Doing the Donkey* in the NSW Knesset 8

On the speech of The Right Hon. Paul Green, Christian Democrats, in the NSW Legislative Assembly, arising out of the NSW Parliamentary Friends of Israel (PFoI) "study mission" 'debate' of March 14:

This'll be blessedly short. Promise!

First, a Green on Greens attack:

"It was disappointing that my wife and I were the only Greens on the trip. I would have been pleased if other Greens from the full crossbench of the Upper House had joined us. While I appreciate that opinions on issues vary significantly within The Greens - as was evidenced when they voted on the BDS motion - I was disappointed they did not take part in this very valuable study trip... Perhaps next time The Greens might take up the invitation of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies."

But it was more kids than comedy on Green's mind. In particular the kids of the Middle East's only Stalingrad, Sderot:

"[H]ow blessed Australians are to be able to send their children to school without a second thought. Our children return home after school and we all get on with our lives. Imagine the stress of parents in Sderot who must constantly wonder what will happen to their children on any school day... Some 75% of these children suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder..."

And he was off, droning on and on about a study of Sderot's middle schoolers, which reportedly showed that "nearly half" suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, and laboriously detailing how they were taught to "cope with anger and loss." You will, of course, be pleased to know that, as a result, "of the 48 pupils who had been diagnosed with PTSD in the intervention group, only 13 were still exhibiting symptoms 4 months later."

Needless to say, of the thousands and thousands of sufferers of permanent-traumatic stress disorder and worse across the border in Gaza, Green had nothing to say.

Finally, cop this:

"The tour group visited Gush Etzion Settlement Block at Efrat. The mayor of Efrat was one of my favourites. As a former mayor I was able to appreciate the work he does with the Arab settlements."

Yes, you heard correctly - Arab settlements! Only in the NSW Knesset!

Next in the Doing the Donkey in the NSW Knesset: David - I just can't take this shit anymore! -Shoebridge, MLC. Stay tuned.

[*See my 2/3/13 post Doing the Donkey.]