Zionism Red in Tooth & Claw

The latest issue of The Australian Jewish News (7/5/10) carries a most extraordinary advertisement, co-sponsored by the Jewish National Fund (JNF) and the St George Bank, for JNF NSW's June 2 Annual General Meeting.

The ad features Paul Howes, Australian Workers Union (AWU) national secretary and ACTU vice-president, as the AGM's "guest speaker."

For a Zionist institution that these days likes to conceal its historic role as a snapper-up of Palestinian land for Jews-only use with folderol about tree-planting and conservation*, the JNF here bares its teeth as an integral component of the Zionist project to wipe Palestine off the map.

[*See my 12/8/08 post A Certain Jewish Tree Planting Group]

The relevant text (accompanying a photo of Howes) reads as follows: "UNION CHIEF WHO SAID: 'I'm proud our nation helped to kill Hamas terrorist in Dubai'... come hear outspoken Paul Howes..."

Let's get this straight: JNF NSW is inviting the Jewish community - as the ad puts it: "The entire community is invited" - to come and hear Paul Howes tell them how proud he is that Australia helped a gang of Israeli assassins asphyxiate an unarmed, defenceless man in a third country. That's right - Australia, accessary to murder!

Just imagine the uproar (particularly in the Murdoch press) were a local Arab/Muslim organisation to invite the Arab/Muslim community to celebrate the murder of an Israeli abroad.

Of course, Howes did not put it quite that starkly when, in his Sunday Telegraph column of 7/3/10*, he wrote "I'm proud that our nation has played a small and accidental role in the removal of the terrorist al-Mabhouh from the planet." He was referring, of course, to the Mossad assassins' use of Australian passports. One can't help wondering, however, whether Howes would be entirely comfortable with the JNF's 'streamlining' of his words. What part of the old saying - If you lie down with dogs, you'll get up with fleas - does he not understand I wonder.

[* See my 7/3/10 post The ACTU's Sarah Palin]

While on the subject of the JNF, there is one little indicator that Australian Jews are finding the JNF's apartheid somewhat problematic. In the AJN's regular Vox Pop feature, in its issue of 10/8/07, 5 young Jews were asked: "Should the JNF be allowed to exclude non-Jewish Israelis from leasing its land?"

Four of the 5 answered as follows: They shouldn't be able to refuse, because what difference does it make if they are Jewish or non-Jewish? It's discrimination. (Kim Alman, Student, 17); No, as long as they have good intentions and are happy to live under the same laws as everybody else. (Wendy Ginsburg, Medical administrator); No, provided the people supporting the JNF are aware that they are giving the money to both Jews and non-Jews. (Greg Kitay, Financial analyst, 26); It's a straight business decision. They should lease to whomever they see fit, but they shouldn't discriminate on the basis of race. (Josh Gordon-Carr, Student, 20). The fifth answered, Yes. The money given to the JNF is provided by and meant for Jews, hence the name. (Danny Buchen, Student, 19)

Four out of five ain't bad.