Lees, a leading member of the Palestine Action Group who has lodged weekly applications for the past year to march in Sydney since the October 7 Hamas atrocities in Israel, agreeing with the description of the activist as a “professional protester”. Mr Lees writes for Red Flag, the outlet of Socialist Alternative, which declares itself “Australia’s largest Marxist group”, and regularly calls for the overthrow of capitalism. He was also a leader of the Lockdown to Zero movement, demanding that the then- Berejiklian government maintain strict Covid-19 lockdowns and branding the loosening of restrictions as “an offensive against the working class” by “the rich and powerful”. Mr Lees has also been spokesperson for the Refugee Action Coalition, organising protests at the 2011 ALP National Conference against then-prime minister Julia Gillard’s asylum-seeker policies. The former University of Sydney tutor was arrested during the “Occupy Sydney” movement that camped outside the Reserve Bank in Martin Place in 2011, clashing with police during a Hyde Park rally and at the Martin Place encampment.

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>>240795

>>240796

‘Professional protester’: Chris Minns hits out at serial activist as costs pass $5m

STEPHEN RICE - 8 October 2024

Police could soon have the power to reject protests that stretch over months, as a clearly frustrated NSW Premier Chris Minns decried the more than $5m spent on controlling pro-Palestine rallies and attacked the leader of the protest movement as a “professional demonstrator”.

The move came after hundreds of police were deployed at rallies and vigils in Sydney on Sunday and Monday on the anniversary of the October 7 Hamas atrocities in Israel.

The protests were largely peaceful after police issued strong warnings not to bring the flag of the Hezbollah terrorist group, but two men were arrested for displaying swastikas superimposed on the Israeli flag.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke is considering cancelling the visa of US-based academic Khaled Beydoun in the aftermath of the protests, after the Arizona State University law professor declared at Monday’s Hizb ut-Tahrir-associated rally in Sydney’s southwest that the October 7 terrorist attacks were “a good day” for Palestinian people.

“Today is not a day that is full of mourning, today is a day that marks celebration,” Mr Beydoun said.

Late on Monday evening, Mr Burke announced that “as soon as I heard about these comments I asked my department to conduct a visa check”.

Mr Minns backed the visa review as “completely appropriate”, while contemplating changes to the way such events are approved and revealing the $5.4m bill for policing the protests to date.

“The cost is huge … so I’m going to have a review into the resourcing that police put into these marches, and it’s my view that police should be able to deny a request for a march due to stretched police resourcing,” he said.

Police were burnt out and tired, he added, and other important work had had to be sidelined.

“I think taxpayers should be in a position to say we would prefer that money spent on roadside breath testing, domestic violence investigations, knife crimes, rather than the huge resources that’s going into the city and the community.”

“Our resources are being stretched; it costs millions of dollars to police and marshal these protests and it’s completely reasonable for the police to take that into consideration when Form 1 applications are lodged with the courts,” Mr Minns said.

“Ultimately, this is a huge drain on the public purse”.

The Premier hit out at Josh Lees, a leading member of the Palestine Action Group who has lodged weekly applications for the past year to march in Sydney since the October 7 Hamas atrocities in Israel, agreeing with the description of the activist as a “professional protester”.

Mr Lees writes for Red Flag, the outlet of Socialist Alternative, which declares itself “Australia’s largest Marxist group”, and regularly calls for the overthrow of capitalism.

He was also a leader of the Lockdown to Zero movement, demanding that the then- Berejiklian government maintain strict Covid-19 lockdowns and branding the loosening of restrictions as “an offensive against the working class” by “the rich and powerful”.

Mr Lees has also been spokesperson for the Refugee Action Coalition, organising protests at the 2011 ALP National Conference against then-prime minister Julia Gillard’s asylum-seeker policies.

The former University of Sydney tutor was arrested during the “Occupy Sydney” movement that camped outside the Reserve Bank in Martin Place in 2011, clashing with police during a Hyde Park rally and at the Martin Place encampment.

After police broke up the protest, Mr Lees claimed police brutality. “I woke to see about 200 riot police surrounding our protest camp … physically removing people, using painful wrist-locks, and occasionally throwing punches, one of which left a protester in front of me bleeding”, he said. Charges against Mr Lees and other protesters were later dropped.

Mr Minns emphasised he was not seeking changes that would affect union protests or industrial disputes, but police should be in a position to deny repeat applications for marches through Sydney if they didn’t have the resources to deal with it.

“If you were putting on a rock concert on the weekend, you would have to pay NSW police to keep the public safe – this all comes from NSW taxpayers’ back pockets.”

NSW Opposition Leader Mark Speakman called on Mr Minns to immediately implement a user-pays system for serial protesters, with a general rule against authorisation if organisers of repeat protests failed to meet the costs.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/professional-protester-chris-minns-hits-out-at-serial-activist-as-costs-pass-5m/news-story/0988faa286c60a3e8e03184ba9958a3b

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/21729841 (081014ZOCT24) Notable: Video: Jacob Hersant: First man charged after Victoria banned Nazi salute found guilty - The first man charged after Victoria banned public Nazi salutes has been found guilty after a court tossed out his argument the law was constitutionally invalid. Jacob Hersant, 25, was charged with performing the banned gesture in October last year just days after the state outlawed the public demonstration. The young father had attended the County Court for an unrelated criminal matter on October 27, throwing his arm up in front of media and saying: “Australia for the white man, heil Hitler.” The footage, which was played in court, showed Hersant raising his right arm at about a 90-degree angle before quickly pulling it down. “Oh, nearly did it, it’s illegal now isn’t it,” he said. On Tuesday, Hersant returned before the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court supported by his mother where magistrate Brett Sonnet found him guilty of the salute. Outside of court, Hersant was unrepentant, saying people can be offended by his actions but he has a “right to express myself politically”. “I don’t feel shame for giving a political salute because those are my beliefs,” he said. “I do give the Nazi salute and I am a Nazi.” Hersant told media he was not worried about the prospect of jail, saying if he had to “suffer” for his cause he was willing. But he also flagged he may appeal the ruling. “I continue to be a national socialist, I’ll continue to give the salute but hopefully police officers don’t see it,” he said.

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>>240842

Jacob Hersant: First man charged after Victoria banned Nazi salute found guilty

LIAM BEATTY - 8 October 2024

The first man charged after Victoria banned public Nazi salutes has been found guilty after a court tossed out his argument the law was constitutionally invalid.

Jacob Hersant, 25, was charged with performing the banned gesture in October last year just days after the state outlawed the public demonstration.

The young father had attended the County Court for an unrelated criminal matter on October 27, throwing his arm up in front of media and saying: “Australia for the white man, heil Hitler.”

The footage, which was played in court, showed Hersant raising his right arm at about a 90-degree angle before quickly pulling it down.

“Oh, nearly did it, it’s illegal now isn’t it,” he said.

On Tuesday, Hersant returned before the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court supported by his mother where magistrate Brett Sonnet found him guilty of the salute.

The court was told Hersant’s lawyer, Tim Smart, had disputed that his client actually performed a Nazi salute and raised a secondary argument that the law was invalid.

He argued the law infringed the implied right for free political communication.

Both arguments were struck down by Mr Sonnet who found Hersant intentionally performed the salute and the purpose of the law, to protect minority groups, did not manifestly outweigh the impact on political communication.

“In short the act captured plainly demonstrates the gesture so clearly resembling a Nazi salute,” he said.

“As a result your client has been found guilty.”

Mr Sonnet only read out a brief summary of his 184 page judgement, which he said would be published online later this week.

Hersant will return to court on Wednesday for a plea hearing and faces a maximum penalty of 12 months imprisonment and a $23,000 fine.

Outside of court, Hersant was unrepentant, saying people can be offended by his actions but he has a “right to express myself politically”.

“I don’t feel shame for giving a political salute because those are my beliefs,” he said.

“I do give the Nazi salute and I am a Nazi.”

Hersant told media he was not worried about the prospect of jail, saying if he had to “suffer” for his cause he was willing.

But he also flagged he may appeal the ruling.

I continue to be a national socialist, I’ll continue to give the salute but hopefully police officers don’t see it,” he said.

Anti-Defamation Commission chairman Dr Dvir Abramovich, who campaigned for criminal penalties for the Nazi salute, hailed the judgement as a “historic and thundering day for justice and decency”.

This verdict is a blow to the solar plexus of a resurgent and dangerous neo-Nazi movement in Australia,” he said.

“The Magistrate’s Court has sent the unmistakable message that the Nazi salute must never return to our streets, and this decision means that no one in this state should have to live in fear of seeing this expression of absolute inhumanity.”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/jacob-hersant-first-man-charged-after-victoria-banned-nazi-salute-found-guilty/news-story/2b15205bca50045e7f0d0102c4569021

https://qresear.ch/?q=Jacob+Hersant

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/21729862 (081024ZOCT24) Notable: Video: First person found guilty of Nazi salute as court upholds Victoria’s new ban - The first Victorian charged with performing the Nazi salute has been found guilty after a magistrate rejected his argument that the case was constitutionally invalid. Magistrate Brett Sonnet shot down 25-year-old Jacob Hersant’s bid for immunity after he was captured on news cameras performing a version of the Nazi salute outside the County Court just days after legislation banning the act took effect. “Australia for the white man, heil Hitler, heil Hitler,” Hersant was captured saying after the act. Outside court, an unrepentant Hersant vowed to continue performing the Nazi salute, and told the media he was prepared to go to jail to further his political views. Hersant said he felt no regret or shame for performing the salute in public, and revealed he performed the gesture at home every day. He also flagged the possibility of an appeal against his conviction. Other men have since been charged with the same offence, including neo-Nazi Nathan Bull, who is accused of performing the Nazi salute at Carlton’s Cinema Nova on March 9. During a hearing for Bull last month, the court heard the future of his prosecution would likely ride on the magistrate’s decision in Hersant’s case. In June, a NSW magistrate convicted three Croatian soccer fans who made a Nazi salute during the 2022 Australia Cup final. Magistrate Joy Boulos found beyond reasonable doubt that the three men had “deliberately and intentionally” performed the Nazi salute in rejecting their arguments the hand gesture was a symbol of Croatian national pride. The men were each fined $500 and convicted after being found guilty of one count of publicly displaying a Nazi symbol without reasonable excuse.

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>>241083

First person found guilty of Nazi salute as court upholds Victoria’s new ban

Erin Pearson - October 8, 2024

The first Victorian charged with performing the Nazi salute has been found guilty after a magistrate rejected his argument that the case was constitutionally invalid.

Magistrate Brett Sonnet shot down 25-year-old Jacob Hersant’s bid for immunity after he was captured on news cameras performing a version of the Nazi salute outside the County Court just days after legislation banning the act took effect.

“Australia for the white man, heil Hitler, heil Hitler,” Hersant was captured saying after the act.

Outside court, an unrepentant Hersant vowed to continue performing the Nazi salute, and told the media he was prepared to go to jail to further his political views.

Hersant said he felt no regret or shame for performing the salute in public, and revealed he performed the gesture at home every day. He also flagged the possibility of an appeal against his conviction.

“I don’t feel shame for giving a political salute, no. Those are my beliefs. I am a national socialist, I will remain a national socialist,” Hersant said.

“I’ll still continue to give the salute … hopefully police officers won’t see it.”

Hersant was the first Victorian charged with performing a Nazi salute, six days after it was outlawed in October 2023, in a test case for the new legislation.

Hersant fronted Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday where Sonnet found he had performed the act with the requisite intention.

During the hearing, the Nazi salute was compared to hailing a taxi or raising a hand in a classroom by lawyers.

Defence lawyer Timothy Smartt has argued the offence was constitutionally invalid as the Nazi salute was a legitimate form of political expression.

Sonnet found Hersant performed the Nazi gesture or an act that resembled it, intentionally, and altered the gesture in an attempt to avoid a criminal charge.

Sonnet said the legislation banning the act was legally valid and designed to protect minority groups from harm.

He said the salute was intertwined with Nazi ideology and its banning was compatible with the constitution.

Others in court included lawyers for police and the Victorian attorney-general’s office.

Hersant, who pleaded not guilty to the charge, sat in the front row of the courtroom on Tuesday next to his mother.

Other men have since been charged with the same offence, including neo-Nazi Nathan Bull, who is accused of performing the Nazi salute at Carlton’s Cinema Nova on March 9.

During a hearing for Bull last month, the court heard the future of his prosecution would likely ride on the magistrate’s decision in Hersant’s case.

In June, a NSW magistrate convicted three Croatian soccer fans who made a Nazi salute during the 2022 Australia Cup final.

Magistrate Joy Boulos found beyond reasonable doubt that the three men had “deliberately and intentionally” performed the Nazi salute in rejecting their arguments the hand gesture was a symbol of Croatian national pride.

The men were each fined $500 and convicted after being found guilty of one count of publicly displaying a Nazi symbol without reasonable excuse.

Premier Jacinta Allan, speaking from a school in Mount Waverley as Sonnet’s judgment was handed down, said Hersant’s conviction demonstrated that her government and the entire parliament had taken “very, very strong action” to outlaw the Nazi salute.

“It should be prosecuted. It has been. We have the powers and tools here in Victoria to stamp out that hateful behaviour,” Allan said.

Dvir Abramovich, the chairman of the Anti-Defamation Commission, said the magistrate’s decision was a “historic and thundering day for justice and decency”.

“I am moved beyond words and filled with a profound sense of relief. Today, Victoria shines a little brighter,” Abramovich said.

“This is not just a legal victory – it is a moral triumph that belongs to every individual who has suffered under the weight of oppression, and it belongs to every person who has ever felt threatened and targeted by this vile display of hate.”

In Victoria, the offence carries maximum penalties of more than $23,000 or 12 months’ jail, or both, for anyone who intentionally displays or performs a Nazi symbol or gesture in public.

Hersant is yet to be sentenced and will return to court on Wednesday.

https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/nazi-salute-ban-upheld-after-court-fight-20241008-p5kgk2.html

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/21734026 (090952ZOCT24) Notable: Indigenous leaders slam ‘disrespectful’ Fatima Payman’s choice of party name, Australia’s Voice - Furious Indigenous leaders have slammed Fatima Payman for claiming and rebadging the voice for her own political brand, as the former Labor senator refused to outline policies or reveal candidates. Senator Payman’s announcement on Wednesday that she would lead a breakaway political party named Australia’s Voice has angered some of Australia’s most distinguished Indigenous figures, who are in solemn reflection over the defeat of the voice referendum a year ago on Monday. Uluru Dialogue co-chair Megan Davis, a Cobble Cobble woman and constitutional expert who worked on the voice process for 12 years, described Senator Payman’s announcement on Wednesday as “curious timing given it’s the anniversary of the referendum and many of our people are still grieving”. Four months since she crossed the floor to vote for Palestinian statehood, the West Australian senator launched the Australia’s Voice party in Canberra where she saying her policy platforms would “come with time”. In a later interview on ABC, she described Palestinian recognition as overdue. Indigenous entrepreneur Sean Gordon, who joined fellow political conservatives in supporting the Indigenous voice through the Uphold & Recognise collective, said he saw the name of the new party as part of persistent and wrong-headed efforts to link the Indigenous rights movement with pro-Palestinian activism. “The use of the term ‘voice’ by Fatima Payman for her new political party is a further attempt by the pro-Palestinian movement to leverage of the back of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people,” Mr Gordon said. “This is no different to the pro-Palestinian movement who drowned out our voices on Australia Day early this year.”

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>>241085

Indigenous leaders slam ‘disrespectful’ Fatima Payman’s choice of party name, Australia’s Voice

PAIGE TAYLOR and NOAH YIM - 9 October 2024

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Furious Indigenous leaders have slammed Fatima Payman for claiming and rebadging the voice for her own political brand, as the former Labor senator refused to outline policies or reveal candidates.

Senator Payman’s announcement on Wednesday that she would lead a breakaway political party named Australia’s Voice has angered some of Australia’s most distinguished Indigenous figures, who are in solemn reflection over the defeat of the voice referendum a year ago on Monday.

Uluru Dialogue co-chair Megan Davis, a Cobble Cobble woman and constitutional expert who worked on the voice process for 12 years, described Senator Payman’s announcement on Wednesday as “curious timing given it’s the anniversary of the referendum and many of our people are still grieving”.

Four months since she crossed the floor to vote for Palestinian statehood, the West Australian senator launched the Australia’s Voice party in Canberra where she saying her policy platforms would “come with time”. In a later interview on ABC, she described Palestinian recognition as overdue.

Indigenous entrepreneur Sean Gordon, who joined fellow political conservatives in supporting the Indigenous voice through the Uphold & Recognise collective, said he saw the name of the new party as part of persistent and wrong-headed efforts to link the Indigenous rights movement with pro-Palestinian activism.

“The use of the term ‘voice’ by Fatima Payman for her new political party is a further attempt by the pro-Palestinian movement to leverage of the back of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people,” Mr Gordon said.

“This is no different to the pro-Palestinian movement who drowned out our voices on Australia Day early this year.

“The only day that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have to advocate our issues which are broadcasted locally, nationally and internationally.

“I’m not surprised by the lack of respect shown by Fatima Payman toward Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people by using the term ‘voice’, this is no different to the NSW Minerals Council who also used the term ‘voice for mining’ for their 2024 campaign, which was a play on the Voice Referendum Campaign for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples recognition.”

Edward Synot, a Wemba Wemba man and senior member of the Uluru Dialogue, said the name of the new party “ smacks of political opportunism”.

Mr Synot said his group – the custodians of the Uluru Statement from the Heart and its call for an Indigenous voice – were not consulted about the new party or its name.

Senator Payman refused to apologise on Wednesday over criticism that her new party’s name invoked the landmark call by Indigenous Australians for a constitutionally enshrined advisory body.

Senator Payman pledged to sit between the Greens and Labor and build a movement for “all Australians”.

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/21734044 (091000ZOCT24) Notable: Far-right extremist Jacob Hersant to be jailed for Nazi salute but length of sentence still to be determined - The first person found guilty of performing the Nazi salute in Victoria will be sentenced to jail. Far-right extremist Jacob Hersant was found guilty on Tuesday of performing the gesture last year, after a magistrate rejected his argument the laws were constitutionally invalid. The 25-year-old was the first Victorian charged with performing the Nazi salute in October 2023, just six days after new legislation banning the gesture came into effect. This morning, Magistrate Brett Sonnet found the only "appropriate sentencing order" was a term of imprisonment, but said he was not yet in a position to determine the length of the sentence. The offence carries a maximum penalty of $24,000 or 12 months' jail. Hersant walked from court today after the magistrate allowed him to remain in the community until sentencing in four weeks' time. Outside the court, Hersant told reporters he had no regrets about the conviction. His associates, including prominent neo-Nazi Thomas Sewell, made anti-Semitic comments as they left. During today's hearing, Prosecutor Daniel Gurvich KC argued Hersant's prospects of rehabilitation were "poor to non-existent", and said his performance of the Nazi salute was "calculated to achieve maximum impact". "Public expression of Nazi symbols are an assault against human dignity and representative of hatred and prejudice that have no place in Victoria," Mr Gurvich said.

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>>241083

>>241084

Far-right extremist Jacob Hersant to be jailed for Nazi salute but length of sentence still to be determined

Leanne Wong - 9 October 2024

The first person found guilty of performing the Nazi salute in Victoria will be sentenced to jail.

Far-right extremist Jacob Hersant was found guilty on Tuesday of performing the gesture last year, after a magistrate rejected his argument the laws were constitutionally invalid.

The 25-year-old was the first Victorian charged with performing the Nazi salute in October 2023, just six days after new legislation banning the gesture came into effect.

This morning, Magistrate Brett Sonnet found the only "appropriate sentencing order" was a term of imprisonment, but said he was not yet in a position to determine the length of the sentence.

The offence carries a maximum penalty of $24,000 or 12 months' jail.

Hersant walked from court today after the magistrate allowed him to remain in the community until sentencing in four weeks' time.

Outside the court, Hersant told reporters he had no regrets about the conviction.

His associates, including prominent neo-Nazi Thomas Sewell, made anti-Semitic comments as they left.

During today's hearing, Prosecutor Daniel Gurvich KC argued Hersant's prospects of rehabilitation were "poor to non-existent", and said his performance of the Nazi salute was "calculated to achieve maximum impact".

"Public expression of Nazi symbols are an assault against human dignity and representative of hatred and prejudice that have no place in Victoria," Mr Gurvich said.

But Hersant's defence lawyer Timothy Smartt argued his client was a "supportive partner" and "fantastic father" to his two-year-old son.

He told the court Hersant enjoyed writing poetry — even taking part in a recent poetry competition.

Mr Smartt denied the poetry involved far-right themes, after being asked by the magistrate.

"So in a sense your client is a modern-day version of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde," Magistrate Sonnet said.

Lawyers for Hersant seek fine instead of jail

Mr Smartt acknowledged Hersant's views were "seriously concerning" but argued he was better than his "worst deeds".

"He's not the first young person to have extreme political views and he's not the last," Mr Smartt said.

He requested the court impose a $1,500 fine.

But during today's hearing, Magistrate Sonnet said "powerful" mitigating factors for Hersant's sentence were missing, citing his lack of remorse, his absence of guilty plea and his criminal history.

On Tuesday, after being found guilty, Hersant told reporters he would continue to perform the Nazi salute – just not in front of police.

Hersant was outside the County Court last year, having just been sentenced for another offence, when he raised his arm and made a salute in front of journalists.

He quickly lowered his arm and said: "Oh, nearly did it, it's illegal now isn't it?"

As he walked away, Hersant called out: "Australia for the white man, heil Hitler."

On Tuesday after finding Hersant guilty, Magistrate Sonnet said Hersant knowingly performed the salute, which he described as "an inherently political act" intertwined with Nazi ideology.

The magistrate said laws were necessary to protect vulnerable minority communities.

In a summary read out to the court, the magistrate said he rejected arguments from Hersant's lawyers that the laws were in breach of the constitution.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-09/jacob-hersant-nazi-salute-sentence/104448256

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/21739533 (100814ZOCT24) Notable: Chinese trade restrictions on Australian lobsters to be lifted before Chinese New Year - Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says he has secured a promise from China's Premier Li Qiang to lift a ban on Australian rock lobsters by the end of the year. The news will be welcomed by the rock lobster industry, which has struggled since being locked out of the lucrative market, and which had been growing increasingly frustrated by the delay to restoring the trade. Mr Albanese met with Premier Li today on the sidelines of the ASEAN meeting in Laos, and emerged saying China's second most senior leader had agreed on a "timetable" to let lobsters back by the end of this year, in time for Chinese New Year in early 2025. "This will be welcomed by the people engaged in the live lobster industry in places like Geraldton and South Australia and Tasmania and so many parts of particularly regional Australia," he said. Australian rock lobster exports to China were worth some $700 million a year before Beijing locked them out as part of a broader campaign of economic punishment against Australia in 2020 and 2021, when the bilateral relationship hit its nadir. China has already removed tariffs and barriers on a host of other Australian products - including wine, coal and barley – leaving lobsters as the last major industry that remained frozen out of the massive market. Mr Albanese told journalists in Vientiane that Premier Li's promise had once again vindicated the government's approach to China. "With our patient, calibrated and deliberate approach, we've restored Australian trade with our largest export market, and today we discussed restarting exports of Australian live rock lobsters," Albanese said in Laos.

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Chinese trade restrictions on Australian lobsters to be lifted before Chinese New Year

Stephen Dziedzic - 10 October 2024

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says he has secured a promise from China's Premier Li Qiang to lift a ban on Australian rock lobsters by the end of the year.

The news will be welcomed by the rock lobster industry, which has struggled since being locked out of the lucrative market, and which had been growing increasingly frustrated by the delay to restoring the trade.

Mr Albanese met with Premier Li today on the sidelines of the ASEAN meeting in Laos, and emerged saying China's second most senior leader had agreed on a "timetable" to let lobsters back by the end of this year, in time for Chinese New Year in early 2025.

"This will be welcomed by the people engaged in the live lobster industry in places like Geraldton and South Australia and Tasmania and so many parts of particularly regional Australia," he said.

Australian rock lobster exports to China were worth some $700 million a year before Beijing locked them out as part of a broader campaign of economic punishment against Australia in 2020 and 2021, when the bilateral relationship hit its nadir.

China has already removed tariffs and barriers on a host of other Australian products – including wine, coal and barley – leaving lobsters as the last major industry that remained frozen out of the massive market.

Mr Albanese told journalists in Vientiane that Premier Li's promise had once again vindicated the government's approach to China.

"With our patient, calibrated and deliberate approach, we've restored Australian trade with our largest export market, and today we discussed restarting exports of Australian live rock lobsters," Albanese said in Laos.

Industry relieved, with biggest customer set to return

Lobster fisher Clint Moss from Lancelin, north of Perth, said it was a relief to hear the industry's biggest customer may be back buying crayfish within the next few months.

"If the big guys have got together and signed on the dotted line, I'm more than happy with that," he told the ABC.

"We could start building business plans and futures for our families and other fishermen as well.

"Chinese New Year was always a fantastic time for us … in the past when the stars align we have really big catches and really high prices, so that could be unbelievably good news for a lot of fishers, that's for sure."

Mr Moss said when the market was closed, beach prices went from $73 to $15 per kilo for lobster, and about 50 boats had left the WA fishing fleet, unable to remain in the industry with a long period of depressed prices.

"I'm very relieved, I've been sitting on massive debt for a long time … I've been fingernails holding on, hoping."

China banned the lobsters on the grounds they detected heavy metals contamination – an allegation the government and the industry have always denied.

Andrew Ferguson, managing director of lobster retailer and exporter Ferguson Australia, told the ABC that Mr Albanese's announcement was a bittersweet moment.

"It's been terribly difficult, the last four years, I can tell you," he said.

"While I'm excited and very pleased to hear this, for the industry's sake, we certainly can't lose sight of what happened over the last four years, and be prepared."

Before the ban, the business exported around 95 per cent of their products to China, and have since had to find other domestic and international markets for Southern Rock Lobster.

"One thing is for sure I'm not going to be going back into this blindly, I'll be hanging on to all the good work we've done in our diversification," Mr Ferguson said.

But despite the industry's best efforts, replacement markets could not compare to the demand and prices from Chinese customers.

Mr Ferguson also said the industry would have to do "a lot of work" to regain its market share, and predicted China wouldn't be as lucrative for fishers as it was before.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-10/china-to-lift-trade-restrictions-on-australian-lobsters/104457368

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/21739558 (100836ZOCT24) Notable: Beaumaris Primary School sexual abuse survivor reaches record $8 million settlement with Victorian government - A survivor of "shocking" sexual abuse at a Melbourne primary school has received what his lawyer has called "the biggest publicly known payment to an abuse survivor in Australia" in an extraordinary $8 million settlement with the Victorian Education Department. The man, who was sexually abused by notorious paedophile Darrell Ray, was among a generation of students who suffered abuse in the 1960s and 70s at Beaumaris Primary School in bayside Melbourne. The man's lawyer, Michael Magazanik of Rightside Legal, said his client had been fighting for justice for most of his adult life and settled the claim a week before it was set to reach Victoria's Supreme Court. "He's been on this path for decades, first pushing for a criminal prosecution for lots of Ray's victims, and then his own fight for proper compensation," Mr Magazanik said. "Of course, it's been a rocky road for him and life hasn't been easy because he's been dealing with entrenched damage. Now he's got what he deserves and we're proud to have fought for him. It's the biggest publicly-known payment to an abuse survivor in Australia. It represents the shocking damage the abuse did and the cost of starting to repair my client's life, starting to put him back in the position he might have been in had the school kept him safe." Speaking to ABC Investigations, the man said he hoped his legal victory would inspire survivors who have lost faith in the justice system. "I'd strongly recommend that victims of sexual abuse get themselves a lawyer and not go down the National Redress path," the man said. "That's the main thing I'd want to get across to other survivors. Trust your lawyer and get what you deserve, not what the government wants to give you. For me, personally, an apology was never going to give me any closure. I was offered twice and said no. Other people might get closure from an apology, but I won't. And the money does not give me closure either - I will never get closure. I wouldn't still be here were it not for finding my faith. And that's not for everyone either. But I had to become a Christian to even have a remote chance of surviving and finding a better way of life."

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>>>/qresearch/21049488 (pb)

Beaumaris Primary School sexual abuse survivor reaches record $8 million settlement with Victorian government

Russell Jackson - 10 October 2024

A survivor of "shocking" sexual abuse at a Melbourne primary school has received what his lawyer has called "the biggest publicly known payment to an abuse survivor in Australia" in an extraordinary $8 million settlement with the Victorian Education Department.

The man, who was sexually abused by notorious paedophile Darrell Ray, was among a generation of students who suffered abuse in the 1960s and 70s at Beaumaris Primary School in bayside Melbourne.

The man's lawyer, Michael Magazanik of Rightside Legal, said his client had been fighting for justice for most of his adult life and settled the claim a week before it was set to reach Victoria's Supreme Court.

"He's been on this path for decades, first pushing for a criminal prosecution for lots of Ray's victims, and then his own fight for proper compensation," Mr Magazanik said.

"Of course, it's been a rocky road for him and life hasn't been easy because he's been dealing with entrenched damage.

"Now he's got what he deserves and we're proud to have fought for him.

"It's the biggest publicly-known payment to an abuse survivor in Australia.

"It represents the shocking damage the abuse did and the cost of starting to repair my client's life, starting to put him back in the position he might have been in had the school kept him safe."

Speaking to ABC Investigations, the man said he hoped his legal victory would inspire survivors who have lost faith in the justice system.

"I'd strongly recommend that victims of sexual abuse get themselves a lawyer and not go down the National Redress path," the man said.

"That's the main thing I'd want to get across to other survivors.

"Trust your lawyer and get what you deserve, not what the government wants to give you.

"For me, personally, an apology was never going to give me any closure. I was offered twice and said no.

"Other people might get closure from an apology, but I won't. And the money does not give me closure either — I will never get closure.

"I wouldn't still be here were it not for finding my faith. And that's not for everyone either. But I had to become a Christian to even have a remote chance of surviving and finding a better way of life."

'A bunch of adults in charge turned a blind eye'

Mr Magazanik said the abuse epidemic at Beaumaris Primary was a "shocking and monumental failure" and a microcosm of an education system that repeatedly failed to protect children.

"It only happened because a bunch of adults in charge turned a blind eye and the price tag for that blindness is enormous and growing," Mr Magazanik said.

The man's abuser, Darrell Ray, died in November 2023 while awaiting trial on 26 charges of indecent assault upon a male, which followed a lengthy investigation by Victoria Police.

In 2001, Ray pleaded guilty to 27 counts of indecently assaulting 18 male students at Beaumaris Primary School and the Tucker Road Primary School in Moorabbin between 1967 and 1976 and was sentenced to 44 months in prison with a minimum term of 17 months.

The rampant sexual abuse perpetrated by Ray and three other former Beaumaris Primary teachers gained greater attention in 2021 when former AFL star Rod Owen told the ABC his story of abuse by Ray at Beaumaris and in St Kilda's Little League team.

In 2023, Ray and three other paedophile teachers were the focus of the Victorian government's Board of Inquiry into sexual abuse of schoolchildren at Beaumaris Primary and 23 other government schools.

It revealed decades of glaring failures and a "culture that prioritised the reputation of the education system over the safety of children".

In June, responding to the findings of the Beaumaris inquiry, Victorian Premier Jacinta Allen announced a $48 million "truth-telling" process and acknowledged the state's "serious and systematic" failure to protect children in government schools.

"We failed to keep these children safe," Ms Allan said at the announcement.

"We failed to listen when they spoke out. We failed to act to ensure that it did not happen again."

"What should have been a happy place became a place of horror for these victim-survivors."

The government's truth-telling process, which will include the first systematic review of the Victorian Education Department's failings, will be open to survivors of sexual abuse at all government schools and is expected to conclude in 2026.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-10/victorian-government-to-pay-record-sum-to-sexual-abuse-survivor/104448654

https://qresear.ch/?q=Darrell+Ray

https://qresear.ch/?q=Beaumaris

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/21739573 (100858ZOCT24) Notable: Video: British YouTuber and rapper Yung Filly extradited to Perth to face allegations of rape - He is accused of assaulting a woman in a hotel room on September 28th 2024. In 2021 Yung Filly was also accused of meeting and texting 17 year old girls when he was 26 and recently he was also seen biting women outside clubs (Allegedly). UPDATE: Yung Filly has been granted bail of $122,000, with conditions that require him to stay in Western Australia until his court appearance in December. He must also report to the police three times a week.

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https://x.com/IBZDRAGON/status/1844275444608074029

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/21746614 (111625ZOCT24) Notable: ASIO chief Mike Burgess tells social media summit of 'disturbing resurgence' in youth terror cases - In a sobering warning about the impact of social media on ideological radicalisation among children, ASIO's director-general has expressed concern that artificial intelligence will "accelerate the acceleration" of extremism. At a summit examining the harmful effects of online platforms on young people, Mike Burgess spoke in broad terms about the ways in which social media and digital technologies were fuelling threats to national security. But Mr Burgess was emphatic that the problem was an especially pressing one for policymakers focused on education and child safety, pointing out that "all" of the nation's most recent terror cases "were allegedly perpetrated by young people", including one as young as 14. "The internet was a factor in every single one of these incidents, albeit to different degrees and in different ways," he said. Mr Burgess said that, during a COVID peak, teenagers "represented around 50 per cent" of ASIO's counter-terrorism caseload - a figure that declined before a more recent "disturbing resurgence". "Around 20 per cent of our priority counter-terrorism cases involve minors," he said. "In one generation, we have allowed our children full access to alleyways, content and people that they would not be able to access in the physical world." Mr Burgess said that ASIO involvement in a case of youthful extremism was "usually" a sign that it was "too late" for other forms of intervention. "As a nation, we need to reflect on why some teenagers are hanging Nazi flags and portraits of the Christchurch killer on their bedroom walls, and why others are sharing beheading videos in the schoolyard and, more concerningly, why there are young Australians willing to kill in the name of their beliefs," he said.

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>>240897

>>240987

ASIO chief Mike Burgess tells social media summit of 'disturbing resurgence' in youth terror cases

abc.net.au - 11 October 2024

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In a sobering warning about the impact of social media on ideological radicalisation among children, ASIO's director-general has expressed concern that artificial intelligence will "accelerate the acceleration" of extremism.

At a summit examining the harmful effects of online platforms on young people, Mike Burgess spoke in broad terms about the ways in which social media and digital technologies were fuelling threats to national security.

But Mr Burgess was emphatic that the problem was an especially pressing one for policymakers focused on education and child safety, pointing out that "all" of the nation's most recent terror cases "were allegedly perpetrated by young people", including one as young as 14.

"The internet was a factor in every single one of these incidents, albeit to different degrees and in different ways," he said.

Mr Burgess said that, during a COVID peak, teenagers "represented around 50 per cent" of ASIO's counter-terrorism caseload — a figure that declined before a more recent "disturbing resurgence".

"Around 20 per cent of our priority counter-terrorism cases involve minors," he said.

"In one generation, we have allowed our children full access to alleyways, content and people that they would not be able to access in the physical world."

Mr Burgess said that ASIO involvement in a case of youthful extremism was "usually" a sign that it was "too late" for other forms of intervention.

"As a nation, we need to reflect on why some teenagers are hanging Nazi flags and portraits of the Christchurch killer on their bedroom walls, and why others are sharing beheading videos in the schoolyard and, more concerningly, why there are young Australians willing to kill in the name of their beliefs," he said.

While the ASIO chief expressed reluctance to become involved in social media policymaking, and wanted to keep his remarks within "ASIO's lane — the national security implications", he said the agency was working with its security partners on a paper on the subject of terrorism and young people.

"Any proposal to regulate social media must, of course, balance free speech, free choice and [the] free market, and we need more research," he said.

"[But] no form of technology, no corner of the internet, should be above the rule of law. Social media cannot be without a social licence."

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/21755719 (130527ZOCT24) Notable: Misinformation law would prevent ‘Trumpian’ lies in referendum, says Yes vote architect Megan Davis - Voice to parliament architect Megan Davis has called for misinformation legislation to protect a future referendum from an onslaught of “Trumpian” lies and distortions, following the defeat of the Yes campaign last year. Professor Davis, also said the Uluru Dialogue, of which she is co-chair, had tried to warn the well-funded Yes23 campaign at Christmas in 2022 that Advance, the major group opposing the voice, had already taken control of the narrative - months before Yes23 released its first commercial on news websites and television. In a speaking event through the University of NSW, at which she is Pro Vice Chancellor Society, Professor Davis also criticised the ABC over its “false equivalence”, saying the veneer of balance culminated in Yes campaigners being denied interviews through the end of the referendum debate. The renowned constitutional lawyer detailed what she claimed were the beginnings of a misinformation campaign against the voice from November 2022, and her frustrations in driving the Albanese government to legislate against misleading campaigns on behalf of the No vote. “I remember saying to Labor ‘it’s a problem for us (Indigenous groups), and you might not think it’s a problem for you, but it’s going to become one, you just don’t see it yet’,” Professor Davis said.

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Misinformation law would prevent ‘Trumpian’ lies in referendum, says Yes vote architect Megan Davis

JAMES DOWLING - 11 October 2024

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Voice to parliament architect Megan Davis has called for misinformation legislation to protect a future referendum from an onslaught of “Trumpian” lies and distortions, following the defeat of the Yes campaign last year.

Professor Davis, also said the Uluru Dialogue, of which she is co-chair, had tried to warn the well-funded Yes23 campaign at Christmas in 2022 that Advance, the major group opposing the voice, had already taken control of the narrative – months before Yes23 released its first commercial on news websites and television.

In a speaking event through the University of NSW, at which she is pro vice-chancellor – society, Professor Davis also criticised the ABC over its “false equivalence”, saying the veneer of balance culminated in Yes campaigners being denied interviews through the end of the referendum debate.

The renowned constitutional lawyer detailed what she claimed were the beginnings of a misinformation campaign against the voice from November 2022, and her frustrations in driving the Albanese government to legislate against misleading campaigns on behalf of the No vote.

“I remember saying to Labor ‘it’s a problem for us (Indigenous groups), and you might not think it’s a problem for you, but it’s going to become one, you just don’t see it yet’,” Professor Davis said.

“I’ve had a lot of contact from Queenslander mob … who are saying the Queensland Electoral Commission put out all of these ads about misinformation so that Queenslanders can distinguish between what is fact and what is not. We’d asked for that.

“They’re taking it seriously now because their own electoral misfortunes are at stake.”

Key to this was a proposal from Indigenous committees within government to float a bill against referendum misinformation, fearing an onslaught of “Trumpian” No campaigns.

“The Aboriginal committees did press upon Labor to pass legislation to protect the referendum from lies and misinformation,” she said.

“It’s important to ask the question, and certainly in relation to referendums going forward, what role the law can play in terms of Australians being able to debate these issues fairly … we want freedom of speech, but we need to balance that with upholding principles of democracy and democratic rights.

“We had been told by ALP campaign experts that they expected the Trumpian misinformation to arrive on Australian shores in the 2019 election, and it didn’t happen. Then they thought it would happen in the 2022 election; it didn’t happen. And then they were kind of ambivalent about what impact it had on our referendum.”

Professor Davis said the national broadcaster was equally at fault.

“The ABC constantly emailed all of the Aboriginal staff at UNSW saying ‘we’re desperately looking for a No activist from La Perouse, can someone find us one please, because we’ve got this debate coming up’,” she said.

“We have to do all of this ABC interaction on the basis of the most ridiculous arguments that were not even plausible legal arguments, but just because they wanted this balance.

“By the time you got to the last six weeks, commercial television wouldn’t even run Yes (campaigners). Unless No ran someone, unless Advance (put up an interviewee) they would not run someone from the Yes campaign.”

Professor Davis echoed comments by ABC board member and journalist Laura Tingle, who similarly criticised the alleged poor editorial rigour of the national broadcaster in the final days of the campaign.

At the launch of David Marr’s book, Killing for Country, Tingle said ABC reporters had to “fill in a form” detailing “the number of minutes the Yes case has got, (and) the number of minutes the No case has”.

“It’s completely sick,” she said. “It affects the way we structure and report stories because they say if you can’t get somebody who’s a No, you can’t put on somebody who’s a Yes.”

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/21761349 (140452ZOCT24) Notable: Indigenous voice Yes campaign ‘obsessed’ with misinformation, failed to engage debate: lawyers - Prominent lawyers and staunch Indigenous voice advocates have condemned Megan Davis’s claims that a misinformation bill could have helped secure a Yes victory, with one leading supporter asserting that the Yes campaign became “obsessed” with critics’ misleading narratives while also spreading untruths themselves. Constitutional lawyer Greg Craven, a vocal supporter of the voice and member of the referendum working group, told The Australian the Yes campaign were also complicit in spreading disinformation in the lead up to the referendum, including claims surrounding the inclusion of executive government in the proposal. Meanwhile prominent silk Arthur Moses SC said that the referendum failed due to the government’s lack of detail, not misinformation, and said Labor’s bill in its current form would shut down “legitimate expressions of opinions” and be “counter-productive” for voters. Their comments come after Professor Davis, one of the Voice to parliament architects, in a lecture at the University of NSW called for misinformation legislation to protect a future referendum from an onslaught of lies and distortions, following the defeat of the Yes campaign in October last year. Mr Craven said during the campaign he engaged in private conversations trying to have leading Yes advocates to engage in meaningful discussions rather than characterising opposing arguments as misinformation.

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>>276794

Indigenous voice Yes campaign ‘obsessed’ with misinformation, failed to engage debate: lawyers

ELLIE DUDLEY - 13 October 2024

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Prominent lawyers and staunch Indigenous voice advocates have condemned Megan Davis’s claims that a misinformation bill could have helped secure a Yes victory, with one leading supporter asserting that the Yes campaign became “obsessed” with critics’ misleading narratives while also spreading untruths themselves.

Constitutional lawyer Greg Craven, a vocal supporter of the voice and member of the referendum working group, told The Australian the Yes campaign were also complicit in spreading disinformation in the lead up to the referendum, including claims surrounding the inclusion of executive government in the proposal.

Meanwhile prominent silk Arthur Moses SC said that the referendum failed due to the government’s lack of detail, not misinformation, and said Labor’s bill in its current form would shut down “legitimate expressions of opinions” and be “counter-productive” for voters.

Their comments come after Professor Davis, one of the Voice to parliament architects, in a lecture at the University of NSW called for misinformation legislation to protect a future referendum from an onslaught of lies and distortions, following the defeat of the Yes campaign in October last year.

Mr Craven said during the campaign he engaged in private conversations trying to have leading Yes advocates to engage in meaningful discussions rather than characterising opposing arguments as misinformation.

“Large swathes of the Yes campaign were obsessed with the idea of misinformation and disinformation and would characterise any contrary argument as misinformation or disinformation,” he said.

“So arguments on the no case were not simply wrong or to be argued against, they fell into this category of misinformation or disinformation which meant they should be effectively banned from the referendum.”

“That was a huge worry and it was a worry that I consistently raised in private meetings – that you can't run a referendum campaign if all you can do is say that the other side is lying.”

Mr Craven said it was incredibly important to draw a distinction between disinformation – something that is fundamentally and knowingly untrue – and misinformation, which is something that happens to be wrong, but the person saying it believes it to be true.

“The example of something that is disinformation on the No side would be that the voice would be a third House of Parliament,” he said. “There’s simply no way that’s true. However, if you ran the line that having a voice would divide Australia on the grounds of race, I fundamentally disagree with that, I think it’s utter nonsense and it’s wrong. But I think there were thousands and thousands of people saying that who were not for a single moment trying to deceive anyone. That was just their view.”

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/21761378 (140459ZOCT24) Notable: Video: Calls for NSW to ban Nazi salute, symbols after white supremacist rally in Corowa - A regional New South Wales town that was targeted by a white supremacist rally remains a safe and welcoming place for multicultural communities, according to a local community leader. Police dispersed a group of about 50 masked people gathering under a neo-Nazi banner in Corowa's central business district on Saturday. No arrests were made and police inquiries are continuing. Federation Shire Councillor and former mayor, Patrick Bourke, said the rally has shocked the community, which had been preparing for the Corowa Show. "It was disgusting, it really was," Cr Bourke said. "There's no room in Federation Council or Australia for that sort of behaviour. I just felt sorry for so many families, younger ones, they don't need to be subjected to that sort of behaviour." Member for Farrer Sussan Ley said white supremacists were attacking country communities and encouraged New South Wales to join Victoria in banning the Nazi salute and related symbols. "They are not free speech," she said. "They should be banned, and we don't want to see them on our streets." She said white supremacist groups were strategically targeting country communities. "We cannot and should not tolerate gangs of balaclava-covered thugs spouting hate anywhere in this country," she said.

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>>241083 (pb)

>>241084 (pb)

>>241087 (pb)

Calls for NSW to ban Nazi salute, symbols after white supremacist rally in Corowa

Erin Somerville and Melissa Brown - 13 October 2024

A regional New South Wales town that was targeted by a white supremacist rally remains a safe and welcoming place for multicultural communities, according to a local community leader.

Police dispersed a group of about 50 masked people gathering under a neo-Nazi banner in Corowa's central business district on Saturday.

No arrests were made and police inquiries are continuing.

Federation Shire Councillor and former mayor, Patrick Bourke, said the rally has shocked the community, which had been preparing for the Corowa Show.

"It was disgusting, it really was," Cr Bourke said.

"There's no room in Federation Council or Australia for that sort of behaviour.

"I just felt sorry for so many families, younger ones, they don't need to be subjected to that sort of behaviour."

Cr Bourke said the council and community would double down on its efforts to ensure the community was safe and respectful.

"Just loud and clear that we are open for business," he said.

"Anyone that's willing to have a go, make a living, raise a family, Federation Council is the place to be."

The rally has been met with similar disdain by state and federal leaders.

Albury MP Justin Clancy said the community rejected "this abhorrent activity".

"Our community unequivocally condemns the cowardly and white supremacist activity that took place [on Saturday]," Mr Clancy said in a public statement.

"I thank the strong, caring community of Corowa for standing together and rejecting this abhorrent activity."

NSW bans welcomed

Member for Farrer Sussan Ley said white supremacists were attacking country communities and encouraged New South Wales to join Victoria in banning the Nazi salute and related symbols.

"They are not free speech," she said.

"They should be banned, and we don't want to see them on our streets."

She said white supremacist groups were strategically targeting country communities.

"We cannot and should not tolerate gangs of balaclava-covered thugs spouting hate anywhere in this country," she said.

"Federal and state authorities have the Coalition's support to take whatever action is necessary to dismantle this organisation and stop these sorts of activities occurring."

Victoria neo-Nazi crackdown

The Corowa rally occurred just across the border from Victoria, where the use of Nazi salutes and symbols has been outlawed.

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said the government would continue to look at how it can strengthen anti-vilification framework.

"It is cowardly, it is hurtful and it is hateful," Ms Allan said.

"They are driven by hate and division.

"That's why we need to continue to be united to stamp out any sign of this sort of behaviour."

Ms Allan said the Victorian government was seeking more information about the incident from NSW Police.

In an unrelated incident, a Victoria Police sergeant was suspended on Friday after allegedly performing a Nazi salute on two occasions in front of colleagues.

Ms Allan said she supported the actions of Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton to act swiftly in response to the allegations.

State Opposition leader John Pesutto said he was disgusted by the actions of the white supremacists in Corowa.

"Their messages are odious and wherever we see this we have to condemn it in the strongest possible terms, and I do," he said.

Anyone with information about the Corowa rally is urged to call CrimeStoppers.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-13/calls-for-nsw-to-ban-nazi-salute-white-supremacists-corowa/104467024

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/21761388 (140501ZOCT24) Notable: Premiers including Jacinta Allan decline invite to meet with King Charles III - Premier Jacinta Allan has declined an invitation to meet with King Charles when he visits Australia this week. She has turned down the opportunity to welcome him and wife Camilla at a reception in Canberra next Monday, prompting claims she is snubbing the royals. The Sunday Herald Sun can report that not one premier will be at the reception. Ms Allan, who has parliament this week, said she had a cabinet meeting next Monday. NSW Premier Chris Minns cannot attend because of a cabinet meeting, Queensland Premier Steven Miles is occupied with his election campaign, and Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff is on a US trade mission. South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas has a regional cabinet meeting, while a spokesman for Western Australia’s Premier, Roger Cook, said he had “other commitments”. Australian Monarchists League Victorian spokesman Bev McArthur slammed the decision as an “embarrassing” snub, and the nationwide rejection a “slap in the face” to the royal family. “All premiers and ministers have sworn allegiance to our monarch, Charles III, and it is a monumental insult that they now spit in his hand extended in friendship,” she said. “This is a historic opportunity to unite Australia, to focus on charitable work and to give back to communities. Yet our immature politicians are clearly choosing to play politics.”

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>>240997 (pb)

Premiers including Jacinta Allan decline invite to meet with King Charles III

Shannon Deery and Jade Gailberger - October 13, 2024

Premier Jacinta Allan has declined an invitation to meet with King Charles when he visits Australia this week.

She has turned down the opportunity to welcome him and wife Camilla at a reception in Canberra next Monday, prompting claims she is snubbing the royals.

The Sunday Herald Sun can report that not one premier will be at the reception.

Ms Allan, who has parliament this week, said she had a cabinet meeting next Monday.

Australian Monarchists League Victorian spokesman Bev McArthur slammed the decision as an “embarrassing” snub, and the nationwide rejection a “slap in the face” to the royal family.

“All premiers and ministers have sworn allegiance to our monarch, Charles III, and it is a monumental insult that they now spit in his hand extended in friendship,” she said.

“This is a historic opportunity to unite Australia, to focus on charitable work and to give back to communities. Yet our immature politicians are clearly choosing to play politics.”

King Charles will address an event attended by political and community leaders, and prominent Australians who have demonstrated outstanding achieve­ment in fields including health, the arts, culture and sport.

NSW Premier Chris Minns cannot attend because of a cabinet meeting, Queensland Premier Steven Miles is occupied with his election campaign, and Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff is on a US trade mission.

South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas has a regional cabinet meeting, while a spokesman for Western Australia’s Premier, Roger Cook, said he had “other commitments”.

It is understood, however, that Mr Minns will attend several events with the King during his visit.

Victoria’s Deputy Premier, Ben Carroll, is also unable to attend the ­reception, leaving Ms Allan’s parliamentary secretary, Nick Staikos, to take her place.

“On behalf of Victoria, the Governor of Victoria her excellency Professor the honourable Margaret Gardner AC and parliamentary secretary Nick Staikos MP formally representing Premier Jacinta Allan will ­attend the parliamentary reception for His Majesty King Charles III and Her Majesty Queen Camilla in Canberra on Monday,” a government spokesman said.

Opposition spokesman Brad Rowswell wrote to Ms Allan in May urging her not to downplay the King’s visit.

“Sometimes, leadership requires putting personal prejudice aside in the interests of the greater good,” Mr Rowswell said on Saturday.

“Premier Allan represents a state that wholeheartedly ­embraces and supports King Charles as our head of state.

“Sending a junior Labor MP to represent the Premier on this occasion doesn’t pass the Pimm’s test.

“The decent and respectful thing to do would be to jump on a plane and give King Charles a warm Victorian welcome, or is she just too embarrassed to do so after her Commonwealth Games debacle?”

This week’s visit will be King Charles’ first visit to a Commonwealth realm since he ­ascended to the throne.

The 75-year-old is due to ­arrive in Australia on Friday before engagements in Sydney and Canberra.

It will be his 17th visit to Australia.

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/premiers-including-jacinta-allan-decline-invite-to-meet-with-king-charles-iii/news-story/55659166724621c0601ff31065cc9140

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/21761883 (140933ZOCT24) Notable: Video: Alleged Pinochet agent turned Bondi nanny Adriana Rivas launches last-ditch appeal to block extradition to Chile - A former Bondi nanny and cleaner accused by Chile of being a torturer and kidnapper for Pinochet’s military dictatorship in the 1970s has launched a last-ditch legal appeal to avoid extradition. Adriana Rivas, 70, has been in prison in Australia since 2019, when she was arrested on an extradition request from Chile - seeking her for trial on seven counts of aggravated kidnapping relating to the disappearance, and presumed murder, of seven members of Chile’s communist party who disappeared in 1976. Party leader Victor Díaz was abducted by Pinochet’s secret police, the Dina (Dirección de Inteligencia Nacional, or National Intelligence Directorate) in May 1976. Six more party members were kidnapped off the streets of Santiago in December - the youngest, 29-year-old Reinalda del Carmen Pereira Plaza, was six months pregnant when she disappeared. Documents from Chile’s appeal court provided to Australian courts allege Rivas worked as an agent of the Dina’s shadowy Lautaro Brigade (established to target members of the communist party) and was involved in the torture and disappearance of political opponents of the military dictator. Rivas’s legal team have fought Chile’s extradition request over half a decade, including appeals to Australia’s federal court and the high court (which was ultimately abandoned). They argued the allegations against her were “political” and therefore not extraditable, and that the people were not kidnapped but legitimately arrested. At each stage, courts found she was eligible for extradition - the final decision on whether she would be surrendered to Chile lay in the hands of Australia’s attorney general. But Rivas has now launched a last-minute challenge in the federal court, asking the court to declare government’s decision to surrender her to Chile “void and of no legal effect”. Her application, which indicates a decision to surrender her had been made, asks the court to restrain government ministers “directly, or by their agents, officers or delegates, from surrendering Ms Adriana Rivas to the Republic of Chile”.

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Alleged Pinochet agent turned Bondi nanny Adriana Rivas launches last-ditch appeal to block extradition to Chile

Rivas, who is accused by Chile of being a torturer and kidnapper, launches challenge in the federal court

Ben Doherty - 14 Oct 2024

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A former Bondi nanny and cleaner accused by Chile of being a torturer and kidnapper for Pinochet’s military dictatorship in the 1970s has launched a last-ditch legal appeal to avoid extradition.

Adriana Rivas, 70, has been in prison in Australia since 2019, when she was arrested on an extradition request from Chile – seeking her for trial on seven counts of aggravated kidnapping relating to the disappearance, and presumed murder, of seven members of Chile’s communist party who disappeared in 1976.

Party leader Victor Díaz was abducted by Pinochet’s secret police, the Dina (Dirección de Inteligencia Nacional, or National Intelligence Directorate) in May 1976. Six more party members were kidnapped off the streets of Santiago in December – the youngest, 29-year-old Reinalda del Carmen Pereira Plaza, was six months pregnant when she disappeared.

Documents from Chile’s appeal court provided to Australian courts allege Rivas worked as an agent of the Dina’s shadowy Lautaro Brigade (established to target members of the communist party) and was involved in the torture and disappearance of political opponents of the military dictator.

Rivas’s legal team have fought Chile’s extradition request over half a decade, including appeals to Australia’s federal court and the high court (which was ultimately abandoned). They argued the allegations against her were “political” and therefore not extraditable, and that the people were not kidnapped but legitimately arrested.

At each stage, courts found she was eligible for extradition – the final decision on whether she would be surrendered to Chile lay in the hands of Australia’s attorney general.

But Rivas has now launched a last-minute challenge in the federal court, asking the court to declare government’s decision to surrender her to Chile “void and of no legal effect”.

Her application, which indicates a decision to surrender her had been made, asks the court to restrain government ministers “directly, or by their agents, officers or delegates, from surrendering Ms Adriana Rivas to the Republic of Chile”.

Lawyer Adriana Navarro, representing the families of the seven people disappeared, told Guardian Australia they were “mortified” they had not been informed of the apparent decision to surrender Rivas, nor that she had filed another appeal to block the extradition.

“They’ve had enough, they find it disturbing that they have to learn through the media that this is happening,” Navarro said.

She said the families had been told “nothing whatsoever” through official channels about the progress of Rivas’s case over the past five years, and felt “mocked” by a system which kept them uninformed.

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/21761894 (140940ZOCT24) Notable: Chilean ‘torture chamber operator’ turned Bondi nanny in shock legal challenge - Adriana Rivas appeared as a gentle older woman, caring for the children of Bondi - then Chile accused her of playing a part in a brutal torture chamber in the dark days of Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorship. Now the nanny has launched a surprise legal challenge after a decade of denials landed her behind bars, awaiting extradition, with what appeared to be no way out. Rivas, now 70, was arrested in 2019 at the request of her homeland, which alleged she had participated in the kidnapping of seven people who had vanished in Santiago. Court documents provided by Chile during her extradition hearing claim Rivas worked for the secret police which rounded up enemies of Pinochet’s military regime and used sarin gas, electricity and welding torches to torture victims in an empty swimming pool. Despite Rivas’ denials, she has repeatedly been found eligible for extradition by the courts. But she was not handed over to Chile, instead remaining in a detention centre for five years. For the past two years, the federal attorney-general maintained a single-line response to questions about Rivas: “The extradition process involving Ms Rivas is at the final stage, requiring the Australian government to make a determination whether to surrender Ms Rivas to Chile.” But late last month Rivas filed a new application to the Federal Court suggesting that surrender had finally been ordered. The application, seen by the Herald, asks the court to “void” the government’s decision to surrender Rivas to Chile. Rivas’ application also seeks to stop the ministers from taking further steps “directly, or by their agents, officers or delegates, from surrendering Ms Adriana Rivas to the Republic of Chile”. Dennis Miralis, the solicitor leading the challenge, did not reply to requests for comment. Rivas had already failed to have her extradition overturned in the Federal Court in 2021. Her legal team had unsuccessfully argued then, and through the lower courts, that her prosecution was “political” in nature.

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>>276800

Chilean ‘torture chamber operator’ turned Bondi nanny in shock legal challenge

Perry Duffin - October 14, 2024

Adriana Rivas appeared as a gentle older woman, caring for the children of Bondi – then Chile accused her of playing a part in a brutal torture chamber in the dark days of Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorship.

Now the nanny has launched a surprise legal challenge after a decade of denials landed her behind bars, awaiting extradition, with what appeared to be no way out.

Rivas, now 70, was arrested in 2019 at the request of her homeland, which alleged she had participated in the kidnapping of seven people who had vanished in Santiago.

Court documents provided by Chile during her extradition hearing claim Rivas worked for the secret police which rounded up enemies of Pinochet’s military regime and used sarin gas, electricity and welding torches to torture victims in an empty swimming pool.

Despite Rivas’ denials, she has repeatedly been found eligible for extradition by the courts.

But she was not handed over to Chile, instead remaining in a detention centre for five years.

For the past two years, the federal attorney-general maintained a single-line response to questions about Rivas: “The extradition process involving Ms Rivas is at the final stage, requiring the Australian government to make a determination whether to surrender Ms Rivas to Chile.”

But late last month Rivas filed a new application to the Federal Court suggesting that surrender had finally been ordered.

The application, seen by the Herald, asks the court to “void” the government’s decision to surrender Rivas to Chile.

Rivas’ application also seeks to stop the ministers from taking further steps “directly, or by their agents, officers or delegates, from surrendering Ms Adriana Rivas to the Republic of Chile”.

Dennis Miralis, the solicitor leading the challenge, did not reply to requests for comment.

Rivas had already failed to have her extradition overturned in the Federal Court in 2021. Her legal team had unsuccessfully argued then, and through the lower courts, that her prosecution was “political” in nature.

Chilean documents, released by the lower courts, spell out disturbing allegations that those rounded up by the DINA were interrogated in “dungeons” using electrified metal bunk beds.

The victims were gassed, as part of experiments, and injected with unknown substances before being suffocated and anonymised using a welding torch on the face and hands.

“Then, the bodies were put inside sacks, tied up with cables to a piece of railway beam and then thrown into the ocean by air force helicopters,” a dossier authored by Chilean authorities claimed.

In May 2022 – three years after her arrest – it seemed the final nail was driven into her case after the High Court threw out her challenge. Rivas had failed to tender the necessary documents and effectively “abandoned” her case, the court concluded.

The nanny arrived in Australia in 1978, just a few years after allegedly joining the DINA intelligence apparatus, and lived an obscure life until Chile began prosecuting the dictator’s former agents.

She was arrested while visiting Chile in 2006 but released on bail and allegedly escaped back to Australia in 2010.

She remained off the radar until 2014, when in an interview with multicultural broadcaster SBS she appeared to justify the use of torture to “break people” – particularly “communists”.

“It was necessary, just as the Nazis used it, and as in the United States, everyone does,” SBS quoted Rivas as saying. “It’s the only way to break people because psychologically there is no method.”

Rivas is alleged to have been involved in the kidnapping of Fernando Ortiz, Fernando Navarro, Lincoyán Berrios, Horacio Cepeda, Héctor Veliz, Reinalda Pereira and Communist Party secretary Víctor Díaz.

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/chilean-torture-chamber-operator-turned-bondi-nanny-in-shock-legal-challenge-20241013-p5khw3.html

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/21780962 (170847ZOCT24) Notable: Pro-Palestinian academic Khaled Beydoun’s visa cancelled after calling October 7 anniversary a ‘good day’ - Pro-Palestinian professor Khaled Beydoun has been blacklisted by Australia after the government revoked his visa over the activist’s description of the anniversary of Hamas’ October 7 attacks as a day of “considerable celebration”. A government source, unable to speak publicly about the confidential case, said the American academic flew home after being told his visa was going to be cancelled. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke has since officially revoked Beydoun’s visa. Beydoun told a Sydney rally on the anniversary of Hamas’ massacre of about 1200 people in Israel in 2023 that the day was “not fully a day of mourning” but also a “good day” because awareness of the Palestinians’ plight had increased in the past year. Burke said later that day he had ordered a check on the academic’s visa as soon as he heard Beydoun’s remarks. He can cancel visas if he believes a person is “not of good character”. Beydoun, who has 2.5 million Instagram followers and is an associate professor at Arizona State University, made his comments at a rally outside Lakemba Mosque in western Sydney organised by a group with links to Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir.

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>>276799

Pro-Palestinian academic Khaled Beydoun’s visa cancelled after calling October 7 anniversary a ‘good day’

Paul Sakkal - October 16, 2024

Pro-Palestinian professor Khaled Beydoun has been blacklisted by Australia after the government revoked his visa over the activist’s description of the anniversary of Hamas’ October 7 attacks as a day of “considerable celebration”.

A government source, unable to speak publicly about the confidential case, said the American academic flew home after being told his visa was going to be cancelled. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke has since officially revoked Beydoun’s visa.

Beydoun told a Sydney rally on the anniversary of Hamas’ massacre of about 1200 people in Israel in 2023 that the day was “not fully a day of mourning” but also a “good day” because awareness of the Palestinians’ plight had increased in the past year.

Burke said later that day he had ordered a check on the academic’s visa as soon as he heard Beydoun’s remarks. He can cancel visas if he believes a person is “not of good character”.

The Department of Home Affairs warns potential travellers to Australia that one visa cancellation may bar future travel applications and prevent entry to the country.

Beydoun, who has 2.5 million Instagram followers and is an associate professor at Arizona State University, made his comments at a rally outside Lakemba Mosque in western Sydney organised by a group with links to Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir.

“Today is not fully a day of mourning, today is also a day that marks considerable celebration, considerable progress and in some respects, considerable privilege,” Beydoun said.

“It’s a good day, and we’ve got to mark some of the good news that comes about, that we oftentimes neglect. The level of global literacy around what’s taking place in [Palestine] has exponentially risen.”

Beydoun’s statement was made during a heated national debate about the freedom to protest on the anniversary of October 7, with pro-Palestinian and free speech advocates on one side and Labor, Liberal and Jewish leaders on the other. Gazan authorities say more than 40,000 have been killed in the Israeli offensive since the October 7 attacks.

Burke’s action also came when authorities were on high alert after a small group of protesters waved flags of Hezbollah, a listed terror organisation, at rallies the week before October 7.

Broadcaster Antoinette Lattouf, who was sacked by the ABC for social media posts about the war and is challenging her dismissal, interviewed Beydoun for a podcast in the days before his controversial remarks.

“Khaled amassed his massive following as people turned to his platform and voice to get alternative framing on the conflict than the ones offered by legacy Western media outlets,” she said in her introduction to the interview on The Briefing.

The American academic said the expansion of Israel’s war into Lebanon demonstrated a “very militant Zionism trying to claim as much land as possible” aided by a compliant US realising its footprint in the world was “diminishing”.

Beydoun was contacted for comment. A spokesman for Burke declined to comment.

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/activist-s-visa-nixed-after-calling-october-7-anniversary-a-good-day-20241016-p5kiqf.html

https://www.instagram.com/khaledbeydoun/

https://play.listnr.com/podcast/the-briefing/episode/khaled-beydoun-the-us-professor-australia-wants-to

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/21780991 (170855ZOCT24) Notable: Tanks for the fight to save a democracy: Australia answers Kyiv’s firepower plea - Australia will donate 49 of the army’s M1A1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine in the nation’s most significant and lethal contribution to the country’s war against Russia, amid warnings that Vladimir Putin is bolstering his forces with North Korean troops in a dangerous new development for Kyiv. Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy will formally pledge the US-made tanks to Ukraine at a NATO meeting in Brussels this week, following a year-long ­campaign by Kyiv to secure the weapons. It is one of the largest single contributions of Western tanks to Ukraine since the war began, exceeding the US’s own donation of 31 M1A1s. The Australian tanks were due to be retired from next year and replaced with next-generation M1A2s, but are said to be in good condition and are said to be far superior to those operated by Russia. The contribution takes Australia’s support for Ukraine to $1.5bn, and follows an outcry over the government’s decision last year to scrap 45 MRH-90 Taipan helicopters rather than offer them to Kyiv for the war effort. Ukraine’s ambassador to Australia, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, welcomed the announcement, saying his country was in dire need of Western weapons as Putin ramped up his alliance with North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un. “We are very grateful for the support, especially now in the light of the deployment of troops from North Korea,” he said. “So we see, this is now becoming much more relevant to the Indo-Pacific, and therefore it’s a very strong response from the Australian government.”

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>>240923 (pb)

>>240928 (pb)

Tanks for the fight to save a democracy: Australia answers Kyiv’s firepower plea

BEN PACKHAM and JACQUELIN MAGNAY - 17 October 2024

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Australia will donate 49 of the army’s M1A1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine in the nation’s most significant and lethal contribution to the country’s war against Russia, amid warnings that Vladimir Putin is bolstering his forces with North Korean troops in a dangerous new development for Kyiv.

Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy will formally pledge the US-made tanks to Ukraine at a NATO meeting in Brussels this week, following a year-long ­campaign by Kyiv to secure the weapons.

It is one of the largest single contributions of Western tanks to Ukraine since the war began, exceeding the US’s own donation of 31 M1A1s.

The Australian tanks were due to be retired from next year and replaced with next-generation M1A2s, but are said to be in good condition and are said to be far superior to those operated by Russia.

The contribution takes Australia’s support for Ukraine to $1.5bn, and follows an outcry over the government’s decision last year to scrap 45 MRH-90 Taipan helicopters rather than offer them to Kyiv for the war effort.

Defence Minister Richard Marles said: “Australia’s support for Ukraine has not wavered since Russia’s illegal invasion, and Australia will continue standing with Ukraine.”

Some of the tanks will need to undergo repairs and upgrades before they are gifted to Ukraine, but could be delivered sooner at Kyiv’s request, allowing those in poorer condition to be used to provide spare parts for American-­donated M1A1s.

The government says the surplus tanks are worth $245m, but military experts believe they will make a far greater impact than the figure suggests, giving the Ukrainians an offensive edge against dug-in Russian troops.

Speaking in London before heading to the NATO defence minister’s meeting, Mr Conroy declined to say whether Australian personnel would be required on the ground in Ukraine to maintain the tanks.

He said the weapons would “deliver more firepower and mobility to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and complement the support provided by our partners for Ukraine”.

“This is a good day for Ukraine and frankly a bad day for Vladimir Putin,” Mr Conroy said.

The donation follows the delivery of an initial 27 of 75 new M1A2 tanks to be operated by the army under a $3.5bn procurement initiated by the Morrison government.

The army will retain 10 of the older-model tanks for training purposes.

Ukraine’s ambassador to Australia, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, welcomed the announcement, saying his country was in dire need of Western weapons as Putin ramped up his alliance with North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un.

“We are very grateful for the support, especially now in the light of the deployment of troops from North Korea,” he said.

“So we see, this is now becoming much more relevant to the Indo-Pacific, and therefore it’s a very strong response from the Australian government.”

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/21781017 (170904ZOCT24) Notable: Australia confirms 49 M1A1 Abrams tanks will be gifted to Ukraine - Australia has announced the gifting of 49 M1A1 Abrams main battle tanks to Ukraine as part of a latest military assistance package worth around $245 million. The new equipment is expected to bolster the Armed Forces of Ukraine in its fight against Russian military forces; as well as add to the Armed Forces of Ukraine’s firepower and mobility, and complement partners’ support for Ukraine’s armoured brigades. The announcement brings the total value of Australia’s military assistance to Ukraine since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion to over $1.3 billion, and overall support to more than $1.5 billion. Ukrainian Ambassador to Australia and New Zealand, Vasyl Myroshnychenko has thanked the Australian government and public for their continued support. "The Government of Ukraine expresses its strongest gratitude to the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia - and the Australian people – for the allocation of 49 M1A1 Abrams tanks for Ukraine’s military defence," he said. "I take this opportunity to specifically thank the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese MP, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles MP, the Minister for Foreign Affairs Senator Penny Wong and the Minister for Defence Industries Pat Conroy MP for their commitment to Ukraine’s cause. Your leadership has significantly contributed to Ukraine’s security and future.

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>>276804

Australia confirms 49 M1A1 Abrams tanks will be gifted to Ukraine

Robert Dougherty - 17 OCTOBER 2024

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Australia has announced the gifting of 49 M1A1 Abrams main battle tanks to Ukraine as part of a latest military assistance package worth around $245 million.

The new equipment is expected to bolster the Armed Forces of Ukraine in its fight against Russian military forces; as well as add to the Armed Forces of Ukraine’s firepower and mobility, and complement partners’ support for Ukraine’s armoured brigades.

The announcement brings the total value of Australia’s military assistance to Ukraine since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion to over $1.3 billion, and overall support to more than $1.5 billion.

Australian Minister for Defence Industry and Capability Delivery, the Hon Pat Conroy MP will be at the NATO Defence Ministers' Meeting in Brussels and will be confirming this news directly with his Ukrainian counterpart.

“We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Ukraine in their fight against Russia’s illegal invasion,” according to Minister Conroy.

“These tanks will deliver more firepower and mobility to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and complement the support provided by our partners for Ukraine.

“As we face a challenging geostrategic environment, it is important that we continue to work together with our partners around the world to deter aggression and coercion and protect the global rules-based order.”

The M1A1 Abrams tanks have been an important capability for the Australian Army, providing substantial defence against enemy fire and improvised explosive devices. As they have done for Australia, the Abrams tanks will see both the capability and resistance of the Armed Forces of Ukraine further bolstered.

As was announced in January 2022, the Australian Army M1A1 Abrams are to be replaced by the M1A2 fleet. To support the transition, the Australian Army will retain a small number of M1A1 Abrams tanks to assist the introduction of the new M1A2 fleet.

The Australian Defence Force also continues to make significant contributions to multinational efforts to train Ukrainian military personnel under Operation Kudu.

The Australian Government will continue to work with the Government of Ukraine and our international partners to deliver meaningful support for Ukraine to end the conflict on its terms.

“Australia’s support for Ukraine has not wavered since Russia’s illegal invasion, and Australia will continue standing with Ukraine,” according to Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles.

“This is the latest support package which the Albanese Government has announced, taking our overall commitment support to Ukraine to more than $1.5 billion.”

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/21789070 (181526ZOCT24) Notable: Anthony Albanese stuffs up diary royally and will miss Indonesian President’s-elect’s inauguration - Anthony Albanese will become the first Australian prime minister in decades to miss the swearing-in of a new Indonesian president, skipping the inauguration of the country’s new leader Prabowo Subianto amid a scheduling clash with King Charles’ visit to Australia. The move comes despite Mr Albanese’s public commitment to Mr Prabowo just two months ago that he would attend the high-level ceremony. It’s understood the government informed Indonesia about a fortnight ago that Mr Albanese was no longer able to travel to Jakarta for the event this Sunday, and that Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles would attend on his behalf to represent Australia. Mr Albanese hosted the incoming Indonesian leader in Canberra in August, declaring: “I look forward to working closely with you, President-elect Prabowo, (and) to attending your inauguration in October.” Senior government sources said the scheduling conflict was not apparent when the Prime Minister committed to attending Mr Prabowo’s inauguration. Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham said the government should have negotiated with Buckingham Palace to allow Mr Albanese to attend the inauguration as well as hosting Australia’s head of state. “Things are grim when the Albanese government can’t even get basic scheduling right,” he said.

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>>240919 (pb)

>>276797

Anthony Albanese stuffs up diary royally and will miss Indonesian President’s-elect’s inauguration

BEN PACKHAM - October 17, 2024

Anthony Albanese will become the first Australian prime minister in decades to miss the swearing-in of a new Indonesian president, skipping the inauguration of the country’s new leader Prabowo Subianto amid a scheduling clash with King Charles’ visit to Australia.

The move comes despite Mr Albanese’s public commitment to Mr Prabowo just two months ago that he would attend the high-level ceremony.

It’s understood the government informed Indonesia about a fortnight ago that Mr Albanese was no longer able to travel to Jakarta for the event this Sunday, and that Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles would attend on his behalf to represent Australia.

Mr Albanese hosted the incoming Indonesian leader in Canberra in August, declaring: “I look forward to working closely with you, President-elect Prabowo, (and) to attending your inauguration in October.”

He told Mr Prabowo at the time that Australia had “no more important relationship than the relationship between our two great nations”.

Senior government sources said the scheduling conflict was not apparent when the Prime Minister committed to attending Mr Prabowo’s inauguration.

Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham said the government should have negotiated with Buckingham Palace to allow Mr Albanese to attend the inauguration as well as hosting Australia’s head of state. “Things are grim when the Albanese government can’t even get basic scheduling right,” he said. “The opportunity to be at the inauguration of the new Indonesian president isn’t just important for Indonesian relations, but provides for engagement with other regional partners too.”

King Charles and Queen Camilla arrive in Sydney on Friday and are due to attend a number of events in the NSW capital on Sunday before heading to Canberra on Monday. They will head back to Sydney the following day, before departing Australia on Wednesday for Samoa, where they will attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

Indonesian presidents have been sworn in every five years on October 20 since 2004, while the CHOGM dates have been locked in for months.

Senator Birmingham said: “The Albanese government should have been able to work through scheduling plans with the palace that enabled the PM to treat the royal visit with respect, as well as our largest near neighbour.”

Mr Prabowo’s inauguration will be attended by a host of international dignitaries, and will include a swearing-in ceremony and presidential address. Mr Albanese’s change of plans caught Indonesia watchers by surprise. The Lowy Institute’s Susannah Patton said it was a disappointing development, but an understandable one. “It’s a good reason, but it’s just strange that it wasn’t communicated earlier,” she said. “It’s a shame because the inauguration is an opportunity, right up front, to emphasise Indonesia’s importance to us. And I think a lot of other regional heads of state and heads of government will be there. But I don’t think it’s the end of the world.”

Mr Marles has worked closely with Mr Prabowo – his Indonesian counterpart as Defence Minister – making him “a pretty good substitute” for Mr Albanese at the ceremony, Ms Patton said.

ANU emeritus professor Greg Fealy, a specialist in Indonesian politics, said the bilateral relationship was unlikely to be adversely affected. “While it’s always best if the PM attends, Richard Marles knows Prabowo well and they have a good relationship,” he said. “I think it’s clear to Prabowo that Australia privileges relations with Indonesia so I don’t think this is a major problem.”

Mr Albanese has sought to get off on the right foot with his incoming Indonesian counterpart, and was the first foreign leader to call Mr Prabowo after his election victory in February. The president-elect appreciated the gesture, saying during his August visit: “This is, I think, a mark of the friendship, the good relationship between us, and I value this very much.”

Mr Prabowo, who made the trip to Australia to finalise a landmark defence co-operation agreement, said the nations’ bilateral ties were in good shape.

Former prime minister Scott Morrison and his wife Jenny represented Australia at former Indonesian president Joko Widodo’s second inauguration in 2019, while his predecessor Tony Abbott attended Mr Widodo’s first inauguration in 2014.

Former prime minister Kevin Rudd attended Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s second inauguration in 2009, and John Howard was in Jakarta to mark the start of the former Indonesian president’s first term in 2004.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/anthony-albanese-stuffs-up-diary-royally-and-will-miss-indonesian-presidentselects-inauguration/news-story/6ca2aaa31d65ba7cb374c0e95b8e8356

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/21789155 (181539ZOCT24) Notable: Greens silent amid killing of Hamas chief Sinwar - The Greens have remained silent about Yahya Sinwar’s death as Labor and the Liberals said Australia would “not mourn” the Hamas leader but they would his thousands of victims. Anthony Albanese said the killing was a “significant moment” and a “vital turning point” in the conflict, and he hoped Sinwar’s death would “break the cycle of ­violence” and bring an end to the Israel-Hamas war. Leading Greens, however, were tight-lipped on Friday after the ­Israeli government confirmed Sinwar had been killed in the southern Gazan city of Rafah. Federal party leader Adam Bandt was on leave and unavailable, and did not comment on the death on social media. Neither did deputy leader Mehreen Faruqi nor senator Jordon Steele-John, the Greens’ foreign affairs spokesman. Neither senator’s office returned calls on the subject on Friday. The lack of response from the Greens was in sharp contrast to that of the Labor government and Liberal opposition. The Prime Minister welcomed Sinwar’s death, saying it was a “significant moment” in the Middle East conflict. “Sinwar was a terrorist and the architect of the atrocities committed on October 7,” Mr Albanese said, calling him not just an enemy of Israel but of “peace-loving people everywhere”. “(His death) can be a vital turning point in this devastating conflict.” Peter Dutton said the killing was a “great day” for the Middle East and the world was now a “safer place”. “(Sinwar) had equal disdain for Israelis, as evidenced by the October 7 atrocities, as he did for his own people, whom he used as human shields and kept impoverished in pursuit of his own twisted world view,” the Opposition Leader said.

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>>276799

Greens silent amid killing of Hamas chief Sinwar

ALEXI DEMETRIADI - 18 October 2024

The Greens have remained silent about Yahya Sinwar’s death as Labor and the Liberals said Australia would “not mourn” the Hamas leader but they would his thousands of victims.

Anthony Albanese said the killing was a “significant moment” and a “vital turning point” in the conflict, and he hoped Sinwar’s death would “break the cycle of ­violence” and bring an end to the Israel-Hamas war.

Leading Greens, however, were tight-lipped on Friday after the ­Israeli government confirmed Sinwar had been killed in the southern Gazan city of Rafah.

Federal party leader Adam Bandt was on leave and unavailable, and did not comment on the death on social media. Neither did deputy leader Mehreen Faruqi nor senator Jordon Steele-John, the Greens’ foreign affairs spokesman. Neither senator’s office returned calls on the subject on Friday.

The lack of response from the Greens was in sharp contrast to that of the Labor government and Liberal opposition.

The Prime Minister welcomed Sinwar’s death, saying it was a “significant moment” in the Middle East conflict.

“Sinwar was a terrorist and the architect of the atrocities committed on October 7,” Mr Albanese said, calling him not just an enemy of Israel but of “peace-loving people everywhere”. “(His death) can be a vital turning point in this devastating conflict.”

Mr Albanese renewed his calls for a return of the remaining hostages in Gaza, more humanitarian support for civilians, and a ceasefire that would “break the cycle of violence and put the region on the path to an enduring two-state ­solution”.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Sinwar’s death was an opportunity to end the war, saying the terrorist leader had committed “untold suffering (on) so many people”.

“His violence culminated in the worst loss of Jewish life in a single day since the Holocaust,” Senator Wong said.

“We all look to a day when Gaza is free from Hamas, and to a day where both Israelis and Palestinians can live in peace in a two-state solution, which ensures that both parties (and) peoples can live in peace and security.”

Treasurer Jim Chalmers said Australia did not mourn Sinwar’s death “for one second”, but that it did for all his victims and civilians lost in the ongoing conflict.

The federal opposition also welcomed Sinwar’s death, but ­rejected the government’s call for a ceasefire, arguing it would allow the terror organisation to regroup and reassert control over Gaza.

Peter Dutton said the killing was a “great day” for the Middle East and the world was now a “safer place”. “(Sinwar) had equal disdain for Israelis, as evidenced by the October 7 atrocities, as he did for his own people, whom he used as human shields and kept impoverished in pursuit of his own twisted world view,” the Opposition Leader said.

An “ugly flame of vicious terrorism” had been extinguished, opposition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham said, adding that Sinwar’s death provided a degree of “justice” to the families of those killed or taken hostage on October 7.

Opposition home affairs spokesman James Paterson said calls for a ceasefire while Hamas remained active were premature, taking a swipe at the government’s stance.

“If Israel had followed the ­Albanese government’s advice and instituted an immediate ceasefire several months ago, Sinwar would still be alive today and Hamas would be back in control of Gaza ... it is a good thing they did not,” the senator said.

Former Liberal prime minister Scott Morrison said Sinwar had “gone the way of (Osama) bin Laden”, saying it was “not the time for a ceasefire” but rather for Hamas to surrender.

“That is how this conflict must end … (a) ceasefire would have let Sinwar prevail,” he said.

There was a muted response domestically of people publicly airing support for Sinwar, unlike when Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah was killed last month. Then, the terror group’s flags were waved during rallies in Sydney and Melbourne.

The Hamas chief’s death could change the Middle East, Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin said. He added that it showed Israel ­enjoyed “greater advantages” over its enemies than at “any point in history”.

“In destroying Hamas and showing that terrorism will be met with power, and not political ­capitulation, Israel has transformed regional dynamics and created the conditions for long-term peace,” he said.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/greens-silent-amid-killing-of-hamas-chief-sinwar/news-story/961670044b9bf12ba694a6071b859da8

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/21798523 (200817ZOCT24) Notable: Video: Yahya Sinwar hailed as ‘legend’ at Sydney rally as sheik says Islam will ‘dominate’ - A Sydney conference stacked with Hizb ut-Tahrir activists and sheiks who celebrated October 7 has heard that Islam will “dominate … bringing justice to every corner of the world” amid a “civilisational struggle” as its organisers lauded Yahya Sinwar as a slain hero. One speaker, Sheik Ibrahim Dadoun - whose employer the United Muslims of Australia received about $1.65m in government funding in September – said that, despite Sinwar’s recent death, he remained “elated” and that “victory was coming”. Separately, on Sunday, a pro-Palestine Sydney CBD rally heard how the terror group’s slain chief was “legendary”, a martyr who “died a warrior’s death”. “In (Sinwar’s) death he became a legend, a legend to be told for centuries,” one speaker told a crowd at Sydney’s Hyde Park. Sheik Dadoun’s latest comments came at a Saturday conference hosted by “Stand for Palestine”, an organisation launched by Hizb ut-Tahrir last October, which is run by its activists and has surged in popularity. The day after Hamas’ October 7 attacks he told a rally that he was “elated … smiling” and that it had been a “great day”, although later claimed his words were taken out of context, and earlier this month called Israel a “bastard state”. Billed as the “promised victory” conference, sheik Dadoun reaffirmed his elation, saying: “I will say it again I’m elated, I’m happy … I’ve never seen it, ever in my life, the shift and the tide that has occurred over the last year against the Zionist regime (sic)”. “We are on that path to victory. We are on that path of the civilisational struggle where we’re going to see Islam dominate, where we’re going to see Islam bring justice to every corner in the world (sic).”

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>>276799

>>276807

Yahya Sinwar hailed as ‘legend’ at Sydney rally as sheik says Islam will ‘dominate’

ALEXI DEMETRIADI - 20 October 2024

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A Sydney conference stacked with Hizb ut-Tahrir activists and sheiks who celebrated October 7 has heard that Islam will “dominate … bringing justice to every corner of the world” amid a “civilisational struggle” as its organisers lauded Yahya Sinwar as a slain hero.

One speaker, Sheik Ibrahim Dadoun – whose employer the United Muslims of Australia received about $1.65m in government funding in September – said that, despite Sinwar’s recent death, he remained “elated” and that “victory was coming”.

Separately, on Sunday, a pro-Palestine Sydney CBD rally heard how the terror group’s slain chief was “legendary”, a martyr who “died a warrior’s death”.

“In (Sinwar’s) death he became a legend, a legend to be told for centuries,” one speaker told a crowd at Sydney’s Hyde Park.

Sheik Dadoun’s latest comments came at a Saturday conference hosted by “Stand for Palestine”, an organisation launched by Hizb ut-Tahrir last October, which is run by its activists and has surged in popularity.

The day after Hamas’ October 7 attacks he told a rally that he was “elated … smiling” and that it had been a “great day”, although later claimed his words were taken out of context, and earlier this month called Israel a “bastard state”.

Billed as the “promised victory” conference, sheik Dadoun reaffirmed his elation, saying: “I will say it again I’m elated, I’m happy … I’ve never seen it, ever in my life, the shift and the tide that has occurred over the last year against the Zionist regime (sic)”.

“We are on that path to victory. We are on that path of the civilisational struggle where we’re going to see Islam dominate, where we’re going to see Islam bring justice to every corner in the world (sic).”

Sheik Dadoun applauded those who were “fighting with their blood” in the “lands of jihad”.

At the same event, sheik Mamoud al-Alzhari said “they” had made the community “scared of saying the word jihad”, appearing to praise the “mujahideen that would liberate (Al-Aqsa mosque)”.

He and Stand for Palestine’s organisers took to social media to laud the slain Hamas chief as a “champion”, saying his death would only pave the way for a new generation of Sinwars.

Sheik al-Alzhari called Sinwar “one of Gaza’s champions” who met a “noble end” and in his death another leader would “rise” while Stand for Palestine told its followers that he had “fought until the very end”, dying a martyr.

Hizb ut-Tahrir activist Amer Al-Wahwah, who runs Stand for Palestine’s WhatsApp group, said Sinwar had “led from the front … either victory or martyrdom, and both are victories” and that anything other than the “entire removal of the Zionist occupation” would be a failure.

Stand for Palestine and Hizb ut-Tahrir activist Faraz Nomani, who MC’d Saturday’s conference, said Sinwar and his death had only succeeded in “energising a nation”.

Hizb ut-Tahrir were banned in the United Kingdom earlier this year – and are proscribed in several Central Asian and Arab countries, including Egypt, Pakistan and Turkey – and the Indian government this month listed it a terrorist organisation.

After its activists infiltrated a pro-Palestine encampment at the University of Sydney, Jewish and political leaders called on Anthony Albanese to do similar, but he has resisted the calls.

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/21809128 (220804ZOCT24) Notable: Sydney-based marketing expert ‘salutes’ Sinwar the ‘star’ - An activist who lauded slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar as a “warrior and legend” is a Sydney aviation industry worker who previously applauded Palestinian plane ­hijacker Leila Khaled. It comes as Jewish leaders separately urged the government to block the visa of high-profile activist Shaun King on “good character grounds”, particularly given the American’s praise for Sinwar. On Sunday, The Australian revealed how one activist at a pro-Palestine Sydney rally remembered terrorist Sinwar as a “legend to be told for centuries”. The activist - Jana Fayyad, a marketing expert in the aviation industry – did not respond to questions on Monday. Other than calling Sinwar a “warrior”, she also “saluted” the slain Hamas chief, saying his “legend” would never be forgotten. “The star of resistance, we will never forget you (Sinwar) and we will never forget your legend,” said Ms Fayyad, who in March described Khaled as a “liberator”. “Long live the resistance, the resistance lives on.” Separately, Jewish leaders urged Immigration Minister Tony Burke on Monday to cancel, or block, Mr King’s visa. He was set to start an Australian tour on Tuesday in Brisbane but has since postponed it to January. Since Sinwar’s death, Mr King has shared content calling the slain Hamas chief a “dear brother” who died a “martyr”, and told his 85,000 Telegram followers that he was a “leader, fighter, martyr”, suggesting the media should refer to the terror group and its deceased leader as “heroes”.

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>>276799

>>276808

Sydney-based marketing expert ‘salutes’ Sinwar the ‘star’

ALEXI DEMETRIADI and MOHAMMAD ALFARES - 21 October 2024

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An activist who lauded slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar as a “warrior and legend” is a Sydney aviation industry worker who previously applauded Palestinian plane ­hijacker Leila Khaled.

It comes as Jewish leaders separately urged the government to block the visa of high-profile activist Shaun King on “good character grounds”, particularly given the American’s praise for Sinwar.

On Sunday, The Australian revealed how one activist at a pro-Palestine Sydney rally remembered terrorist Sinwar as a “legend to be told for centuries”. The activist – Jana Fayyad, a marketing expert in the aviation industry – did not respond to questions on Monday.

Other than calling Sinwar a “warrior”, she also “saluted” the slain Hamas chief, saying his “legend” would never be forgotten.

“The star of resistance, we will never forget you (Sinwar) and we will never forget your legend,” said Ms Fayyad, who in March described Khaled as a “liberator”.

“Long live the resistance, the resistance lives on.”

At a Melbourne rally on Sunday, pro-Palestine activist Mohammed Shaheen, flanked by BestFab steel manufacture boss Ihab Al Azhari and another activist known as Abdel-Rahman Al Qaisi, also chanted “we are your men, Sinwar”.

It comes after a Sydney conference that included Hizb ut-Tahrir activists and sheik Ibrahim Dadoun, who said that “Islam would bring justice to every corner of the world”.

Separately, Jewish leaders urged Immigration Minister Tony Burke on Monday to cancel, or block, Mr King’s visa. He was set to start an Australian tour on Tuesday in Brisbane but has since postponed it to January.

Since Sinwar’s death, Mr King has shared content calling the slain Hamas chief a “dear brother” who died a “martyr”, and told his 85,000 Telegram followers that he was a “leader, fighter, martyr”, suggesting the media should refer to the terror group and its deceased leader as “heroes”.

Mr King has toured the US with professor Khaled Beydoun, whose Australian visa was cancelled last week after telling a Sydney rally that “in some ways” October 7 was a “good day”.

AIJAC executive director Colin Rubenstein believed that on character grounds, Mr King should not be granted a visa, and nor should his planned speaking partner, Mansour Shouman, a Palestinian-Canadian journalist who has called into question the number of Israelis Hamas killed on ­October 7.

“These individuals make a living spreading racist lies and conspiracy theories … they threaten Australia’s social cohesion and should have failed the character test for entering Australia,” Dr Rubenstein said.

“It is in the interests not only of the Jewish community but of anyone who values Australia’s ­vibrant, harmonious and tolerant multicultural democracy that overseas purveyors of hate and racist untruths should not be granted entry.”

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/21846531 (280833ZOCT24) Notable: Jewish leaders take radical cleric Wissam Haddad to court amid inaction - The country’s peak Jewish body has taken a radical cleric to the Federal Court after a slew of sermons referring to the Jewish community as “vile and treacherous people” and peddled anti-Semitic tropes. The legal action is an example of the escalation of testing how, and whether, hate speech can be prosecuted in Australia. On Friday, the Executive Council of Australian Jewry instigated proceedings in the Federal Court against extremist preacher Wissam Haddad, also known as Abu Ousayd, and his Bankstown-based Al Madina Dawah Centre. Among other things, Mr Haddad, or speakers at his Al Madina Dawah Centre, have called Jewish people “descendants of pigs and monkeys”, recited parables about their killing, described them as “treacherous people” with their “hands” in media and business, encouraged jihad, and urged people to “spit” on Israel so Israelis “would drown”. In most cases, he has claimed that he was referring to or reciting Islamic scripture. The Australian in January revealed how the ECAJ had lodged a vilification complaint with the country’s human rights body against the preacher and the Bankstown centre, given perceived police inaction and an inability to lay charges, partly due to NSW’s “toothless” hate-speech criminal provisions. The proceedings are made under part IIA of the Racial Discrimination Act - which outlaws offensive behaviour based on racial hatred – and brought to the court by the ECAJ’s co-chief executive, Peter Wertheim AM, and deputy president Robert Goot AO SC. Mr Wertheim said attempts at mediation between the parties at the Australian Human Rights Commission had failed and that the court move was a last resort forced upon the Jewish community and its leaders. “We have commenced proceedings to defend the honour of our community, and as a warning to deter others seeking to mobilise racism in order to promote their political views,” he said.

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>>240830 (pb)

Jewish leaders take radical cleric Wissam Haddad to court amid inaction

ALEXI DEMETRIADI - 28 October 2024

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The country’s peak Jewish body has taken a radical cleric to the Federal Court after a slew of sermons referring to the Jewish community as “vile and treacherous people” and peddled anti-Semitic tropes.

The legal action is an example of the escalation of testing how, and whether, hate speech can be prosecuted in Australia.

The action comes after state and federal police recently laid charges against people who waved the flag of listed terror group Hezbollah, and high-profile restaurateur Alan Yazbek for displaying the Nazi swastika symbol.

On Friday, the Executive Council of Australian Jewry instigated proceedings in the Federal Court against extremist preacher Wissam Haddad, also known as Abu Ousayd, and his Bankstown-based Al Madina Dawah Centre.

The Australian in January revealed how the ECAJ had lodged a vilification complaint with the country’s human rights body against the preacher and the Bankstown centre, given perceived police inaction and an inability to lay charges, partly due to NSW’s “toothless” hate-speech criminal provisions.

The proceedings are made under part IIA of the Racial Discrimination Act – which outlaws offensive behaviour based on racial hatred – and brought to the court by the ECAJ’s co-chief executive, Peter Wertheim AM, and deputy president Robert Goot AO SC.

Mr Wertheim said attempts at mediation between the parties at the Australian Human Rights Commission had failed and that the court move was a last resort forced upon the Jewish community and its leaders.

“We have commenced proceedings to defend the honour of our community, and as a warning to deter others seeking to mobilise racism in order to promote their political views,” he said.

Among other things, the ECAJ is seeking declarations that Mr Haddad and his centre contravened section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act, injunctions to remove the sermons from the internet, and an order that the cleric refrain from publishing similar speeches in future.

Mr Wertheim and Mr Goot are also seeking publication of a “corrective notice” on the centre’s social media pages and costs, although no order for damages or monetary compensation is sought by the ECAJ.

Among other things, Mr Haddad, or speakers at his Al Madina Dawah Centre, have called Jewish people “descendants of pigs and monkeys”, recited parables about their killing, described them as “treacherous people” with their “hands” in media and business, encouraged jihad, and urged people to “spit” on Israel so Israelis “would drown”.

In most cases, he has claimed that he was referring to or reciting Islamic scripture.

The ECAJ separately filed a vilification complaint at the AHRC against Sheik Ahmed Zoud, who said Jewish people “ran like rats” from Hamas in the October 7, 2023 attacks.

That conciliation process remains ongoing but could be exhausted soon, and The Australian understands the ECAJ could file separate proceedings at the same court against Mr Zoud and his As-Sunnah mosque in Lakemba.

Mr Wertheim said Australia was a “multicultural success story” with different faith and ethnic communities living in “harmony and mutual respect”, and that the court move against Mr Haddad was to protect the Jewish community, but also the country’s social harmony.

“We are all free to observe our faith and traditions within the bounds of Australian law, and that should mean we do not bring the hatreds, prejudices and bigotry of overseas conflicts and societies into Australia,” he said, adding that the ECAJ had “no alternative” than to pursue court action.

“Maintaining and strengthening social cohesion is the role of governments and government agencies, but lately they have failed us. It should not fall on our community, or any other community, to take private legal action to remedy a public wrong, and to stand up to those who sow hatred.”

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/21888273 (030807ZNOV24) Notable: Daniel Andrews to be recognised by Zionist movement with Jerusalem Medal - Former Victorian premier Daniel Andrews will on Sunday be lauded by the Zionist movement as a “true and constant friend” to the Jewish community and Israel. Andrews will receive the Jerusalem Medal at a gathering of Jewish community, business and political leaders, which for security purposes is being held at an undisclosed location in Melbourne. The medal is given those who make an outstanding contribution towards strengthening Jewish communities in their own country and relations with Israel. Andrews belonged to Labor’s Socialist Left, a faction that has long been critical of Israel’s actions against Palestinian people, including military occupation and human rights violations. However, during his 10 years as premier, Victoria made Holocaust education mandatory in secondary schools, established a trade office in Tel Aviv, prohibited Nazi symbols and gestures and was the first Australian jurisdiction to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism. Zionist Federation of Australia president Jeremy Leibler will tell the Sunday night gathering that Andrews is “living proof that clear, consistent and principled leadership in this space is eminently possible”. “We gather to recognise a true and constant friend to the Australian Jewish community and to Israel at a time when such friendships are more important and more precious than ever.”

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>>240746 (pb)

>>>/qresearch/21793734

>>>/qresearch/21881260

Daniel Andrews to be recognised by Zionist movement with Jerusalem Medal

Chip Le Grand - November 3, 2024

Former Victorian premier Daniel Andrews will on Sunday be lauded by the Zionist movement as a “true and constant friend” to the Jewish community and Israel.

Andrews will receive the Jerusalem Medal at a gathering of Jewish community, business and political leaders, which for security purposes is being held at an undisclosed location in Melbourne.

The medal is given those who make an outstanding contribution towards strengthening Jewish communities in their own country and relations with Israel.

Andrews belonged to Labor’s Socialist Left, a faction that has long been critical of Israel’s actions against Palestinian people, including military occupation and human rights violations.

However, during his 10 years as premier, Victoria made Holocaust education mandatory in secondary schools, established a trade office in Tel Aviv, prohibited Nazi symbols and gestures and was the first Australian jurisdiction to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism.

Zionist Federation of Australia president Jeremy Leibler will tell the Sunday night gathering that Andrews is “living proof that clear, consistent and principled leadership in this space is eminently possible”.

“We gather to recognise a true and constant friend to the Australian Jewish community and to Israel at a time when such friendships are more important and more precious than ever.”

Leibler nominated Andrews, Victoria’s longest serving Labor premier and celebrated for his progressive social reforms, for the award in June 2023 – prior to his retirement from politics and Hamas’ October 7, 2023 atrocities.

Previous Australian winners of the Jerusalem Medal include former prime ministers Bob Hawke, John Howard, Julia Gillard and Scott Morrison, former foreign minister Alexander Downer, Victorian state MPs David Southwick and Marsha Thomson and journalist Greg Sheridan.

Leibler will at the awards ceremony lament the fracturing of bipartisan support for Israel and the rise in antisemitism in Australia since the October 7 attacks.

“For the first time since the State of Israel was established, and in the moment that Israel and Australia faces these challenges, there is deep concern among us that the enduring, bipartisan support of Israel, and zero tolerance of antisemitism, is at risk.”

More than 1200 people were killed during Hamas’ attack on Israel in 2023, during which 250 were abducted by its militants and taken to Gaza as hostages.

Since Israel began its military operations in response to destroy Hamas and recover the hostages, the Health Ministry in Gaza reports that 43,203 people have been killed in the occupied territory.

The year-long conflict has created on ongoing, humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and prompted accusations of war crimes against Hamas and Israel’s government.

The Australian government, which since early in the conflict has called for a ceasefire, supports Palestine’s bid for full UN membership but abstained from a recent UN resolution demanding that Israel withdraw from the West Bank and Gaza.

In Australia, social ructions created by the war have split universities, arts organisations and media companies and driven a rift between Jewish philanthropists and the progressive organisations and causes they fund.

The mass doxing of hundreds of Jewish people working in creative industries prompted federal Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus to introduce legislation to outlaw the publication of private, identifying information with malicious intent.

Some protesters at weekly, pro-Palestinian rallies staged in central Melbourne have in recent weeks displayed public support for proscribed terrorist groups Hezbollah and Hamas.

Since leaving the state parliament, Andrews has agreed to lead a Zionist Federation of Australia business delegation to Israel and become a patron of the newly formed Labor Friends of Israel. Speaking at that group’s launch, Andrews noted that Israel was the only place in the Middle East which supported unionism, equal rights for women and LGBTI diversity.

“I have always supported Israel and the Jewish community,” he said when he joined the group. “I am appalled by the rise of antisemitism in Australia and want to ensure the Labor Party stays true to its values of respect and equality for all Australians.”

The Jerusalem Medal was instituted in 1990 by the World Zionist Organisation, with nominations made by the movement’s national and state-based federations.

https://www.theage.com.au/national/andrews-to-be-recognised-by-zionist-movement-with-jerusalem-medal-20241101-p5kn4w.html

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/21897325 (041317ZNOV24) Notable: Daniel Andrews tells Jewish donors to cut funds to antisemites - Former premier Daniel Andrews has urged Jewish families and organisations who provide financial support to the arts, cultural and other philanthropic causes to defund recipients who refuse to denounce antisemitism. In rare public comments since retiring as Victoria’s longest-serving Labor premier, Andrews weighed directly into the dilemma confronting Jewish philanthropists by urging them to dump their support for creative endeavours which had remained silent about, or promulgated, hatred towards Jewish people since the October 7, 2023, attacks. The Hamas atrocities in southern Israel last year, which killed about 1200 people, and Israel’s deadly and protracted military operations in Gaza and Lebanon in response, which have killed more than 40,000, have driven a wedge between some of Australia’s leading supporters of the arts and the organisations they fund. “If people won’t speak out against antisemitism, defund them. If people are happy to take your money while being antisemites, defund them,” Andrews told a gathering of Jewish community leaders in Melbourne on Sunday night. “If you want to support Hamas, then get them to pay your bills, get them to fund your programs and build your buildings. I am serious. We are beyond tropes. Silence and much worse are only possible if there are no consequences.” Andrews said no community was more generous than the Jewish community and “no state has a better developed culture, endowment and philanthropic giving than Victoria”. “I would ask each of you respectfully, continue to review your giving. Check and check again that those who so happily benefit from your generosity are not in real terms pretend friends or worse, actually working against the Jewish community and decency itself,” he said.

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>>276811

Daniel Andrews tells Jewish donors to cut funds to antisemites

Chip Le Grand - November 3, 2024

Former premier Daniel Andrews has urged Jewish families and organisations who provide financial support to the arts, cultural and other philanthropic causes to defund recipients who refuse to denounce antisemitism.

In rare public comments since retiring as Victoria’s longest-serving Labor premier, Andrews weighed directly into the dilemma confronting Jewish philanthropists by urging them to dump their support for creative endeavours which had remained silent about, or promulgated, hatred towards Jewish people since the October 7, 2023, attacks.

The Hamas atrocities in southern Israel last year, which killed about 1200 people, and Israel’s deadly and protracted military operations in Gaza and Lebanon in response, which have killed more than 40,000, have driven a wedge between some of Australia’s leading supporters of the arts and the organisations they fund.

“If people won’t speak out against antisemitism, defund them. If people are happy to take your money while being antisemites, defund them,” Andrews told a gathering of Jewish community leaders in Melbourne on Sunday night.

“If you want to support Hamas, then get them to pay your bills, get them to fund your programs and build your buildings. I am serious. We are beyond tropes. Silence and much worse are only possible if there are no consequences.”

Andrews said no community was more generous than the Jewish community and “no state has a better developed culture, endowment and philanthropic giving than Victoria”.

“I would ask each of you respectfully, continue to review your giving. Check and check again that those who so happily benefit from your generosity are not in real terms pretend friends or worse, actually working against the Jewish community and decency itself,” he said.

Andrews made his comments after he was awarded the Jerusalem Prize, bestowed by the World Zionist Organisation, the Zionist Federation of Australia and Zionism Victoria for his “outstanding contribution” towards strengthening the Jewish community in Victoria and relationships with Israel.

Those in attendance at the Central Synagogue in Caulfield South included Israeli ambassador to Australia Amir Maimon, federal Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus, federal Labor MP Josh Burns and state Liberal MP David Southwick.

Zionist Federation of Australia president Jeremy Leibler said Andrews’ support for Israel had transcended politics and geography.

Andrews’ comments come after a series of controversies involving artists and others in the creative industries over expressions of support for Palestinians or criticism of Israel’s conduct in the war.

The former premier, a staunch supporter of Israel since he was first elected to state parliament in 2002, told the event that his views were informed by studying the history and politics of the Middle East at Monash University.

“My support for Israel has always been grounded in simple and fundamental logic,” Andrews said. “Israel is the only democracy in a despotic region. The only place with gender equality at law, the only place where people are free and safe to love who they love, criticise their government if they wish and organise in their workplaces.

“Over these last 12 months, I, like all of you, have been angered and saddened by those who know nothing of the history of this region yet opine about its future, those who know little of Israel or the Jewish people, yet feel obliged and able to criticise, and perhaps worst of all, those whose rank antisemitism has been exposed by the events of antisemitism and the conflict.

“The ferocity and brazenness of anti-Jewish and anti-Israel sentiment is like nothing that I have seen in my lifetime. It is a stain on the nation, and it shames us all.”

Andrews related the story of recently walking through the city and seeing a pro-Palestine protester wearing a rainbow T-shirt.

“She was obviously a supporter of the LGBTQI+ community, as I am. Try wearing that T-shirt in Gaza and see how that works out for you,” he said.

Andrews said he would “publicly and loudly” support any Jewish family or organisation which rescinded philanthropic funding to an organisation because of its views towards Israel or Jewish people.

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/daniel-andrews-tells-jewish-donors-to-cut-funds-to-antisemites-20241103-p5knj9.html

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/21906160 (050631ZNOV24) Notable: Provocative anti-Israel T-shirt sees man arrested on Australia's most iconic beach - A man has been arrested at Australia's best-known beach for wearing an allegedly 'offensive' anti-Israel shirt. The man, who is yet to be formally identified, was confronted by police at Sydney's Bondi Beach for wearing the 'provocative' shirt about 12.50pm on Sunday. The shirt featured Israel's flag alongside the words 'f*ck Israel' and 'f*ck zionism'. The scenes unfolded in front of large crowds of beachgoers who had flocked to Bondi to escape the heat as temperatures soared into the 30s on Sunday. Australian Jewish Association chief executive Robert Gregory claimed that the man, who is understood to be the son of a former Labor minister, had allegedly been seen wearing the shirt multiple times before his arrest. He added that many locals had encountered him in the t-shirt, as Bondi and surrounding areas in Sydney's east are the hub of the Jewish community in the city. 'The Jewish community has faced a wave of intimidation and vandalism over the past year,' Mr Gregory told Daily Mail Australia. 'This man has been repeatedly wearing a shirt designed to annoy residents in Sydney's east. 'Day after day, he is spotted in neighbourhoods where many proud Jewish people live, including Double Bay and Bondi. 'Given his background, it's hard to believe he doesn't own another shirt. Something must be seriously lacking to cause a man of that age to be so desperate for attention.'

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Provocative anti-Israel T-shirt sees man arrested on Australia's most iconic beach

ASHLEY NICKEL - 3 November 2024

A man has been arrested at Australia's best-known beach for wearing an allegedly 'offensive' anti-Israel shirt.

The man, who is yet to be formally identified, was confronted by police at Sydney's Bondi Beach for wearing the 'provocative' shirt about 12.50pm on Sunday.

The shirt featured Israel's flag alongside the words 'f*ck Israel' and 'f*ck zionism'.

The scenes unfolded in front of large crowds of beachgoers who had flocked to Bondi to escape the heat as temperatures soared into the 30s on Sunday.

Australian Jewish Association chief executive Robert Gregory claimed that the man, who is understood to be the son of a former Labor minister, had allegedly been seen wearing the shirt multiple times before his arrest.

He added that many locals had encountered him in the t-shirt, as Bondi and surrounding areas in Sydney's east are the hub of the Jewish community in the city.

'The Jewish community has faced a wave of intimidation and vandalism over the past year,' Mr Gregory told Daily Mail Australia.

'This man has been repeatedly wearing a shirt designed to annoy residents in Sydney's east.

'Day after day, he is spotted in neighbourhoods where many proud Jewish people live, including Double Bay and Bondi.

'Given his background, it's hard to believe he doesn't own another shirt. Something must be seriously lacking to cause a man of that age to be so desperate for attention.'

A NSW Police spokesperson confirmed to Daily Mail Australia the man was taken to Waverley Police Station and charged with two counts of behaving in offensive manner in/near public place and one count of stalk/intimidate intend fear physical harm.

Mr Gregory claimed his shirt had caused great distress to Jewish families in Sydney's eastern suburbs.

'He presents as an ugly sight, particularly for families and children, who have been confronted by the hatred and swear words he is parading around,' he said.

The man was bailed to appear before Waverley Local Court on January 22, 2025.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted the man for comment.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14034941/Bondi-arrest-Jewish-shirt.html

https://www.instagram.com/austjewishassociation/p/DB5RmyAxF8D/

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/21949152 (091234ZNOV24) Notable: Police investigating 14 people over displays of terrorist symbols - The Australian Federal Police is investigating 14 people for displaying terrorist symbols at a pro-Palestinian protest, while it launches a separate probe into whether Australians’ commentary about events in the Middle East has crossed legal lines. Deputy commissioner Ian McCartney revealed the investigations to a Senate estimates hearing on Tuesday, just over a month after the waving of Hezbollah flags and vigils glorifying slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah reignited political debate about free speech and appropriate protest in Australia. McCartney said the AFP had spent 1100 hours investigating, including reviewing 90 hours of CCTV footage, after Victoria Police reported several matters to the federal agency following a pro-Palestinian protest in Melbourne in September. As of this week, he said 14 people were under investigation for displaying prohibited terrorist symbols in public. Three search warrants had been executed against three people, a further three had been spoken to, and several mobile phones had been seized. “If relevant thresholds are met, the AFP will provide briefs of evidence to the Commonwealth director of public prosecutions to determine if charges will be laid,” he said. “I can reveal we are also investigating whether some discourse relating to deceased terrorists, or events in the Middle East, has reached the threshold of urging violence against groups or advocating terrorism.” Political debate over pro-Palestinian protests erupted in the lead-up to the one-year anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel, as Labor and Coalition MPs demanded action under new laws that ban the display of terrorism symbols if they are used to spread hate, intimidate or incite violence.

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Police investigating 14 people over displays of terrorist symbols

Natassia Chrysanthos - November 5, 2024

The Australian Federal Police is investigating 14 people for displaying terrorist symbols at a pro-Palestinian protest, while it launches a separate probe into whether Australians’ commentary about events in the Middle East has crossed legal lines.

Deputy commissioner Ian McCartney revealed the investigations to a Senate estimates hearing on Tuesday, just over a month after the waving of Hezbollah flags and vigils glorifying slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah reignited political debate about free speech and appropriate protest in Australia.

McCartney said the AFP had spent 1100 hours investigating, including reviewing 90 hours of CCTV footage, after Victoria Police reported several matters to the federal agency following a pro-Palestinian protest in Melbourne in September.

As of this week, he said 14 people were under investigation for displaying prohibited terrorist symbols in public. Three search warrants had been executed against three people, a further three had been spoken to, and several mobile phones had been seized.

“If relevant thresholds are met, the AFP will provide briefs of evidence to the Commonwealth director of public prosecutions to determine if charges will be laid,” he said.

“I can reveal we are also investigating whether some discourse relating to deceased terrorists, or events in the Middle East, has reached the threshold of urging violence against groups or advocating terrorism.”

Political debate over pro-Palestinian protests erupted in the lead-up to the one-year anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel, as Labor and Coalition MPs demanded action under new laws that ban the display of terrorism symbols if they are used to spread hate, intimidate or incite violence.

AFP boss Reece Kershaw told 2GB’s Ray Hadley that Hezbollah flag waving at protests after Israel assassinated Nasrallah had been against the law and officers would take action. Australia has designated Hezbollah as a terrorist organisation since 2021.

Prosecutions would represent a high-profile national test case for the laws. NSW Police last month charged a 19-year-old woman with displaying a terrorist organisation symbol at a September 29 protest in Sydney. She entered a not-guilty plea and her case returns to court in December.

McCartney said the AFP had not diverted resources from terrorism investigations, and that 10 counter-terrorism operations this year had led to charges against 15 people. Eleven of them were under 17 years old, and many were radicalised online.

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/police-investigating-14-people-over-displays-of-terrorist-symbols-20241105-p5ko45.html

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/21982238 (140925ZNOV24) Notable: Australia backs ‘permanent sovereignty’ of Palestinians in UN vote - The Albanese government has shifted Australia’s vote in the UN to recognise the “permanent sovereignty” of Palestinians over the occupied territories and of Arabs over the Golan Heights, sharpening its differences with the Biden and incoming Trump administrations on Israel. Australia had abstained on the same question in UN votes since 2011 but switched its vote to “Yes” in a UN committee ballot on Thursday morning AEDT that will proceed to a vote in the General Assembly. The draft resolution, on “Permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources, including land, water and energy resources”, was approved by 159-7, with 11 abstentions. Australia also changed its position on a second question that seeks to blame Israel for a historic oil slick affecting Lebanon during the countries’ 2006 conflict, voting “Yes” after rejecting past motions on the matter. The draft resolution was carried by 161-7 with nine abstentions. The move comes amid high anxiety inside the government over its ability to forge a good working relationship with Donald Trump and his administration, which is set to strengthen US support for Israel. Incoming secretary of state Marco Rubio has previously rejected calls for a ceasefire in Gaza. “On the contrary … I want them to destroy every element of Hamas they can get their hands on. These people are vicious animals who did horrifying crimes,” he said a month into the war. Mr Trump’s pick for US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee is also a hardline supporter of the Jewish state who has long rejected calls for a Palestinian state and once said he dreamed of building a holiday house in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

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Australia backs ‘permanent sovereignty’ of Palestinians in UN vote

BEN PACKHAM - 14 November 2024

The Albanese government has shifted Australia’s vote in the UN to recognise the “permanent sovereignty” of Palestinians over the occupied territories and of Arabs over the Golan Heights, sharpening its differences with the Biden and incoming Trump administrations on Israel.

Australia had abstained on the same question in UN votes since 2011 but switched its vote to “Yes” in a UN committee ballot on Thursday morning AEDT that will proceed to a vote in the General Assembly.

The draft resolution, on “Permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources, including land, water and energy resources”, was approved by 159-7, with 11 abstentions.

Australia also changed its position on a second question that seeks to blame Israel for a historic oil slick affecting Lebanon during the countries’ 2006 conflict, voting “Yes” after rejecting past motions on the matter. The draft resolution was carried by 161-7 with nine abstentions.

The US and Canada voted against both resolutions, while the UK and New Zealand supported them.

The votes, in the second committee stage of deliberations, follow the government’s decision to break with the US earlier this year to support Palestinian membership of the UN General Assembly, and on two key UN resolutions on the war in Gaza.

The move comes amid high anxiety inside the government over its ability to forge a good working relationship with Donald Trump and his administration, which is set to strengthen US support for Israel.

Incoming secretary of state Marco Rubio has previously rejected calls for a ceasefire in Gaza.

“On the contrary … I want them to destroy every element of Hamas they can get their hands on. These people are vicious animals who did horrifying crimes,” he said a month into the war.

Mr Trump’s pick for US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee is also a hardline supporter of the Jewish state who has long rejected calls for a Palestinian state and once said he dreamed of building a holiday house in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham said Labor’s increasing opposition to Israel in the UN came despite its pre-election pledge that there as no policy differences between the major parties on the Jewish state.

“It’s simply broken promise after broken promise as the Albanese government has dropped or changed longstanding Australian positions,” he said.

“Whether it be supporting a one-sided ceasefire that failed to hold Hamas to account or endorsing ‘the state of Palestine’s’ membership of the UN – changing years of previously consistent positions – Labor has completely undermined their own pre-election promises and Australia’s reputation for consistency.”

US diplomat Nicholas Koval, who voted on the resolutions, said they were “unfairly critical of Israel”.

“One-sided resolutions will not help advance peace. Not when they ignore the facts on the ground. One-sided resolutions are purely rhetorical documents that seek to divide us at a time when we should be coming together,” he said.

“If member states are serious about promoting the cause of peace between Israelis and Palestinians, they should seek to end the persistent bias within the United Nations against Israel.”

Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin said the change in Australia’s voting behaviour exposed the widening gulf between the US and Australian positions regarding Israel and the Palestinians.

“This shift in voting won’t change much in Israel where the nation is concerned with Hamas and Hezbollah and hostages rather than the judgments passed by our government,” Mr Ryvchin said.

“But it will be noticed in Washington and certainly by Australians with a connection to the conflict, which may well be the point.”

The head of the General Delegation of Palestine to Australia, Izzat Abdulhadi, welcomed the government’s change of position on Palestinian sovereignty.

“The years before, Australia abstained on this important resolution,” he said. “(The new position) aligns with international law and the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice, which has been recently published.”

The ICJ issued a non-binding ruling in July that Israel’s ongoing presence in Occupied Palestinian Territory was unlawful and should come to an end “as rapidly as possible”.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/australia-votes-for-permanent-sovereignty-of-palestinians-in-un/news-story/167274a3b75904794bf6b8f755b7cab7

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/21994464 (160300ZNOV24) Notable: Anthony Albanese toughens criticism of Israel in UN votes, divide with US on Middle East grows - Anthony Albanese has hardened Australia’s criticism of Israel in key UN votes, deepening its rift with the US on the Middle East as incoming president Donald Trump prepares to strengthen American support for the Jewish state. Australia’s representative at the UN in New York overturned the nation’s past positions to support draft resolutions recognising the “permanent sovereignty” of Palestinians to the occupied territories’ natural resources, and demanding compensation from Israel for a wartime oil spill affecting Lebanon 18 years ago. Australia had abstained or voted against the first resolution since 2003, and opposed the second since 2006. The move, during UN committee ballots on Thursday (AEDT), follows the Albanese government’s decision to break with the US and abandon longstanding ­bipartisan support for Israel by ­declaring Australia could recognise a Palestinian state ahead of a negotiated two-state ­solution. It comes amid high anxiety ­inside the government over its ability to forge a good working relationship with Mr Trump, who has installed pro-Israel hawks in key posts and is threatening to ­impose across-the-board tariffs and wind back action on climate change. Members of the incoming Trump administration have also warned that Kevin Rudd’s days as Australia’s ambassador to the US could be numbered, following his past negative comments about the president-elect. Jewish groups declared the voting shift made no sense and would deepen the nation’s divide with Washington on Israel.

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Anthony Albanese toughens criticism of Israel in UN votes, divide with US on Middle East grows

BEN PACKHAM - November 14, 2024

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Anthony Albanese has hardened Australia’s criticism of Israel in key UN votes, deepening its rift with the US on the Middle East as incoming president Donald Trump prepares to strengthen American support for the Jewish state.

Australia’s representative at the UN in New York overturned the nation’s past positions to support draft resolutions recognising the “permanent sovereignty” of Palestinians to the occupied territories’ natural resources, and demanding compensation from Israel for a wartime oil spill affecting Lebanon 18 years ago.

Australia had abstained or voted against the first resolution since 2003, and opposed the second since 2006.

The move, during UN committee ballots on Thursday (AEDT), follows the Albanese government’s decision to break with the US and abandon longstanding ­bipartisan support for Israel by ­declaring Australia could recognise a Palestinian state ahead of a negotiated two-state ­solution.

It comes amid high anxiety ­inside the government over its ability to forge a good working relationship with Mr Trump, who has installed pro-Israel hawks in key posts and is threatening to ­impose across-the-board tariffs and wind back action on climate change. Members of the incoming Trump administration have also warned that Kevin Rudd’s days as Australia’s ambassador to the US could be numbered, following his past negative comments about the president-elect.

Jewish groups declared the voting shift made no sense and would deepen the nation’s divide with Washington on Israel.

US diplomat Nicholas Koval said the motions were “unfairly critical” of the Jewish state and would undermine hopes for an end to the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.

“One-sided resolutions will not help advance peace,” Mr Koval said. “Not when they ignore the facts on the ground. One-sided resolutions are purely rhetorical documents that seek to divide us at a time when we should be ­coming together.

“If member states are serious about promoting the cause of peace between Israelis and Palestinians, they should seek to end the persistent bias within the United Nations against Israel.”

The government failed to publish its official reasons for the shift from past positions, but a spokeswoman for Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the nation voted with the overwhelming majority of UN member states.

She said the government did not agree with “everything” in the resolution on Palestinian sovereignty over land, water and energy resources in the occupied territories. But she said the vote reflected “international concern about ­Israeli actions that impede access to natural resources, and ongoing settlement activity, land dispossession, demolitions and settler ­violence against Palestinians”.

“We have been clear that such acts undermine stability and ­prospects for a two-state solution,” Senator Wong’s spokeswoman said. “This resolution importantly recalls UN Security Council resolutions that reaffirm the importance of a two-state solution that has had bipartisan support.”

Australia had reservations over the text of the Lebanese oil slick resolution, but voted for it to ­express concern over the loss of life in the current conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

“Australia is disappointed the resolution makes no reference to the terrible and destabilising actions of Hezbollah,” Senator Wong’s spokeswoman said.

“We reiterate calls for all parties to the conflict in Lebanon to show restraint, de-escalation and comply with their obligations under international law.”

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/21994499 (160307ZNOV24) Notable: Labor’s deception on Israel and the Middle East is its only constant - "The Albanese government, if nothing else, has been consistent in its foreign affairs deception over Israel. It comes as no surprise to the Jewish community or anybody else that yet again Australia has presided over a reversal of a previously held bipartisan position. The justification for the latest volte-face before the UN is as weak as it is implausible, considering there has been no substantive explanation for a change in the underlying circumstances since the two issues being recontested were last voted on. In fact, there was no explanation at all outside a vague rationalisation that the ­decision was founded in a context of the most recent conflict. There was no mention in the resolution that the current conflict was triggered by the Hamas terrorist attack last year. And there was only disappointment from Australia that Hezbollah didn’t get a mention. Despite this, the federal government, on behalf of Australians, voted in favour of Palestinian ­sovereignty over all resources in the occupied/disputed territories, while also voting in favour to blame Israel for an oil slick in ­Lebanon arising from the 2006 conflict. Anthony Albanese declared before the election that there would be no change of Middle East position under a new Labor government. Despite this pledge, Australia has reversed its position five times in the past two years. This latest change of position will be noticed in the US. The question for Foreign Minister Penny Wong is: what has changed since the last time Australia voted on these questions, to prompt a reversal of position? Why the change of heart?" - Simon Benson - theaustralian.com.au

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Labor’s deception on Israel and the Middle East is its only constant

SIMON BENSON - November 14, 2024

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The Albanese government, if nothing else, has been consistent in its foreign affairs deception over Israel.

It comes as no surprise to the Jewish community or anybody else that yet again Australia has presided over a reversal of a previously held bipartisan position.

The justification for the latest volte-face before the UN is as weak as it is implausible, considering there has been no substantive explanation for a change in the underlying circumstances since the two issues being recontested were last voted on. In fact, there was no explanation at all outside a vague rationalisation that the ­decision was founded in a context of the most recent conflict.

There was no mention in the resolution that the current conflict was triggered by the Hamas terrorist attack last year. And there was only disappointment from Australia that Hezbollah didn’t get a mention. Despite this, the federal government, on behalf of Australians, voted in favour of Palestinian ­sovereignty over all resources in the occupied/disputed territories, while also voting in favour to blame Israel for an oil slick in ­Lebanon arising from the 2006 conflict.

Anthony Albanese declared before the election that there would be no change of Middle East position under a new Labor government. Despite this pledge, Australia has reversed its position five times in the past two years.

This latest change of position will be noticed in the US. The question for Foreign Minister Penny Wong is: what has changed since the last time Australia voted on these questions, to prompt a reversal of position? Why the change of heart?

At the time of publication, this remained objectively unclear, ­despite the vote having taken place 12 hours earlier. At best, the validation was rooted in an ideological shift in position rather than factual analysis.

The UN General Assembly’s latest grudge punch on Israel has come at the worst time for the Albanese government, considering all the other substantive issues it will be forced to ­confront with a Trump administration, including tariffs, AUKUS and Kevin Rudd.

While Australia doesn’t get to choose the time of UN votes it surely has a choice on what its ­decisions will be. Forget the fact that it puts Australia completely out of alignment with Donald Trump, who has made his position clear on Israel, this latest reversal is a decision that cuts across the current Biden administration as well.

Australia has often used Canada as a proxy for its decisions to break with the US on Israel. This time Canada sided with the US.

Australia instead decided to join New Zealand and the new UK Labour government.

There is now a significant split within the Five Eyes intelligence arrangement between the US, Canada, the UK, Australia and New Zealand. More than that, it puts Australia further out of alignment with our most important strategic partner on an existential question over which, since the Whitlam government, there had rarely been an inconsistent position until a collapse in the ideological ballast of the NSW Labor Right.

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Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/22030056 (210903ZNOV24) Notable: Video: Hooded figures walking to scene of anti-Israel attack in Sydney - Video of two hooded figures walking towards the scene of an anti-Israel arson and vandalism attack has been obtained by The Australian, as a police strike force ramps up its hunt for the perpetrators of the hate crime in a prominent Jewish area of Sydney’s eastern suburbs. The footage captures the pair walking in the darkness at 12.22am in Trelawney St, Woollahra, just minutes before a car was torched in nearby Wellington St and nine others vandalised with anti-Israel graffiti. One of the figures in the footage appears to be carrying a bag or jerry can as the pair walk towards the intersection of Fullerton St, where an apartment building was graffitied with the words “f.ck Israel’. Police and fire crews arrived at Wellington St shortly before 1am after receiving multiple reports of a car on fire. Fire crews were able to extinguish the blaze, but the car was destroyed. At a press conference on Thursday police said two hooded men wearing dark clothing and face masks were captured on CCTV fleeing the scene, but did not release any footage. The Prime Minister said the attack was “disturbing” and “deeply troubling”, as police described the vandalism as “a hate crime”. “There is no place for anti-Semitism in Australia,” Anthony Albanese said.

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Video shows hooded figures walking to scene of anti-Israel attack in Sydney

STEPHEN RICE and LIAM MENDES - 21 November 2024

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Video of two hooded figures walking towards the scene of an anti-Israel arson and vandalism attack has been obtained by The Australian, as a police strike force ramps up its hunt for the perpetrators of the hate crime in a prominent Jewish area of Sydney’s eastern suburbs.

The footage captures the pair walking in the darkness at 12.22am in Trelawney St, Woollahra, just minutes before a car was torched in nearby Wellington St and nine others vandalised with anti-Israel graffiti.

One of the figures in the footage appears to be carrying a bag or jerry can as the pair walk towards the intersection of Fullerton St, where an apartment building was graffitied with the words “f.ck Israel’.

Police and fire crews arrived at Wellington St shortly before 1am after receiving multiple reports of a car on fire. Fire crews were able to extinguish the blaze, but the car was destroyed.

At a press conference on Thursday police said two hooded men wearing dark clothing and face masks were captured on CCTV fleeing the scene, but did not release any footage.

The Prime Minister said the attack was “disturbing” and “deeply troubling”, as police described the vandalism as “a hate crime”.

“There is no place for anti-Semitism in Australia,” Anthony Albanese said.

“Conflict overseas cannot be made a platform for prejudice at home. I have trust in our law enforcement agencies to deal with this.”

A large number of cars in surrounding streets had been spray-painted with the words “f..k Israel,” causing an estimated $70,000 of damage.

It is understood no one was injured in the attack.

The door of a unit complex in Ocean Street was also graffitied as was the Matt Moran-owned restaurant Chiswick. The celebrated restaurateur arrived at the premises on Thursday morning, grim-faced, to inspect the damage.

Mr Moran told The Australian: “It’s incredibly disappointing to see this amount of vandalism – there’s no place for it in our community. We are cooperating with the relevant authorities in their investigation.”

The restaurant had been cleaned and would open as normal, he said.

Some cars were also tagged with the words “PKK is coming”, possibly a reference to the Kurdish separatist group fighting for autonomy from Turkey. The group is designated as a terrorist organisation in Australia.

The Turkish Embassy is located in Ocean St, Woollahra, close to the scene of the arson attack.

The Federation of Democratic Kurdish Society of Australia released a statement condemning “this senseless and violent act of anti-Semitism”.

“The Kurdish nation has a historical bond with the Jewish nation and we support our Jewish community during this difficult moment,” the federation said.

“We are strong and resilient communities that say out loud Australia is no place for anti-Semitism and no place for extremes and those who want to divide us.”

Police have requested anyone with information or dash cam footage to come forward and have set up Strike Force Mylor to track down those responsible, declaring “hate crime will not be tolerated”.

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/22041710 (230610ZNOV24) Notable: ‘Deeply offensive’: Israel furious as Australia denies ex-minister a visa - Israel has condemned Australia’s decision to deny a visa to former Israeli justice minister Ayelet Shaked on character grounds, warning in a statement on X that the decision was deeply offensive and would harm relations between the two countries. The threat tests already-strained diplomatic ties as Australia seeks to tiptoe around the International Criminal Court’s decision to issue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defence chief Yoav Gallant, as well as a Hamas leader Ibrahim al-Masri, for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza conflict. As the United States rejected the warrants, and Canada said it would abide by them, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said on Friday Australia respected the ICC’s independence but did not endorse or oppose its decision, or say what the government would do if any of the men set foot here. “Australia respects the independence of the International Criminal Court and its important role in upholding international law,” Wong said in a statement posted to X on Friday morning. “Australia is focused on working with countries that want peace to press for an urgently needed ceasefire … We have been clear that all parties to the conflict must comply with international humanitarian law. Civilians must be protected. Hostages must be released.” But in a statement posted on X on Friday evening [AEDT], Oren Marmorstein, a spokesman for Israel’s Foreign Ministry, said “the Australian government’s decision to deny a visa to former Israeli minister Ayelet Shaked is unacceptable. The decision is deeply offensive and troubling, and will have a negative impact on Israel-Australia relations.”

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‘Deeply offensive’: Israel furious as Australia denies ex-minister a visa

Natassia Chrysanthos and Michelle Griffin - November 22, 2024

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Israel has condemned Australia’s decision to deny a visa to former Israeli justice minister Ayelet Shaked on character grounds, warning in a statement on X that the decision was deeply offensive and would harm relations between the two countries.

The threat tests already-strained diplomatic ties as Australia seeks to tiptoe around the International Criminal Court’s decision to issue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defence chief Yoav Gallant, as well as a Hamas leader Ibrahim al-Masri, for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza conflict.

As the United States rejected the warrants, and Canada said it would abide by them, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said on Friday Australia respected the ICC’s independence but did not endorse or oppose its decision, or say what the government would do if any of the men set foot here.

“Australia respects the independence of the International Criminal Court and its important role in upholding international law,” Wong said in a statement posted to X on Friday morning.

“Australia is focused on working with countries that want peace to press for an urgently needed ceasefire … We have been clear that all parties to the conflict must comply with international humanitarian law. Civilians must be protected. Hostages must be released.”

But in a statement posted on X on Friday evening [AEDT], Oren Marmorstein, a spokesman for Israel’s Foreign Ministry, said “the Australian government’s decision to deny a visa to former Israeli minister Ayelet Shaked is unacceptable. The decision is deeply offensive and troubling, and will have a negative impact on Israel-Australia relations.”

Shaked was known as “the iron lady” during her tenure in right-wing parties in the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, for her implacable pursuit of Palestinians for state crimes and campaigns for Jewish expansion into the West Bank. She drew international condemnation in November last year when she called for the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis to be turned into a soccer field. “We need all 2 million to leave,” she told Israel’s Channel 13. “That is the solution for Gaza.”

Australia’s decision to block her visa was condemned by Australia’s Jewish community and made headlines across Israel, where Shaked criticised the decision as “shameful” and called the Australian government “anti-Israel and extreme pro-Palestinian”.

Colin Rubenstein, the executive director of conference organiser the Australia Israel and Jewish Affairs Council, called the visa rejection “a disgraceful act of hostility towards a democratic ally”.

Rawan Arraf from the Australian Centre for International Justice welcomed the government’s decision to cancel her visa based on concerns that her visit could vilify Australians and incite racial discord, and called on the Home Affairs Department to apply similar scrutiny to the views of other Israelis seeking to come to Australia.

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/22041751 (230618ZNOV24) Notable: Australia has refused to condemn what Israeli calls an ‘anti-Semitic’ ICC ruling on Benjamin Netanyahu - Australia is refusing to join the US and Israel in condemning the ­decision by the International Criminal Court to issue an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as the ­Albanese government suggests it would follow the court’s rulings as “a point of principle”. The court’s unprecedented move against the leader of a democratic state means the court’s 124 member nations, ­including Australia, are obliged to arrest the Israeli leader if he visits. Labor frontbencher Ed Husic on Friday declared the ICC was “doing its job” and suggested that the nation should not waver from global law. Hours later, a government spokeswoman refused to explicitly confirm whether ­Australia would comply with the warrant, declaring “it’s not appropriate to speculate on hypotheticals around individual cases”. However, in a comment that suggested the government would uphold the warrant, the spokeswoman continued “as a point of principle, Australia acts in a manner consistent with our inter­national legal obligations”. While US President Joe Biden denounced the ICC decision soon after it was released, Anthony Albanese declined to make a direct comment on Friday. As Jewish leaders and supporters of Israel despair about the ICC and Labor’s position on the war in the Middle East, former foreign minister Alexander Downer said the government should now ­consider withdrawing from the international court. “I had hoped it’d be a serious court,” said Mr Downer, who led Australia joining the ICC under the Howard government. “We should make it clear that we wouldn’t arrest the Prime Minister of Israel.”

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>>276799

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>>276819

Australia has refused to condemn what Israeli calls an ‘anti-Semitic’ ICC ruling on Benjamin Netanyahu

CAMERON STEWART - 22 November 2024

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Australia is refusing to join the US and Israel in condemning the ­decision by the International Criminal Court to issue an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as the ­Albanese government suggests it would follow the court’s rulings as “a point of principle”.

The court’s unprecedented move against the leader of a democratic state means the court’s 124 member nations, ­including Australia, are obliged to arrest the Israeli leader if he visits.

Labor frontbencher Ed Husic on Friday declared the ICC was “doing its job” and suggested that the nation should not waver from global law.

Hours later, a government spokeswoman refused to explicitly confirm whether ­Australia would comply with the warrant, declaring “it’s not appropriate to speculate on hypotheticals around individual cases”.

However, in a comment that suggested the government would uphold the warrant, the spokeswoman continued “as a point of principle, Australia acts in a manner consistent with our inter­national legal obligations”.

While US President Joe Biden denounced the ICC decision soon after it was released, Anthony Albanese declined to make a direct comment on Friday.

As Jewish leaders and supporters of Israel despair about the ICC and Labor’s position on the war in the Middle East, former foreign minister Alexander Downer said the government should now ­consider withdrawing from the international court.

“I had hoped it’d be a serious court,” said Mr Downer, who led Australia joining the ICC under the Howard government.

“We should make it clear that we wouldn’t arrest the Prime Minister of Israel.”

Foreign Minister Penny Wong did not join the US and Israel in criticising the court’s findings and did not say whether Mr Netanyahu would be arrested if he visited Australia. In a short statement on Friday, Senator Wong said the government ­“respects the independence” of the ICC.

“We have been clear that all parties to the conflict must comply with international humanitarian law,” Senator Wong said.

“Australia respects the independence of the ICC and its ­important role in upholding international law. Australia is focused on working with countries that want peace to press for an urgently needed ceasefire.”

Mr Husic, who in August called for sanctions against Israeli officials including Mr Netanyahu, backed the court process. “We respect international law and obviously these bodies need to be allowed to conduct their work in accordance with law,” he said.

When asked if Mr Netanyahu should be arrested, the Industry and Science Minister said: “I’m just going to let the law run its course.”

Labor’s comments on the ICC came as Israel criticised Australia for denying a visa to former justice minister Ayelet Shaked on character grounds. The Jewish state’s Foreign Ministry called the decision “unacceptable”.

Ms Shaked, who was due to ­attend a security conference in Canberra next week, was told by the Department of Home ­Affairs late on Thursday that her application for a visitor visa had been refused because she could vilify Australians or incite discord.

“The decision is deeply offensive and troubling, and will have a negative impact on Israel-­Australia relations,” an Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman said.

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/22058044 (260503ZNOV24) Notable: Video: Mohommed Farhat charged following alleged anti-Israel vandalism attack in Woollahra - A man has been arrested following an alleged vandalism attack on a prominent Jewish neighbourhood in Sydney last week. Mohommed Farhat, 20, was arrested in the early hours of Monday at Sydney airport and charged with 21 offences after a car was torched and nine others spray-painted with anti-Israel graffiti in Woollahra on November 21. The alleged rampage took place over just one hour from 11.30pm to 12.30am. He was booked on a flight to Thailand when police arrested him, according to Sky News, with vision showing a plain clothes police officer wheeling a large luggage item behind him, as he was walked in cuffs out of the airport and into a waiting cop car. Mr Farhat was taken to Mascot Police Station and charged with 14 counts of damaging property, three counts of entering land to commit an indictable offence, and two counts of destroying a car by means of fire - with damage worth more than $5000 in one case. Police believe he was with another person when he allegedly set the two cars on fire He was also charged with disguising his face while allegedly committing the offences, and behaving in an offensive manner in public.

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>>276799

>>276818

Mohommed Farhat charged following alleged anti-Israel vandalism attack in Woollahra

JOANNA PANAGOPOULOS and SUMMER LIU - 25 November 2024

A man has been arrested following an alleged vandalism attack on a prominent Jewish neighbourhood in Sydney last week.

Mohommed Farhat, 20, was arrested in the early hours of Monday at Sydney airport and charged with 21 offences after a car was torched and nine others spray-painted with anti-Israel graffiti in Woollahra on November 21.

The alleged rampage took place over just one hour from 11.30pm to 12.30am.

He was booked on a flight to Thailand when police arrested him, according to Sky News, with vision showing a plain clothes police officer wheeling a large luggage item behind him, as he was walked in cuffs out of the airport and into a waiting cop car.

Mr Farhat was taken to Mascot Police Station and charged with 14 counts of damaging property, three counts of entering land to commit an indictable offence, and two counts of destroying a car by means of fire – with damage worth more than $5000 in one case.

Police believe he was with another person when he allegedly set the two cars on fire.

He was also charged with disguising his face while allegedly committing the offences, and behaving in an offensive manner in public.

Mr Farhat did not apply for bail at Downing Centre Local Court on Monday, and his barrister Evan James asked for the matter to be adjourned for two weeks “to make an appropriate, comprehensive (release) application on next occasion”. He had three young supporters sitting inside the courtroom.

Emergency services first responded to reports of a vehicle fire on Wellington St, Woollahra about 12.30am on Thursday.

Fire and Rescue NSW extinguished the fire but the vehicle was destroyed.

Nine other vehicles parked along Wellington Street, Tara Street, Fullerton Street and Ocean Street were also allegedly graffitied, some spray-painted with the words “f.ck Israel”, with the total estimated value in excess of $70,000.

Three buildings on Ocean Street and Fullerton Street, including the door of a unit complex in Ocean St and Matt Moran-owned restaurant Chiswick. were also allegedly graffitied, costing an estimated $20,000 to $30,000.

The celebrated restaurateur arrived at the premises on Thursday morning, grim-faced, to inspect the damage.

Mr Moran told The Australian: “It’s incredibly disappointing to see this amount of vandalism – there’s no place for it in our community. We are co-operating with the relevant authorities in their investigation.”

At the time, police requested anyone with information or dashcam footage to come forward, and set up Strike Force Mylor to track down those responsible, declaring “hate crime will not be tolerated”. Forensic teams cordoned off several crime scenes. Police said “a number of exhibits” had been left at the scene by the offenders.

Following inquiries, the man was arrested about 3.50am on Monday.

“A man has been charged after 10 vehicles and buildings were damaged in Sydney’s eastern suburbs last week,” NSW Police said in a statement on Monday.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/man-charged-following-alleged-antiisrael-vandalism-attack-in-woollahra/news-story/ccccac28c7805ce281cdc16e484cd35e

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/22058053 (260507ZNOV24) Notable: Coalition to throw Australia’s support behind Israel in campaign pledges - A Peter Dutton-led government would deport non-citizens who voice rhetorical support for terror groups and demand the Australian Broadcasting Corporation avoid bias on Israel, according to a keynote speech home affairs spokesman James Paterson will deliver outlining the Coalition’s pledges. Portraying the bloody war in Gaza and Lebanon as a battle for democracy, Paterson will say Australian Jews were being held responsible for “difficult choices” Israel was forced to make in its fight against terror groups supported by Iran. Paterson will say that a Coalition government will strengthen the laws used by police to lay charges on incitement and displaying terror symbols if they prove too difficult to enforce. “I am deeply troubled by the number of Jews who have told me they are contemplating moving to Israel because they think they may feel safer in a country under attack from three terrorist organisations and a genocidal nation state than they do in Melbourne or Sydney,” he will say in a speech to the Executive Council of the Australian Jewry’s annual general meeting in Melbourne on Sunday. “But I understand it.” The Coalition has sought to tie community unrest in Australia over Gaza to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s actions, portraying him as soft on antisemitism as Labor has gradually shifted support away from Israel through key United Nations votes and actions such as blocking the visa of a former Israeli minister, Ayelet Shaked, on character grounds. The opposition has refrained from criticising Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu’s military campaign even as the United Nations, European Union and International Criminal Court condemn his actions, marking the Coalition as one of the most pro-Israel centre-right parties in the Western world.

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>>276799

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>>276820

Coalition to throw Australia’s support behind Israel in campaign pledges

Paul Sakkal - November 24, 2024

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A Peter Dutton-led government would deport non-citizens who voice rhetorical support for terror groups and demand the Australian Broadcasting Corporation avoid bias on Israel, according to a keynote speech home affairs spokesman James Paterson will deliver outlining the Coalition’s pledges.

Portraying the bloody war in Gaza and Lebanon as a battle for democracy, Paterson will say Australian Jews were being held responsible for “difficult choices” Israel was forced to make in its fight against terror groups supported by Iran.

Paterson will say that a Coalition government will strengthen the laws used by police to lay charges on incitement and displaying terror symbols if they prove too difficult to enforce.

“I am deeply troubled by the number of Jews who have told me they are contemplating moving to Israel because they think they may feel safer in a country under attack from three terrorist organisations and a genocidal nation state than they do in Melbourne or Sydney,” he will say in a speech to the Executive Council of the Australian Jewry’s annual general meeting in Melbourne on Sunday. “But I understand it.”

The Coalition has sought to tie community unrest in Australia over Gaza to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s actions, portraying him as soft on antisemitism as Labor has gradually shifted support away from Israel through key United Nations votes and actions such as blocking the visa of a former Israeli minister, Ayelet Shaked, on character grounds.

The opposition has refrained from criticising Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu’s military campaign even as the United Nations, European Union and International Criminal Court condemn his actions, marking the Coalition as one of the most pro-Israel centre-right parties in the Western world.

Israel launched its assault on Gaza after Hamas-led terrorists stormed across the border, killed 1200 people and seized more than 250 hostages on October 7, 2023. Since then, the Israeli attack has killed nearly 44,000 Palestinians in Gaza, much of which has been laid to waste.

On Friday, the Coalition released a statement saying Australia should reject the ICC’s decision to issue arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former defence minister Yoav Gallant and Hamas leader Mohammed Deif.

As a signatory to the agreement recognising the court, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said on Friday Australia respected the court’s independence but did not endorse or oppose its decision or say what the government would do if any of the men set foot here.

Paterson is incredulous about Australia’s decision to deny entry to Shaked, a former minister for justice who made headlines last year calling for all Gazans to be deported and the southern city of Khan Younis turned into a soccer field.

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/22058075 (260517ZNOV24) Notable: Video: Anthony Albanese must abandon ‘mild’ approach to anti-Semitism, leading rabbi Benjamin Elton says - Anthony Albanese must abandon his “very mild” approach to tackling anti-Semitism and more strongly condemn hatred towards Jewish people if he wants to ­protect Australia’s social fabric, one of the nation’s leading rabbis has warned in an extraordinary intervention. Benjamin Elton - the decade-long chief minister at Sydney’s Great Synagogue, one of the ­nation’s oldest Jewish communities – said he could not understand why the Prime Minister had been unable to find the right language to condemn anti-Jewish hate and warned that his failure had not helped to stem anti-Semitism or societal breakdown. After a week that included an attack on cars and homes targeting Sydney’s Jewish community, and widespread criticism of Labor’s failure to criticise the International Criminal Court’s ­arrest warrants for democratically elected Israeli leaders, the rabbi’s warnings is an inflection point in Australia’s anti-Semitism crisis. Rabbi Elton said in an interview with The Australian on Sunday he believed Mr Albanese was a “very sincere person” but whose language and actions had failed to match the severity of escalating anti-Semitism, particularly in comparison with NSW Premier Chris Minns. “(I refrain) from weighing in on political controversies, or from criticising one leader and praising another … But when there’s moral failings or problems in society, (I’m motivated to) ask difficult questions, and to point to a better way forward,“ he said. “I’m not saying this (to rebuke) the Prime Minister, who I hold in high regard as a very sincere person, but I’ve been moved to speak because when there is a falling short, religious leaders have to speak up.”

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>>276799

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Anthony Albanese must abandon ‘mild’ approach to anti-Semitism, leading rabbi Benjamin Elton says

ALEXI DEMETRIADI - 25 November 2024

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Anthony Albanese must abandon his “very mild” approach to tackling anti-Semitism and more strongly condemn hatred towards Jewish people if he wants to ­protect Australia’s social fabric, one of the nation’s leading rabbis has warned in an extraordinary intervention.

Benjamin Elton – the decade-long chief minister at Sydney’s Great Synagogue, one of the ­nation’s oldest Jewish communities – said he could not understand why the Prime Minister had been unable to find the right language to condemn anti-Jewish hate and warned that his failure had not helped to stem anti-Semitism or societal breakdown.

After a week that included an attack on cars and homes targeting Sydney’s Jewish community, and widespread criticism of Labor’s failure to criticise the International Criminal Court’s ­arrest warrants for democratically elected Israeli leaders, the rabbi’s warnings is an inflection point in Australia’s anti-Semitism crisis.

Rabbi Elton said in an interview with The Australian on Sunday he believed Mr Albanese was a “very sincere person” but whose language and actions had failed to match the severity of escalating anti-Semitism, particularly in comparison with NSW Premier Chris Minns.

“(I refrain) from weighing in on political controversies, or from criticising one leader and praising another … But when there’s moral failings or problems in society, (I’m motivated to) ask difficult questions, and to point to a better way forward,“ he said.

“I’m not saying this (to rebuke) the Prime Minister, who I hold in high regard as a very sincere person, but I’ve been moved to speak because when there is a falling short, religious leaders have to speak up.”

Rabbi Elton – one of several ­orthodox Jewish leaders Mr Albanese met in May, when he promised to stamp out anti-Semitism – has delivered the strongest critique of Labor’s handling of anti-Semitism from a religious leader since Hamas’s October 7 massacre sparked the war in Gaza.

Mr Albanese called the incident “disturbing” and “deeply troubling”. Rabbi Elton said those comments did not appreciate the disaster facing Australia’s Jewish communities, adding that the time for “understatement” had gone.

“Those are very mild words … I had a member of our congregation in one of the blocks of flats targeted,” Rabbi Elton said.

“A car was torched, there could have easily been deaths. It’s an extraordinary breakdown of Australian civil society … the level of response the Prime Minister believes is currently appropriate, I think we’ve passed that stage.”

Mr Albanese commented upon arrival in Australia after the G20 summit in Brazil, adding that there was “no place” for anti-­Semitism and that overseas ­conflict could not incite domestic prejudice. Mr Minns labelled last week’s attack as “undeniably a hate crime” and vowed to throw “massive resources” into catching the perpetrators of “one of the most ugly scenes” he’d witnessed – a response Rabbi Elton described as “extraordinarily strong”.

“Your hateful violent acts will not be tolerated and the police are hunting you right now,” the Labor Premier said of the “vile individuals” behind it.

The pressure on Mr Albanese to act on anti-Semitism and strengthen support for Israel ­increased on Sunday ahead of the last sitting week of the year, with the opposition signalling the nation should reconsider its membership of the International Criminal Court over its warrants to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant.

After calls from former prime ministers Tony Abbott and Scott Morrison for a rethink on ICC membership, opposition legal ­affairs spokeswoman Michaelia Cash said Australia “had grounds” to reconsider its support for the Rome Statute. “Anthony Albanese, (Foreign Minister) Penny Wong, pick up the phone to Prime Minister Netanyahu and tell him that he is welcome in Australia any time and that we stand with Israel, not with the Hamas terrorists,” Senator Cash added in comments to Sky News.

An Albanese government spokeswoman said the Prime Minister had “unequivocally condemned” last week’s “anti-­Semitic act”, adding that the “intimidation” of the community and “violence” were unacceptable. “These actions are aimed at creating fear in the community … it will not be tolerated,” she said.

“These are disturbing scenes and deeply troubling to all Australians. There is no place for anti-Semitism in Australia.”

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/22058095 (260526ZNOV24) Notable: PM’s mild rhetoric simply not enough to combat anti-Semitic surge - "Australian civil society is fracturing and Jews are in the frontline. Last Wednesday in Woollahra, a suburb with synagogues, a Jewish funeral home, a hospital created by the Jewish community and an area where many of my congregants live, an anti-Semitic attack took place. Homes, businesses and cars were targeted in an outbreak of violence, graffiti, threats and slurs. Just when we had recovered as a community from the targeting of The Great Synagogue by protesters a few months ago, and when we felt we had moved on from the disgraceful behaviour at the Opera House on October 9 last year, we now find this much more extreme and aggressive attack on our doorstep. Law enforcement and our elected representatives cannot control what every malicious actor carries out, but they can set a tone. I don’t generally criticise or endorse specific politicians, but I was struck by the difference between the response of Anthony Albanese and that of NSW Premier Chris Minns. The Prime Minister did say “there is no place for anti-Semitism in Australia” and that “conflict overseas cannot be made a platform for prejudice at home”. But it was disappointing that the strongest words he could summon up to describe the incident were “disturbing” and “deeply troubling”. Minns found a better tone when he said “it is unacceptable, un-Australian and it will not be tolerated. The Jewish community is an integral part of the wider NSW community and we are completely committed to ensuring the safety and security of Jewish people in NSW”. What we need now is action to back up those words, through the police, the prosecution service, the parliaments and the courts." - Rabbi Benjamin Elton, chief minister of The Great Synagogue in Sydney - theaustralian.com.au

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>>276799

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>>276823

PM’s mild rhetoric simply not enough to combat anti-Semitic surge

BENJAMIN ELTON - 25 November 2024

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Australian civil society is fracturing and Jews are in the frontline.

Last Wednesday in Woollahra, a suburb with synagogues, a Jewish funeral home, a hospital created by the Jewish community and an area where many of my congregants live, an anti-Semitic attack took place. Homes, businesses and cars were targeted in an outbreak of violence, graffiti, threats and slurs.

Just when we had recovered as a community from the targeting of The Great Synagogue by protesters a few months ago, and when we felt we had moved on from the disgraceful behaviour at the Opera House on October 9 last year, we now find this much more extreme and aggressive attack on our doorstep.

Law enforcement and our elected representatives cannot control what every malicious actor carries out, but they can set a tone. I don’t generally criticise or endorse specific politicians, but I was struck by the difference between the response of Anthony Albanese and that of NSW Premier Chris Minns.

The Prime Minister did say “there is no place for anti-Semitism in Australia” and that “conflict overseas cannot be made a platform for prejudice at home”. But it was disappointing that the strongest words he could summon up to describe the incident were “disturbing” and “deeply troubling”.

This is no time for understatement. We have gone beyond the stage when we should feel merely disturbed and troubled. Homes were vandalised and a car was set ablaze in a Jewish neighbourhood in an organised and vicious attack, intended to intimidate and terrify the Jewish community of Sydney and, by extension, Jews across Australia.

This matters, because underplaying what took place last week, and the trend over the past year of increasing hostility towards the Jewish community, encourages other people to try their luck. Lives are now at stake. We have gone beyond a minor quibble about whether the protesters on October 9 said “gas the Jews” or “where’s the Jews?”. That quibbling is part of the reason we have arrived at this deplorable situation.

Minns found a better tone when he said “it is unacceptable, un-Australian and it will not be tolerated. The Jewish community is an integral part of the wider NSW community and we are completely committed to ensuring the safety and security of Jewish people in NSW”. What we need now is action to back up those words, through the police, the prosecution service, the parliaments and the courts.

I learned about the attack on Thursday when I was in Canberra and had just left the Australian Catholic University’s annual interfaith breakfast in the federal parliament. There was a great deal of talk about the importance of dialogue and friendship across communities, there were wide smiles and warm handshakes, but as I left the building I was faced with the ugly reality of what is actually taking place on the grounds and in the streets, streets where Jews are trying to live, work and pray.

When the same slogan that was written on those cars in Woollahra a few days ago was also screamed from a moving car as I walked down Oxford Street to my synagogue on a Friday evening a couple of weeks ago, there is a problem and we must face it.

It is easy in these moments to fall into despair. The proper alternative to despair is not wishful thinking, but action. That cannot come from the Jewish community and, crucially, it cannot be made the responsibility of the Jewish community through security grants, as important and welcome as they are. It has to come from principles articulated and enforced by the whole of Australian civil society, so it is clear what will and what will not be tolerated. At the moment that has been left too unclear, and that has to change.

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/22058498 (260835ZNOV24) Notable: Penny Wong refuses to condemn ICC over arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu - Penny Wong says Labor will be guided by the law rather than politics in its response to the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu, as she left open the prospect that Australia could comply with the order if the Israeli Prime Minister travelled to Australia. The Foreign Minister batted away questions in the Senate on whether the government agreed with US President Joe Biden’s assessment that the warrant was “outrageous”, accusing the opposition of trying to make political mileage from the situation. She said unlike the US, Australia was a party to the statute that created the ICC, and the court’s ability to “uphold international law” was in Australia’s national interest. “Unlike you, we actually believe that adherence to international law is a matter of principle, and it is in Australia’s interests,” Senator Wong said, responding to opposition legal affairs spokeswoman Michaelia Cash. Asked directly whether the Albanese government would enforce the ICC warrant if Mr Netanyahu ever came to Australia, the Foreign Minister said: “I certainly don’t propose to speculate on hypotheticals. “What I can say to the ­chamber is that Australia will act consistently with our ­obligations under international law and our approach will be ­informed by international law, not by politics.” The Executive Council of Australian Jewry’s co-chief executive, Alex Ryvchin, said if Australia was a “real friend” to Israel, Senator Wong would have repudiated the ICC warrant as the US had done. “The Foreign Minister had an opportunity to demonstrate whether this government is supportive of Israel or hostile to it. The Foreign Minister made her choice,” Mr Ryvchin said.

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Penny Wong refuses to condemn ICC over arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu

BEN PACKHAM - 25 November 2024

Penny Wong says Labor will be guided by the law rather than politics in its response to the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu, as she left open the prospect that Australia could comply with the order if the Israeli Prime Minister travelled to Australia.

The Foreign Minister batted away questions in the Senate on whether the government agreed with US President Joe Biden’s assessment that the warrant was “outrageous”, accusing the opposition of trying to make political mileage from the situation.

She said unlike the US, Australia was a party to the statute that created the ICC, and the court’s ability to “uphold international law” was in Australia’s national interest.

“Unlike you, we actually believe that adherence to international law is a matter of principle, and it is in Australia’s interests,” Senator Wong said, responding to opposition legal affairs spokeswoman Michaelia Cash.

Asked directly whether the Albanese government would enforce the ICC warrant if Mr Netanyahu ever came to Australia, the Foreign Minister said: “I certainly don’t propose to speculate on hypotheticals.

“What I can say to the ­chamber is that Australia will act consistently with our ­obligations under international law and our approach will be ­informed by international law, not by politics.”

The Executive Council of Australian Jewry’s co-chief executive, Alex Ryvchin, said if Australia was a “real friend” to Israel, Senator Wong would have repudiated the ICC warrant as the US had done.

“The Foreign Minister had an opportunity to demonstrate whether this government is supportive of Israel or hostile to it. The Foreign Minister made her choice,” Mr Ryvchin said.

“I would expect that if an international tribunal grossly exceeding its mandate threatened to arrest our Prime Minister and Defence Minister for leading a just war against terrorists who abducted our citizens, the government of Israel would stand shoulder to shoulder with us.”

The Howard government ratified the Rome Statute that created the ICC in 2002.

But Senator Cash said on the weekend that Australia had “grounds now to reconsider our membership of the organisation”.

The ICC accused Mr Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip, saying they “intentionally and knowingly deprived the civilian population in Gaza of ­objects indispensable to their ­survival, including food, water, and medicine and medical ­supplies, as well as fuel and ­electricity”.

Former Israeli air force chief Eitan Ben Eliyahu told The Australian that Australia’s refusal to stand with Israel and the US in repudiating the warrants was “disappointing”, as they would not help to end the wars in Gaza and Lebanon.

“If you want the war to be ended and you put our leaders in such a position, in fact, what you do is you put more drag on the process,” he said.

Major General Eliyahu, who will speak at the Canberra-Jerusalem Strategic Dialogue this week, said the time had come for Israel to try and bring its wars against Hamas and Hezbollah to an end and turn its attention to Iran.

He said military action against Iran “should be on the table” ­because “the work there has not been accomplished yet”.

“Everybody in the region is waiting for the next president of the United States. Maybe he will bring in a new atmosphere and new ideas?” Major General Eliyahu said.

He said Israel and the international community also needed to come up with a plan to ensure Gaza was never again controlled by Hamas.

“We have achieved enough in Gaza. The problem is, what will the day after bring?” he said.

As US-brokered ceasefire talks between Israel and Hezbollah inch closer towards an outcome, he said Israel had also achieved its military objectives in Lebanon.

Major General Eliyahu was granted a visa to enter Australia but another speaker due to address Wednesday’s dialogue, former Israeli justice minister Ayelet Shaked, was denied an entry permit on character grounds.

Ms Shaked was told by the Department of Home ­Affairs late on Thursday that her application for a visitor visa had been refused because she could vilify Australians or incite discord.

Major General Eliyahu said the decision was a case of overreach by the government.

“We are not talking about some major figure,” he said.

“Although she used to be a politician, she is not an active politician at that moment. So I think they went too far in order to prevent her from coming.”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/wong-refuses-to-condemn-icc-over-arrest-warrant-for-netanyahu/news-story/bb922f550474ad95fc0455bb09dd178e

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/22098934 (030907ZDEC24) Notable: Ed Husic pleas fall on deaf ears among divided Muslim community - The Muslim political campaign threatening to topple senior Labor ministers has declared it has no problem if its pro-Palestine push helped elect Peter Dutton, saying such a result would “demonstrate the impact” of its movement. But other Muslim leaders have urged voters to avoid “cutting their nose to spite their face”, saying inadvertently electing the Liberals would be a far worse prospect for the community’s hopes for Palestine. The ALP will likely incorporate The Muslim Vote’s stance as part of its campaign arsenal in southwest Sydney, where supportive elements from the community fear a protest vote could usher in a Liberal government far friendlier to Israel and more opposed to Palestinian statehood. Industry Minister Ed Husic, the country’s most senior Muslim politician, urged his community to not vote in “anger” against Labor, spruiking the government’s “advocacy” for Palestinian sovereignty and its record at the United Nations. “I think people can see the volume of work that we have done as a government, particularly in the last 12 months … We are trying to make sure that Australia’s voice is heard in the international arena on this issue,” Mr Husic said on Monday. But The Muslim Vote convener Wesam Charkawi rejected Mr Husic’s plea, urging Muslim voters who had been “neglected … for far too long” to take a stand against Labor at the ballot box. “(The Labor government) consistently held that Israel has a right to defend itself while Palestinians were being butchered,” Sheik Charkawi said: “(The government) refused to sanction Israel, refused to expel the Israeli ambassador, refused to call for an arms embargo, and refused on multiple occasions to call for an unconditional ceasefire.”

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Ed Husic pleas fall on deaf ears among divided Muslim community

ALEXI DEMETRIADI and ROSIE LEWIS - 2 December 2024

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The Muslim political campaign threatening to topple senior Labor ministers has declared it has no problem if its pro-Palestine push helped elect Peter Dutton, saying such a result would “demonstrate the impact” of its movement.

But other Muslim leaders have urged voters to avoid “cutting their nose to spite their face”, saying inadvertently electing the Liberals would be a far worse prospect for the community’s hopes for Palestine.

The ALP will likely incorporate The Muslim Vote’s stance as part of its campaign arsenal in southwest Sydney, where supportive elements from the community fear a protest vote could usher in a Liberal government far friendlier to Israel and more opposed to Palestinian statehood.

Industry Minister Ed Husic, the country’s most senior Muslim politician, urged his community to not vote in “anger” against Labor, spruiking the government’s “advocacy” for Palestinian sovereignty and its record at the United Nations.

“I think people can see the volume of work that we have done as a government, particularly in the last 12 months … We are trying to make sure that Australia’s voice is heard in the international arena on this issue,” Mr Husic said on Monday.

But The Muslim Vote convener Wesam Charkawi rejected Mr Husic’s plea, urging Muslim voters who had been “neglected … for far too long” to take a stand against Labor at the ballot box.

“(The Labor government) consistently held that Israel has a right to defend itself while Palestinians were being butchered,” Sheik Charkawi said: “(The government) refused to sanction Israel, refused to expel the Israeli ambassador, refused to call for an arms embargo, and refused on multiple occasions to call for an unconditional ceasefire.”

The organisation has spearheaded independent campaigns in southwest Sydney, where local doctor Ziad Basyouny is running against Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke in Watson and Cumberland councillor Ahmed Ouf against Education Minister Jason Clare in Blaxland.

The Muslim community is split on whether a “voice at the table” was preferable to a more overtly “pro-Palestine” independent member, and whether a vote in anger against Labor would inadvertently propel the Liberals into government – a prospect the majority of Muslim voters would be against, despite anger with the ALP.

But Sheik Charkawi said the two major parties were cut from the same cloth and the campaign wouldn’t change its approach in the event of any looming Liberal victory.

“It is possible to have an unintended consequence through some Liberal candidates winning. However, while this is not an objective or aim, Muslims aren’t afraid of a Liberal government,” he said.

The sheik would not comment on where the group or the independent candidates would preference Labor at next year’s election, leaving the door open to it placing the ALP below the Liberals – or even last – to help remove Mr Burke and Mr Clare, a real possibility.

“We’ve lived through John Howard, Tony Abbott and Scott Morrison, and have seen Labor target Muslims through the introduction of more counter-terror legislation than any other country, as well as the recent Trump-style draconian immigration laws,” Sheik Charkawi said.

“In this unlikely event (the campaign dumping Labor and inadvertently helping to elect the Liberal Party), it would demonstrate the impact of the Muslim Vote one way or another.”

But that possibility concerns some of the community’s leaders.

Although frustrated with elements of Labor’s approach, several Muslim leaders have privately criticised a prospect where a protest vote helps elect a Liberal Party much more friendly to the Netanyahu government in Israel and opposed to Palestinian statehood.

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Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/22111586 (050843ZDEC24) Notable: Labor condemned by Coalition, Jewish groups, over UN vote on Palestine - Peter Dutton has accused Anthony Albanese of selling out Israel to claw back votes in western Sydney after the government switched its vote in the UN to support Palestinian statehood and demand Israel’s withdrawal from the occupied territories. Jewish groups were outraged at the government’s decision to support the UN motion, which Australia has abstained from or opposed for more than two decades, accusing it of breaching a pre-election pledge to maintain strong support for Israel and avoid using foreign policy to play domestic politics. Australia joined 156 other countries on Wednesday morning AEDT to back the seven-page resolution urging “the realisation of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, primarily the right to self-determination and the right to their independent state”. Mr Dutton said the Prime Minister had abandoned Australian Jews “for votes”. “He sold the Jewish community out in this country for Green votes in western Sydney and in places like Marrickville (in Mr Albanese’s seat),” the Opposition Leader said. “I think we should be standing with allies like the United States. Instead, the Albanese government is chasing Green votes and they’ve been prepared to sacrifice the wellbeing of the Jewish community here in Australia to do so.”

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Labor condemned by Coalition, Jewish groups, over UN vote on Palestine

BEN PACKHAM and NOAH YIM - 5 December 2024

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Peter Dutton has accused Anthony Albanese of selling out Israel to claw back votes in western Sydney after the government switched its vote in the UN to support Palestinian statehood and demand Israel’s withdrawal from the occupied territories.

The move came as it emerged that Israel’s Foreign Minister dressed down Australia’s ambassador to the country over the government’s visa rejection for a former Israeli minister, accusing Labor of heeding “baseless blood libels” spread by the pro-Palestine lobby.

Jewish groups were outraged at the government’s decision to support the UN motion, which Australia has abstained from or opposed for more than two decades, accusing it of breaching a pre-election pledge to maintain strong support for Israel and avoid using foreign policy to play domestic politics.

Australia joined 156 other countries on Wednesday morning AEDT to back the seven-page resolution urging “the realisation of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, primarily the right to self-determination and the right to their independent state”.

It also called for a high-level conference in June to “urgently chart an irreversible pathway towards the peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine and the implementation of the two-state solution”.

Israel and the US were among eight nations to vote against the motion, together with Australia’s Pacific partners Papua New Guinea, Palau, Nauru and Micronesia.

Australia’s support for the resolution came just days after cabinet minister Ed Husic declared Labor needed “to fast-track sovereignty” for Palestinians, amid a looming electoral backlash by Muslim voters over the government’s handling of the war in Gaza.

Mr Dutton said the Prime Minister had abandoned Australian Jews “for votes”.

“He sold the Jewish community out in this country for Green votes in western Sydney and in places like Marrickville (in Mr Albanese’s seat),” the Opposition Leader said.

“I think we should be standing with allies like the United States. Instead, the Albanese government is chasing Green votes and they’ve been prepared to sacrifice the wellbeing of the Jewish community here in Australia to do so.”

The Greens have accused Labor of failing to do enough to support Palestinians, while cabinet ministers Tony Burke and Jason Clare are under immense pressure from disgruntled Muslim voters in their Sydney seats of Watson and Blaxland.

Mr Burke, the Home Affairs Minister, denied right-wing former Israeli justice minister Ayelet Shaked a visa to come to Australia last month on the grounds she could “vilify” Australians or “incite discord”.

Israeli media revealed the country’s Foreign Minister, Gideon Sa’ar, called in Australia’s ambassador, Ralph King, for an official reprimand on the issue on Monday.

“The decision prohibiting minister Shaked from visiting Australia was based on baseless blood libels spread by the pro-Palestinian lobby in Australia, and it is a shame that a friendly country like Australia chose to base it on them instead of the longstanding friendship between the countries,” he said.

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Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/22111604 (050851ZDEC24) Notable: ‘The two-state solution is absolutely dead,’ leading Palestinian advocate says - The prospect of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is dead, according to the leading Palestinian advocate in Australia, meaning Jewish and Arab residents will eventually need to live together on the land currently controlled by Israel. The Albanese government angered Israel and pleased Palestinian supporters on Wednesday by voting in favour of a United Nations resolution demanding Israel end its presence in the occupied Palestinian territories as soon as possible and calling for the evacuation of all settlers from the West Bank and Gaza. Australia had abstained or voted against similar motions since 2001, making the shift a significant departure from its previous position. Nasser Mashni, president of the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network, said establishing an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel would be akin to partitioning South Africa as a way to end apartheid in the 1990s. “The two-state solution is absolutely dead,” Mashni, whose organisation is the peak lobby group for Palestinian rights, told this masthead. “The driving force behind the idea of a two-state solution in the West has been about protecting Israel as a Jewish democratic state. But at some point the world will see that there are no two states, that Israel itself doesn’t want it. What we’re left with is one land, two peoples and two laws, and that’s apartheid.” He continued: “It was wrong in South Africa, and it is wrong in Palestine. We need to dismantle an apartheid regime and no one suggested the solution for apartheid in South Africa was separate black and white states.”

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>>276816

>>276827

‘The two-state solution is absolutely dead,’ leading Palestinian advocate says

Matthew Knott - December 5, 2024

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The prospect of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is dead, according to the leading Palestinian advocate in Australia, meaning Jewish and Arab residents will eventually need to live together on the land currently controlled by Israel.

The Albanese government angered Israel and pleased Palestinian supporters on Wednesday by voting in favour of a United Nations resolution demanding Israel end its presence in the occupied Palestinian territories as soon as possible and calling for the evacuation of all settlers from the West Bank and Gaza.

Australia had abstained or voted against similar motions since 2001, making the shift a significant departure from its previous position.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Australia had changed its stance to help create momentum for a two-state solution, an outcome she has repeatedly promoted as the only way to achieve security and justice for Israelis and Palestinians.

Nasser Mashni, president of the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network, said establishing an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel would be akin to partitioning South Africa as a way to end apartheid in the 1990s.

“The two-state solution is absolutely dead,” Mashni, whose organisation is the peak lobby group for Palestinian rights, told this masthead.

“The driving force behind the idea of a two-state solution in the West has been about protecting Israel as a Jewish democratic state.

“But at some point the world will see that there are no two states, that Israel itself doesn’t want it.

“What we’re left with is one land, two peoples and two laws, and that’s apartheid.”

He continued: “It was wrong in South Africa, and it is wrong in Palestine.

“We need to dismantle an apartheid regime and no one suggested the solution for apartheid in South Africa was separate black and white states.”

Mashni said Israel’s actions, including the dramatic expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, had made a two-state solution untenable.

He also pointed to the charter of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party, which explicitly opposes the creation of a Palestinian state, and comments by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich that he will advance legislation next year to annex the West Bank.

The resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will “ultimately be a matter of self-determination for the people who live there, not something the world can impose”, Mashni said.

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