The Israelification of the NSW Police Force

How interesting:

"The NSW Police Force has been ordered to publish an apology and implement racial vilification training for senior officers after a tribunal found a police training exercise in October 2017 racially vilified Palestinians and Arabs and portrayed them as potential terrorists.

"'Exercise Pantograph' featured hundreds of police... at Sydney's Central Station as though they were responding to a terrorist event... During the exercise, two officers pretending to be 'active armed offenders' wore headscarves as they boarded a train, simulated stabbing and shooting people, held hostages, then tried to escape before being caught by police. The pretend offenders displayed the Islamic State flag during the exercise, pushed people to the floor, held train passengers at gunpoint, and held up their index fingers in a salute notoriously associated with Islamic State." (From Police to apologise for 'vilifying Arabs' in terrorism exercise, Georgina Mitchell, Sydney Morning Herald, 3/5/19)

No mention here, you'll note, of how the hapless commuters managed to cope with this kind of treatment, but, hey, who, in this neoliberal police state, gives a stuff about them? (Anyone btw who thinks my use of the term 'police state' a tad hyperbolic, might like to peruse the article NSW: moving to a police state, Ugur Nedim, Sydney Criminal Lawyers, 19/9/16)

To continue:

"Yesterday, two members of the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) found the headscarves were not necessary and would have been recognised by the public as keffiyehs, used by Palestinian and Arab communities. The use of the headscarves had the capacity to encourage members of the public to believe, 'Palestinians and/or Arabs were to be feared, despised, hated, and/or held in serious contempt as possibly or probably being terrorists', especially given that it was NSW Police who used them, NCAT found."

Now there's a backstory to this, but, predictably, you won't find anyone alluding to it in mainstream media outlets. For one thing their memory's too short. For another they're running scared.

As the posts filed under my 'NSW Police' label indicate, since the election of the Liberal O'Farrell/Baird/ Berejiklian NSW state governments (2011-), the boys in blue have displayed what can only be described as an extraordinary, even Zionist, interest in anyone in the state seeking to draw attention to the plight of the Palestinians.

But why? Maybe the following snippet provides a clue:

"Police officers in NSW will take part in a seminar where they will be taught about the threat of terrorism faced by Jews and Israelis, the history of Zionism and the Jewish community's connection to the Holy Land. The course... is being conducted by the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies (JBD) and the Communal Security Group (CSG) for members of the police forces' anti-terrorism unit." (Israel 101 course for police, The Australian Jewish News, 28/10/11)

My post on that is titled Israel 101 for Cops, 28/10/11, but feel free to read through the other 11 posts on this subject and be amazed at just how focused the NSW Police have been on pro-Palestinian activism. Oh, and enjoy your next train ride.

Mike Baird: Next Year in Jerusalem

Just an update on NSW Premier Mike (Messiah) Baird, the company he keeps, and that bizarre pre-election promise about visiting Israel. (And why do I have to update you on these matters? Because the msm doesn't/won't go there):

"More than 600 have joined in a belated celebration of Israel's 67th birthday in Sydney (organised by the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, the Executive Council of Australian Jewry and the Zionist Council of NSW) in which Baird was the guest of honour. In his speech he said: 'I'm honoured to join the Jewish community in celebrating the success of the State of Israel this Independence Day and I wish the people of Israel stability and a lasting peace on this national day of celebration. One of the first election commitments I made after becoming Premier was to visit Israel, and I'm pleased to announce I will be headed there next year. Our diplomatic relationship with Israel is helped greatly by our cultural and business links within Sydney's Jewish community and I look forward to visiting next year. Friends celebrate milestones and are engaged in each other's history and culture, which is why next year I am going to celebrate Independence Day in Jerusalem.'... The event was attended by a plethora of diplomats, politicians and interfaith identities. Among the specially invited guests... was NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione." (Yom Ha'azmaut* celebrated in Sydney, jwire.com.au, 8/5/15)

Questions arising:

Diplomats? Who?  

Politicians? Let me guess.  

Interfaith identities? Now who might they be?  

Andrew Scipione? Why???

[*For those of you interested in what actually goes on at a Yom Ha'azmaut shindig, pop on over to the J-Wire website and click on the Yom Ha'azmaut - Melbourne video. You won't be disappointed. It's an absolute hoot!]

PAGS Press Release 2

20 August

Palestine protest going ahead on Thursday after court decision: now meeting at Taylor Square

"A protest against the opening night of the Israeli Film Festival will be held at Taylor Square at 5.30pm on Thursday, despite today's judgment in the Supreme Court of NSW. Protest organisers have condemned the court for upholding NSW Police's decision not to facilitate the protest, which was originally called outside the Palace Verona Cinema in Paddington, the cinema hosting the festival.

"In handing down his decision on Wednesday, the Supreme Court's Justice Hidden stressed that the courts do not have the right to either ban or to authorize protests. All the court has done is remove the immunity from prosecution that participants would otherwise have if disruption to the road is caused. Nevertheless, today's decision has effectively banned the protest from going ahead in the form the organisers had chosen.

"'This has every appearance of a politically motivated bid to silence pro-Palestine activists,' said Nick Riemer from Sydney Staff for BDS, one of the coalition of groups organising the protest. 'The court apparently doesn't think the right to protest is important enough to justify the same traffic arrangements which would easily be made for a burst water-main or a broken down bus. This should be of grave concern to everyone committed to political freedom in our society.'...

"Today's decision recalls the banning of a protest against against the Gaza war in Paris last month. It comes in the context of tightening restrictions on the right to protest in Australia. Victoria and Tasmania have both recently introduced laws which restrict protesters' rights... Organisers have decided that Thursday's protest to draw attention to Israel's ongoing war on Gaza will assemble at Taylor Square at 5.30pm. Israeli attacks have now killed over 2,000 Palestinians..."

PAGS Press Release 1

19 August

Palestine supporters will not be silenced in the fight against Israeli apartheid

"In a setback for civil liberties, NSW Supreme Court judge Peter Hidden today handed down a decision against a protest organised by the Palestine Action Group Sydney.

"Damian Ridgwell, who appeared in court on behalf of the group, said that 'While mindful of the court's decision, we will pursue whatever avenues are open to us to exercise the right to protest. We will decide tonight on the form our protest will now take. But make no mistake, this decision will not silence us.'

"The PAG will be making their voices heard tomorrow night to protest against the Israeli Film Festival, which opens at the Verona Cinema in Paddington. Damian Ridgwell stated, 'That this event would be hosted in the immediate aftermath of Israel's obliteration of almost 2,000 Palestinians, over 400 of whom were children, is deeply offensive.'

"Ridgwell went on to add, 'Now the reopening of Israel's bombing raids has taken more Palestinian lives. Cultural events like the IFF are designed to whitewash Israel's genocide against the Palestinians. We intend to publicly counter this vile propaganda.'

"The IFF is run by the Australia Israel Cultural Exchange, which was launched by Benjamin Netanyahu, the war criminal who has presided over the current massacre of Palestinians in Gaza. While Israel denies the Palestinians their freedoms, cultural or otherwise, people of conscience must boycott Israeli cultural and academic institutions."

***

One has to ask oneself here why it is that only rallies in support of Palestine are receiving this extraordinary level of attention from the NSW police. If you believe with Dr Phil that the best predictor of present and future behaviour is past behaviour, you might like to peruse the following posts of mine, beginning with Israel 101 for Cops (28/10/11), followed by NSW Police Seek to Can Nakba Commemoration (13/5/12), Police v Langosch (16/5/12) and Nakba Day Backlash 1-3 (17-19/5/12). Simply click on the 'NSW Police' label below.

NSW Police Seek to Can BDS Protest

Here we go again:

"Police have applied to the supreme court to stop a pro-Palestinian protest at the Israeli Film Festival in Sydney, in a move organisers have described as an attack on their right to protest. Palestine Action Group Sydney has organised the protest for Thursday night at Palace cinemas in Oxford Street when the IFF, which is run by the Australia Israel Cultural Exchange (AICE), arrives in Sydney.

"Damian Ridgwell, 28, a founder of PAGS, was served on Friday evening by two police officers with the summons to appear in the supreme court. The summons... says police have made an application under the Summary Offences Act 1988 to 'prohibit the holding of a public assembly'. No reason is given... which Ridgwell says will put him at a disadvantage when he fronts the court. 'I think they are going to try to say it will disrupt traffic but if you go by that logic there would never be any protests in Australia, almost every single one of them disrupts traffic,' he said. 'It is not just or fair to deny our right to protest... why is it that pro-Palestinian protesters have to fight for their right to protest?'" (NSW police try to stop pro-Palestinian protest at Israeli Film Festival, Bridie Jabour, theguardian.com, 17/8/14)

To interrupt at this point: you'll remember the unsuccessful attempt by the NSW police to use the supreme court to ban a Nakba Day march in Sydney in 2012, a blatantly political move arising out of links between the then NSW (O'Farrell) government and the Israel lobby. For the details, see my posts NSW Police Seek to Can Nakba Commemoration (13/5/12); Police v Langosch (16/5/12); and Nakba Day Backlash 1-3 (17/5/12-19/5/12)

"Ridgwell said AICE was a 'legitimate target' of protest because of its support for Israel... and called it a 'highly political group'. PAGS is a supporter of the BDS campaign against Israel, and the group argues for cultural and economic boycotts. Ridgwell said he was expecting about 1,000 people at the protest on Thursday evening. 'We are all horrified by Israel's massacre and people feel the response of the Australian government has been appalling,' he said. NSW police are also asking the PAG to cover its court costs.

"AICE was established in 2002 and focuses on literature, film, music, visual and plastic arts, drama, dance and architecture. On its website it describes itself as an 'outward focused, inclusive body, advancing the exchange of culture between Australia and Israel as a means of encouraging art and artistic links'... AICE has been conducted for comment. NSW police did not comment on the application on Sunday." (ibid)

It should be noted her that AICE is the brainchild of Melbourne developer and influential Israel lobbyist Albert Dadon, whose other progeny include the Australia-Israel Leadership Forum (See my 25/10/10 post Record Rambam), and the Australia-UK-Israel Leadership Dialogue (See my 4/11/12 post Pollies in Love-In). On Dadon, see also my 12/4/14 post The Carr Diary 3: A Mere Flash in the Pan Really.

The matter is being heard in the NSW Supreme Court at 9am this morning. Watch this space...

Doing the Donkey* in the NSW Knesset 12

On the speech of of The Hon. Trevor Khan, National Party, in the NSW Legislative Assembly, arising out of the NSW Parliamentary Friends of Israel (PFoI) "study mission" 'debate' of March 14:

Trev's a no-nonsense man, bless him. Back in 2011 when his MLC colleagues were 'debating' BDS in the Upper House, he dismissed BDS protesters as a bunch of ratbags,* and this time around, he's given the whole bloody Parliamentary Friends of Anywhere the big thumbs down:

"I have made a deliberate decision not to be a member of the NSW PFoI, the NSW PFo Lebanon or any group in that regard. In my view, the issues of the Middle East are extraordinarily complex and it is impossible to be a member of one group without offending the other groups. As I have said in other circumstances, my concern is that we live in a liberal democracy and a melting pot of cultures. All cultures must be respected in our country, whether it is in respect of this conflict or the conflict in my grandfather's country, India. If we bring those disputes to Australia we risk bringing upon ourselves a nightmare of ethnic and religious disputes that we will always regret and that has been reflected in part in some of the debate today."

Trev reckons that Max Brenner bloke's got a lot to answer for:

"I remember standing here dealing with the famous issue of Max Brenner and The Greens' passion in that respect. One can only be left appalled with regards to the hysteria that he is capable of bringing to a debate simply because of some bizarre political reason."

But hey, Shaoquett Moselmane's a top bloke:

"The passion The Hon. Shaoquett Moselmane brings to this debate is different. He is to be congratulated on the passion he brings both to the broader ethnic community, and not just the Christians or Muslims."

Alas, despite his down-to-earth, no-nonsense approach, Trev still seems clueless when it comes to the mob who are really stirring the ethnic and religious pot in the NSW Knesset:

"I pay tribute to the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies for encouraging and assisting this tour to go ahead..."

Be that as it may, the absolute final word fell to fellow Nat and mover of the original motion, Rick Colless:

Having taken the plunge and chugalugged the Zionist Kool-Aid like a schoolie on a bender in Bali, Colless' reply lays bare the truly shocking mental price he's paid for such foolishness:

"The Hon. Shaoquett Moselmane said that what was originally Palestine is now Israel. As he would know, originally Palestine includes all of Jordan, so why are the Palestinians not forcing themselves back into Jordan? Most Jordanian people are of Palestinian origin. There is more to the story than simply saying that Israel has taken their land. The honourable member made reference to the Gaza Strip. The 2006 election gave Hamas control of Gaza and the Jews and Christians living there left because they knew what would happen. Some 18 months later, Hamas threw about 600 Fatah people off roofs and killed them. All of these issues must be considered."

Where does one even begin with this guy?

Needless to say, the NSW Knesset being the NSW Knesset, the motion was put and resolved in the affirmative.

To sum up, although the subject of Palestine/Israel has cropped up before in state politics, this time around we seem to be witnessing a concerted move by the Israel lobby to achieve the kind of full spectrum dominance, to borrow the American military term, it already takes for granted in the federal sphere.

I've already marshaled much of the supporting evidence in my 5/8/12 post Israel Now Core NSW Government Business, but here I go again:

Under Baruch O'Farrell's regime we've so far seen:

1) A threat to sack the pro-BDS Marrickville Council in 2011.
2) The inauguration of a Liberal Friends of Israel in August 2012, part of whose activities reportedly involve "intelligence and policy briefings."
3) The further inauguration of a Parliamentary Friends of Israel.
4) The announcement, at a June 2012 Israel Independence Day function, of the formation of a parliamentary committee to revamp NSW's anti-vilification laws. (With a view to criminalising anti-Zionism, BDS?) Note that he also swore, at the same function, to "reaffirm his unwavering commitment to Israel."
5) NSW Police trying (but failing) to prevent a Nakba march taking place in the NSW Supreme Court in May last year (See my 13/5/12 post NSW Police Seek to Can Nakba Commemoration).
6) Jewish Board of Deputies seminars for the NSW Police (See my 28/10/11 post Israel 101 for Cops).
7) The great BDS 'debate' of September 2011, the subject of my Witches Brew series.
8) The January 2013 PFoI 'study tour' to Israel and resulting 'debate', the subject of this Doing the Donkey in the NSW Knesset series.
9) The holding of functions in state parliament occasioned by events in the Jewish religious calendar. (For example, a November 2012 pre-Chanukah function in which the premier revealed that his name was the equivalent of Baruch in Hebrew.)

I rest my case.

[*See my 2/3/13 post Doing the Donkey.]

Nakba Day Backlash 3

Streets of hate screamed the front page headline of the May 18 Australian Jewish News.

My trembling fingers turned the page, expecting a suitable follow up, such as Jack-booted pro-Palestinian storm troopers smash Jewish-owned shops in Sydney CBD, but found only Hezbollah flags fly at march. A bit of a let down that one, but on I pressed, my already bloodshot eyes scanning the opening paragraph:

"Pro-Palestinian protestors [sic] compared Israel to Hitler, waived Hezbollah flags and were joined by one of Australia's most infamous neo-Nazis when they marked Al-Nakba Day on Tuesday night. Less than 200 people turned out for the protest in the centre of Sydney; however, they forced NSW Police to stop traffic as they marched along George, Market, Pitt and King Streets."

OMG, all of that? They didn't?!

Afraid so, as the AJN's fearless reporter, Joshua Levi, went on to confirm:

"A female spokesperson at the rally quoted Hitler when she alleged that Israel is spreading lies about the Palestinians. 'Hitler said that the great masses of the people will more easily fall victims to a big lie than to a small one and that is what Israel is doing'."

Good God! Doesn't she know that Israel alone decides who quotes Hitler and the manner in which he is quoted?

"[Patrick] Langosch also said he didn't have a problem with people waving Hezbollah flags, despite the fact it is considered a terrorist organisation by the Australian government."

A terrorist organisation? Young Joshua has obviously not read my 11/3/10 post Who's Afraid of Hezbollah?

"However, [Langosch] seemed to sing from a different tune..."

Er, I think that's 'hymn book', Josh.

"... when it came to one of Australia's most infamous neo-Nazis, Ross 'The Skull' May, who marched with the protest. 'Ross May was not there as part of our demonstration' [, said Langosch]. 'He was informed that he was not part of the demonstration and he was not welcome... because he is a known neo-Nazi'."

Ross 'The Skull' May? You're kidding me! You mean he's still alive? Or is this - like - an Elvis sighting?

OK, so he tags along? My God, even, such is their chutzpah, Zionists do that:

"Ruby Jacenko, a 22-year-old who was at the rally to show her support for Israel and reject claims by the marchers, said she didn't feel safe. 'I had two older men go out of their way to intimidate me so I stayed nice and close to the police', Jacenko said."

Ruby Jacenko? You're kidding me! You mean the proud bachelorette, lifestyle blogger and occasional drama queen who beats up on little sister, Roxy, drives a top-of-the-line Range Rover, sports a white gold Rolex and carries a Fendi bag?

Frankly, I'd be more worried about the two older men. Those Fendis can do some damage in a crowd  let me tell you!

Man! Ross and Ruby - separated by less than 200 people!  Who'd have thought? Can you see now why I sooo love the Australian Jewish News?

But there was more... The AJN is a gift that just keeps on giving. There was the AJN 's editorial, The oxygen of publicity.

"Rally organiser Patrick Langosch even thanked the police force for its intervention. 'The NSW Police have done more to get people to this demonstration then [sic] we could ever hope for', he told The AJN at the rally. But just in case the police didn't do enough to help them publicise their cause, NSW Supreme Court Justice Christine Adamson served up a little more assistance in her ruling."

Now let me get this straight. Someone - no names, no pack-drill - puts the plods up to this, but it's the plods and Justice Adamson who *cop* the criticism! That's chutzpah for you.

Police v Langosch

Further to the attempt by NSW Police to compromise the commemoration of Nakba Day in the NSW Supreme Court on Monday (See my posts NSW Police Seek to Can Nakba Commemoration (13/5/12); I Am Tickled Pink to Announce... (14/5/12)), I draw your attention to two key findings of Justice Christine Adamson in the case, Commissioner of Police v Langosch [2012] NSWSC 499 (14/5/12).

The first constitutes perhaps the first reference ever in Australian case law to An-Nakba, the ethnic cleansing of most of Palestine by Zionist forces in 1948-1949.

In addition, in a state dominated either by parliamentary spear carriers for Israel (see my Witches Brew posts 17/9/11-17/12/11) or MLCs and MLAs who failed to speak out against the outrageous Legislative Council 'debate' of September 15 2011, Justice Adamson's acknowledgement of the importance of An-Nakba to the Palestinians perhaps goes some way in reassuring us of the continuing and vital independence of the NSW judiciary:

"28 The purpose of the public assembly is to commemorate the day on which Palestinians were dispossessed from areas which now form part of the State of Israel. This year, 2012, Nakba Day, 15 May, falls on a weekday. I do not regard it as reasonable to expect persons commemorating a particular date to defer or bring forward its commemoration so that it can be commemorated on a weekend. Nakba Day ought to be regarded as a day which, like ANZAC Day, Christmas Day or Australia Day, is referable to a particular date which is not movable. This is of significance since objection is taken by reason of the fact that the public assembly is to occur on a weekday, rather than on a weekend."

Likewise, her defence of basic democratic principles is most encouraging:

"34 Were I to have made the order sought by the plaintiff, I would be inhibiting, albeit in a small way, the right to freedom of expression and assembly. In refusing the order, I am, also in a small way, providing some sanction to a significant disruption to the routines of many commuters on a single evening and delaying their arrivals home by minutes if not hours."

All of which means that Justice Adamson is now potentially fair game for the usual suspects in the Murdoch press and The Australian Jewish News.

Watch this space.

I Am Tickled Pink to Announce...

... that the aforementioned NSW Police case against the organiser of tomorrow's Nakba commemoration rally and march in Sydney has been dismissed in the NSW Supreme Court. Said rally and march to proceed, full steam ahead.

A wonderful victory for common sense and basic human rights.

NSW Police Seek to Can Nakba Commemoration

"Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association." Article 20(1) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)

In response to the organisation of a Nakba commemoration march for May 15 (6 pm) from Sydney Town Hall, the traditional Sydney venue for political rallies and marches, the NSW Police have taken the unprecedented step of going to the Supreme Court tomorrow, May 14 (10 am) to demand that the rally be moved to a different location and the march cancelled. That this is happening against the backdrop of the trial in Melbourne of 19 BDS activists arrested at a peaceful demonstration outside a Max Brenner outlet last year can hardly be coincidental. (See my 28/4/12 post Australian Activism Goes on Trial.)

These attempts by the police forces of NSW and Victoria to suppress public expressions of solidarity with the Palestinian people are something never before witnessed in this country and should be of the gravest concern to anyone who values human rights.

The question is: who or what is driving this apparently concerted attack on our most basic human rights?

I, of course, am as in the dark as the rest of you, but two documents in particular have appeared in the public domain (in The Australian Jewish News to be specific) which would seem to be relevant to the phenomenon we are currently witnessing.

In my 15/9/11 post Wielding Zionism's Big Stick in the Senate, I quoted these words of Vic Alhadeff, chief executive of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies:

"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... cooperation with police..."

And in my 28/10/11 post Israel 101 for Cops, I quoted the same individual speaking about the provision of a seminar for NSW Police in which his organisation would lecture the plods on such subjects as terrorist threats to Jews and Israel, the history of Zionism, and the Jewish community's connection to the Holy Land:

"It's to inform them and assist  them in their work when they are dealing with issues that come up... This is testament to the close and strong working relationship between the NSW Jewish community, through the CSG (Communal Security Group), and the NSW Police... Informing them on these issues can only be positive in terms of the way the police deal with situations going forward."

Interestingly, as far as I'm aware, the Melbourne trial of the Max Brenner 19 has drawn zero ms media coverage. To my surprise, however, there was some coverage tonight of the Sydney story on SBS Television's 6.30 pm news bulletin, but try as I might, I couldn't find it on SBS' website. What gives here?

Israel 101 for Cops

"Police officers in NSW will take part in a seminar where they will be taught about the threat of terrorism faced by Jews and Israel, the history of Zionism and the Jewish community's connection to the Holy Land. The course, which will be run for the first time next month, is being conducted by the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies (JBD) and the Communal Security Group (CSG) for members of the police force's anti-terrorism unit. JBD chief executive Vic Alhadeff said that the police had requested the seminar. 'It's to inform them and assist them in their work when they are dealing with issues that come up, and full credit to them for this initiative in approaching us', Alhadeff said. 'This is testament to the close and strong working relationship between the NSW Jewish community, through the CSG, and the NSW Police. Informing them on these issues can only be a positive in terms of the way the police deal with situations going forward', he said." (Israel 101 course for police, The Australian Jewish News, 28/10/11)

So Vic was just sitting at his desk twiddling his thumbs one day when, quite out of the blue, he got a call from the NSW Police: 'Constable Plod 'ere. We wanna learn all about the threat of terrorism faced by Jews and Israel, and while we're at it, the history of Zionism and the Jewish community's connection to the Holy Land, OK?' Right.

Frankly, I'm getting a little worried about Vic's memory. Why should this call from PC Plod have been so completely unexpected? After all hadn't Vic written in The Australian Jewish News only last month: "Our response to BDS forms part of a coordinated 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." (See my 15/9/11 post Wielding Zionism's Big Stick in the Senate.) And hadn't his mate in the NSW Legislative Council, Walt Secord, lectured the government thus: "With the BDS gaining support, the NSW Government and the Police Minister must ensure that companies with an Israeli connection are protected and are not unfairly treated." (See my 27/6/11 post An Israeli-Occupied Mind.) Not to mention the plods who once dropped in at Leichhardt Council's library just to say hi. (See my 26/5/08 post A Tale of Two Exhibitions.)

On the other hand, he did acknowledge the close and strong relationship between the NSW Jewish community, through its CSG, and the NSW Police, did he not?

Seriously though, whatever the genesis of Israel 101, it sure raises some issues:

1)Informing them on these issues can only be a positive in terms of the way the police deal with situations going forward, he said. Situations? What kind of situations, Vic? BDS situations? How will a Zionist-indoctrinated NSW police force deal with BDS situations? More aggressively perhaps? Watch this space.

2) Will the constabulary be provided with such priceless propaganda as the Board of Deputies glossy 2008 booklet: The Arab-Israel Conflict & the Peace Process: An Overview? If so, they'll be getting such cutting-edge codswallop as this, on the touchstone issue of the Palestinian Nakba of 1948:

"Obviously many, if not most, of the refugees fled... simply to avoid the dangers of remaining in a war zone. However, Arab sources accuse the Jewish forces of a concerted terror campaign aimed at removing the Arab population. An Israeli response is to point to documented Arab calls for the inhabitants of the area to leave their homes and make way for an Arab invasion, and to a serious effort by Israel to persuade the Arab population to remain. The issue is still the subject of intense historical controversy, since the events took place in the heat of war, and most of the historical conclusions are politically motivated. Both of the conflicting descriptions of the events probably have an element of the truth, depending on the exigencies of full-scale war. For example, the Jewish leadership in the mixed city of Haifa made a point of attempting to persuade the Arab population to remain in place, a call which was resolutely rejected in order to clear the way for the expected bombardment and invasion of the city*. On the other hand some of those who occupied strategically critical areas in the centre of the country between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem were displaced, and others fled as a consequence of the highly coloured reports in the Arab media. In particular, lurid tales are still told about the deaths of the inhabitants of the village of Deir Yassin, which the Irgun insisted occurred unintentionally in the course of a battle to secure the Jerusalem-Tel Aviv road. Essentially, however, the Arab exodus was a result of the fact that the war of 1947-1949 took place, in the sense that if there had been no invasion and a peaceful partition had been completed then it is unlikely that any substantial emigration would have occurred." (Causes of the exodus, pp 23-24)

3) If Vic Alhadeff ever becomes NSW Police Commissioner will the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies become the NSW Jewish Board of Deputy Sheriffs?

[* On Haifa in particular see my 7/5/08 post Bend It Like Benny.]

A Tale of Two Exhibitions

The corporate media's idea of what is and isn't newsworthy never ceases to amaze.

Screaming headlines, front page reports, assorted commentary and opinion pieces, photographs, and soundbites from Kevin Rudd ("absolutely revolting") on down, all occasioned by Bill Henson's abortive NSW Police-interdicted exhibition of photographs of naked child models, have rained down on us for days now. That's the news that's fit to print.

Another abortive NSW Police-interdicted exhibition received no such media attention, apart from a May 13 report in the Sydney Morning Herald and a May 14 piece on Radio National's PM program. No, this exhibition wasn't about what could, in the eyes of some, be construed as porn, but about worse, much worse. It was about Palestine.

The Herald reported that plods from the NSW police anti-terrorism squad had paid a visit to Sydney's Leichhardt Council on the eve of an exhibition about the Palestinian Nakba set up in the library's foyer by local group Friends of Hebron. This had led to Council canning the exhibition because, in the words of the mayor, "it hadn't met the council's criteria for such projects, which include not being divisive." A police media spokesman was reported as saying that "the officers were from the community contact unit, which falls within its Counter Terrorism Operations. They had not visited the library to tell it to cancel the exhibition, but only to 'say hi' to Friends of Hebron." (We're just here to say hi: terror squad)

The mayor apparently objected to some of the photographs' captions, "including one that said Palestinian children going to school needed protection from children from Israel who were throwing stones," and was quoted as saying, "Being in a public library is different to being in an exhibition space. If you're in an exhibition space and someone knows they are going into the exhibition, they expect to be educated and confronted. But most people going into a library just want to return books."

The mayor's superb grasp of the issues, not to mention her way with words, were further aired on PM: "The sort of thing was Israeli children throwing stones at the Palestinians on the way to school and another thing was that they are destroying this house so that they can get it, the Israelis are. There was another thing about... there was the first image was a bombed down house with a how would you feel if the Israelis did this to your house."

The head librarian, apparently too traumatised to speak herself, was quoted by a FoH spokesperson, as saying that the police "had put the fear of God into her and the staff and everyone in the library felt intimidated by... the 'Men in Black'."

However, the piece de resistance (If I can use that word without exciting the attention of Men in Black who just want to drop in and say hi) was the PM reporter's hilarious exchange with Peter Dein, "Assistant Commissioner of NSW Police in charge of counter terrorism":-

PETER DEIN: Police from the Community Contact Unit have no interest in that particular exhibition and they haven't said anything to anybody about the fact, or the content of that particular exhibition. They were there simply to make contact with the people that were running that exhibition, not in relation to the exhibition itself.

EMILY BOURKE: So it's a complete coincidence that the exhibition was happening on the afternoon that the officers arrived?

DEIN: Most certainly, yes. As I said, they were there for the purpose of tracking down the people that they wanted to speak to so that they could start building this relationship and they thought it was a convenient place to attend because they were led to believe that they were actually at the library that afternoon. As it turned out they weren't and they left messages for the people to contact them and it appears as if somehow the message got twisted.

BOURKE: There's been an allegation that the actions by the police were... intimidatory... they have been described as 'Men in Black'. That they put the fear of God into the librarians, that it's a throwback to McCarthyism...

DEIN: That's outrageous. That is just incredible to even hear that. God only knows where that's coming from. It's very disappointing to find out that this has come to that. What they were trying to do was exercise a proactive, positive initiative for the purpose of making contact with people in communities that need our assistance and need us, need to become very acquainted with police for the purposes of looking after them and that's just totally outrageous that someone would even think that."

Oh dear! "... they were led to believe..." Were they now? Now who, I hear you asking, was it that alerted the 'Men in Black' to the nefarious goings on of the FoH sleeper cell in the library foyer? Search me (No, not you, Men In Black!).

Interestingly, a group(uscle?) of alert - and highly alarmed - citizens, name of Inner West Chavurah, who recently issued a press release thoughtfully summarised as "The FoH had not abided by their undertakings, and seem upset at the consequences"?

Herewith its somewhat arcane theoretical introduction, followed by my plain English translation:-

"The FoH wished to convey a narrative of suffering by the Palestinian people at the hands of Israel. The Chavurah indicated that this approach invites the competing narrative of suicide bombing in Israel and constant shelling of Israeli towns from Gaza even though Israel withdrew unilaterally from there." Palestinians don't suffer. And even if they do, it's got nothing to do with Israel. And even if it has, Israelis suffer just as much, if not more, at the hands of the Palestinians. And quite undeservedly too, seeing as how when Israel recently did them a good turn by exiting the Gaza Strip, the buggers just up and bit her on her ample (khaki-clad) bum.

"Portrayed in these terms the Middle East conflict gets replicated in Leichhardt with tensions felt in the community and tit-for-tat accusations of who is the victim, and who is the perpetrator. The reality is that everyone in the Middle East suffers, and many respond by perpetrating and the violence continues." FoH terrorists have imported this cosmic cycle of Mid-East violence into Pleasantville such that its once pleasant and placid streets are no longer... well, placid or pleasant.

"The dilemma for Council was: should Council facilities be used in activities that have the potential to cause disharmony, anxiety, and dissention [sic] in the Leichhardt community?" Because FoH terrorists are out and about scaring the bejesus out of Pleasantville's horses, Pleasantville Council has been forced to act to prevent the very Decline and Fall of Pleasantville as we know it.

"The Chavurah posed a positive way forward: why not celebrate the courageous people, on the ground, Israeli and Palestinian, who at some risk to themselves extend a hand of friendship and trust and undertake joint projects to improve each others lives and demand that a two-state solution* be enacted by their leaders." The Chutzpah, in its unrelenting search for peace (and at some considerable risk to itself) extended its trembling white hand, fairly dripping with beads and mirrors, towards the ticking bombs of the FoH, in a most generous offer: the FoH extremists would get 90% (or 95%, or 97%, or whatever) of the grassy sward out back of Pleasantville Library, while Chutzpah would keep the Library and the Council (which Abraham had long ago earmarked as Chutzpah territory anyway).

[* Deciphering Chutzpah's utterances is not always easy. I take its reference to "a two-state solution" to mean that part of the West Bank should be annexed to the state of Israel, while the rest is given over to an Israeli settler state. And the Palestinians? What Palestinians?]

"A joint effort by IWC and FoH would replicate the many peace initiatives being practiced in the Middle East." Let's play a game. We'll pee on your leg, and you pretend it's raining.

Given that this is Middle East Reality Check, it is appropriate to conclude this post by moving beyond the high farce of our NSW plodders, the ignorance and timidity of council seatwarmers, and the unctuous platitudinising of the IWC Zionists to the awful reality of Hebron under Israeli occupation - the whole point of the exhibition we weren't allowed to see:-

"It is a scene repeated, with minor variations, virtually every day: a group of Palestinian schoolgirls, huddled together with their mothers, their teachers, and a team of international volunteers, is picking its way across a rocky hillside. Behind them is the school from which they have just departed... Before them is the path along the hillside, terminating in a narrow set of stairs leading down to a paved road. In between, there is a group of Jewish settler girls, accompanied by a detachment of heavily armed Israeli soldiers... They see the Palestinian schoolchildren approaching and stand up to obstruct the path, heaping verbal abuse at the Palestinian girls and their mothers. Pushing and shoving follows... The Israeli soldiers... try to intervene, but they are under strict orders. Their duty is to protect the Jewish girls: they are not allowed to physically restrain them. The girls are emboldened because they know there's nothing the soldiers can do to stop them - and that if any Palestinian so much as lifts a hand to them, the soldiers will instantly step forward to protect them. The soldiers plead with the girls to make way for the Palestinians; at the same time they bark orders at the Palestinian mothers and daughters, 'Yalla, imshi!' (Come on, get moving!) Finally, the procession breaks through the crowd of settler girls.

"The Palestinian children's ordeal is not over, however. As they approach the top of the steps, Jewish settler boys... start pelting them with stones. The path narrows and bottlenecks as it reaches the top of the stairs. The stairs themselves are narrow and slippery: they descend along the side of a building, but there is no bannister facing the street side, no protection of any kind - an open drop to the street below. The Palestinian children and their mothers, crowded together and gingerly picking their way down the slippery steps one by one, are exposed to the stones. Some of the Jewish boys pelting them are as young as 5 or 6. There are adults - Jewish settlers - watching them. None intervenes. There is another detachment of Israeli soldiers here as well; but the boys, like their sisters on the hillside above, know that the soldiers are incapable of stopping them. The stoning continues.

"The main entrance to the [school] was sealed with razor wire by the Israeli army in 2002: this dangerous path is the only way for the Palestinian schoolchildren to get to and from their school. Because of the nature of the harrassment and intimidation the children face, there are at least 3 different international organizations providing escorts and observers to accompany them as they come and go from school, including Temporary International Presence in Hebron (TIPH) and the Ecumenical Accompaniment Program in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI), sponsored by the World Council of Churches. The escorts observe and record what happens on a daily basis, and relay their observations, pictures, and videos, but they can't physically protect the Palestinian children or their mothers. On the contrary, they must frequently practice the Christian virtue of turning the other cheek. In June 2006, Duduzile Masango, a young South African Christian volunteer with EAPPI, was assaulted by an elderly settler woman near the [school], who attempted to smother her with a towel. In April of that year, a German social worker, a Norwegian sociologist, and a Swiss lawyer, all also with EAPPI, were stoned by settlers near the school while accompanying Palestinian children. The lawyer needed several stitches for a head wound as a result.

"In November 2006, Tove Johansson, a Swedish human rights worker with TIPH, was among a group of international volunteers accompanying Palestinian schoolchildren when the group was surrounded by Jewish settlers - adults this time... The settlers closed in and started spitting on the Palestinian children and their international escorts - so much spit that one of the observers said it felt like rain. Pushing and kicking followed. Then one of the Jewish men reached forward and broke a glass bottle on Tove's face, shattering her cheekbone. As she fell to the ground, the crowd of settlers surged forward, cheering and chanting. At that point, the Israeli soldiers who had been so far standing by called for the crowd of settlers to back off. They backed off a little, but continued jeering. The Palestinian children were terrified; their young escorts, tending to Tove, were hardly less shaken. Finally, the Israeli police intervened - threatening to arrest the international human rights workers if they did not move off.

"The international observers come and go. For the Palestinian children of Hebron, however, these are scenes of everyday life. It doesn't always end in blood, but they face this ordeal twice each day, going to and from school." (Palestine Inside Out: An Everyday Occupation, Saree Makdisi, pp 209-211)