Marching Orders

"NSW Labor leader John Robertson has slammed the BDS movement ahead of a key vote at the University of Sydney tomorrow [8/5] - but at least one of his backbenchers is refusing to toe the line. Members of the Student Representative Council will push to overturn a call for an end of relations between Sydney University and [Israel's] renowned Technion... Labor-aligned students could decide the outcome and The Australian understands they are being lobbied by Labor MPs." (Labor split over Israel boycott, Christian Kerr, 7/5/13)

Thus slammed Robbo:

"I and the ALP unequivocally reject the BDS and academic, cultural and commercial boycotts of Israel and Israeli institutions. We successfully campaigned against the BDS in the state seat of Marrickville at the last election, and I've proudly visited a Max Brenner outlet in an act of solidarity against the BDS movement." (ibid)

OK, that was in yesterday's Australian. Let's see what revelations Christian has for us today:

"Moves to counter a motion of support for the BDS movement in academe are expected to fail when the University of Sydney SRC meets tonight." (Anti-BDS move at Sydney Uni tipped to fail)

Really?

Now it just so happens that I've acquired a 'Made in the Technion' listening device which looks to the untrained eye just like an ordinary house fly - fell off the back of a truck if you must know - and it's currently rubbing its little legs together atop the bagel sitting on CEO Vic Alhadeff's desk over at the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies HQ* and transmitting his half of an extraordinarily cryptic phone call:

'Listen, Robbo, this is serious, existential actually. It's not enough just to talk the talk like you did in yesterday's Australian, OK? Students don't read the Murdoch press. You've gotta walk the walk, know what I mean? Right! So get your ass into gear and head over to the campus NOW and kick ass or head or whatever other part of the student anatomy takes your fancy, understand!'

Can't imagine what that'd be all about.

[*"Our response to BDS forms part of a coordinated national strategy... endorsed by counterparts abroad and Israel's Foreign Ministry. That response has included... engagement with civil society and politicians, patronage of boycotted outlets, cooperation with police, shop owners and centre managers, and exposure of the motives behind the BDS movement." (BDS explained, Vic Alhadeff , AJN, 29/7/11) See my 15/9/11 post Wielding Zionism's Big Stick in the Senate.]