If you're into leafy greens, you'll know that some are more nutritious than others. A pale green iceberg lettuce, for example, has nowhere near the nutritional content of a deep green spinach. So choosing spinach over iceberg lettuce is a no brainer, right?
Not, apparently, if you're The Australian Greens. Their federal parliamentary wing has just elected an iceberg lettuce, Richard Di Natale, as their new leader.
If you think I'm being a bit too hard on Richard, well, it's not without reason. After all, he's on record as saying that NSW Greens support for BDS was a "huge mistake," and calling for international sanctions against Syria. That's Syria, mind you, not Israel! (See my posts Picking Off The Greens (16/6/12) and Hypocrites Unmasked (2/1/14).)
How limp is that?
Our Greens would be well advised to take a (spinach) leaf out of the UK Green Party's book:
"As Britain prepares to go to the polls in two weeks, the Green Party has stuck by its support for a boycott of Israel, the only mainstream party to take such a position. Speaking to The Jewish Chronicle last Friday, Green Party leader Natalie Bennett emphasised that 'the boycott of Israel is Green Party policy.' She added, 'We need to get the message across to the Israeli state. It needs to comply with international law and human rights.'
"The Green Party manifesto calls for the suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, the framework for a preferential trade deal and other areas of cooperation. Bennett stressed that the 'agreement should be contingent on respecting human rights and international law,' and that 'until Israel is in compliance with international law, I don't think we should have that trade deal.' She also backed an Israel arms embargo and the use of 'diplomatic pressure to push Israel to respect international law and UN resolutions.'
"Meanwhile, the Green Party candidate for Richmond and Twickenham drew the ire of the Board of Deputies of British Jews last week for describing Israel as 'a racist state and an apartheid state' at an Amnesty International-organised hustings. Asked how she would tackle Israel's violations of international law, Tanya Williams, stated that Britain needs 'to stop supporting Israel, whether that's trading arms with them or politically, or treating them like a beacon of democracy in the Middle East which they are not.' Highlighting Israel's destruction of Palestinian infrastructure and violations of the Geneva Convention, Williams compared Israel to apartheid South Africa, saying: 'I think it is time to stand up to the myth that Israel and Palestine are both equal participants in this conflict'." (Ahead of elections, Green Party stands by Israel boycott stance, middleeastmonitor.com, 20/4/15)
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2 comments:
@After all, he's on record as saying that NSW Greens support for BDS was a "huge mistake," and calling for international sanctions against Syria.
After all, was not THAT the reason why he was put there?
Thanks for the information MERC. These days few have the time to wade through the lies and spin. I'm regreting my votes for The Greens now. They are now on notice.
Bravo for the British Greens.
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