Chopper Baird Toasts Israeli Apartheid

Fresh from giving the chop to Sydney's iconic street trees, NSW Premier Mike (Chopper) Baird recently took time off to toast the apartheid state on the 68th anniversary of its giving the chop to historic Palestine:

"Over 650 people heard NSW Premier Mike Baird speak of his recent trip to Israel at the Yom Ha'aztmaut* celebration in Sydney. Held at the city's Shangri-La Hotel and organised by the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies and the ZCNSW, Premier Baird was joined on the dias by Israel's ambassador to Australia Shmuel Ben-Shmuel. The Premier spoke of the impact Yad Vashem made on him and how the trade mission he was on would strengthen relations between Israel and NSW."  (Yom Ha'atzmaut: Sydney, jwire.com.au, 13/5/16)

A most solemn occasion, no doubt, but one not entirely devoid of Zionist comedy, with exiled NSW Jewish Board of Deputies president Jeremy Spinak saying:

a) that as well as celebrating "a successful nation... we also reaffirm our commitment to ensure that we never face exile again";

b) that "never again will the Jewish people sing Hatikvah from hostile and unwelcoming lands," meaning, presumably, that the Zionist national anthem went unsung on the night; and

c) that "everyday Palestinians and Israelis want peace," by which he meant, presumably, the handful of Palestinians willing to settle for peace at any price, and the thumping 75% of Israelis who want peace... but not if it means giving up occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank.

[*Israeli Independence Day; **Jerusalem Centre for Public Affairs, October 2014]