"Divisions within the ALP over Middle East policy are set to flare at next month's NSW conference over a push to ban Labor MPs, officials and Young Labor members from accepting subsidised trips to Israel. The proposal has been put forward by the group Labor Friends of Palestine. The motion states that while Benjamin Netanyahu's government 'continues settlements, refuses a Palestinian state [and] brutally mistreats Arab residents of the West Bank,' that no ALP officer, MP or Young Labor member 'accept a paid trip from the Israel Lobby'." (Push to ban Labor officials from lobby trips to Israel, Sean Nicholls, Sydney Morning Herald, 20/1/16)
While any step in this direction is welcome, it speaks volumes about the ALP that its ranks are filled with those so ignorant and unprincipled that a motion such as the above has to be moved in the first place.
"The push is in response to a perception of an increase in approaches to Labor MPs and officials to take the trips following the passage of resolutions at ALP conferences."
How interesting! So far no one has breathed a word on who said what to whom. One day perhaps?
It'll be fascinating to see how the recently rambammed (12/14) Kaila Murnain, now NSW Labor's general-secretary, will vote on this one. One-to-watch!
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The Labor Party Israel Lobby moved very swiftly on this one, by contrast to any other issue debated within Labor.
Look for the usual suspects lining up to speak for the Bandit State in angry tones.
Considering the facts and the long term trend of opinion polling in Australia on the Palestine/Israel issue revealed by Peter Manning [Google], Labor has a simple choice: values v donations.
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