The Labor candidate for the WA seat of Curtin, Melissa Parke, "has pulled out of the contest after reports she told a public meeting last month that Israel's treatment of Palestinians was 'worse than the South African system of apartheid'." (Labor's candidate for Curtin, Melissa Parke, withdraws from federal election race, abc.net.au, 12/4/19)
Parke didn't pull out - she was pushed out. And what's more, she was pushed out not for any wrongdoing on her part, but simply for stating the bleeding obvious.
The details of the push are still murky, and will likely remain so, but this will come as no surprise:
"ECAJ chief executive Alex Ryvchin said he had conveyed his concerns about Ms Parke to several Labor figures." (Jewish advocates label WA Labor's star pick for Curtin 'extreme and divisive', Nathan Hondros, watoday.com, 10/4/19)
Yet another example of the malign hold of the Israel lobby over Bill Shorten's Labor Party.
Presumably, the ideal Labor candidate/politician is one who does no more than mindlessly chant the 'two-state' solution mantra.
But, of course, the Israel lobby has an even greater hold over Morrison's Liberal Party.
Scott Morrison's principal private secretary, Yaron Finkelstein, described as "in charge of the political strategy of the office," and "a former advisor in the Howard government, and later the chief executive of heavyweight of Liberal campaign firm Crosby Textor," (Power behind the leaders, Sydney Morning Herald, 12/4/19) has some very interesting baggage indeed:
"The NSW Liberal Friends of Israel group was launched at NSW Parliament House in Sydney this week [15/8/12]... Chairman Yaron Finkelstein told J-wire: 'All Liberal State and Federal Members of Parliament from NSW have been asked to join the Liberal Friends of Israel, and be active participants in its programme of events which include intelligence and policy briefings, visiting speaker functions and ongoing Australian/Israeli political exchanges'." (NSW Liberal Friends of Israel, Henry Benjamin, jwire.com, 15/8/12)
Did anyone dare decline?
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2 comments:
Judging by her Twitter feed, a lot of people are urging Melissa Parke to stand as an independent. We certainly need the caliber of her experience and intellect in Aus politics.
Thanks MERC for a truely surreal post, even in the context of Zio/Aust politics.
I never cease to be amazed.
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