Packer Exec Paves Way for Netanyahu Visit

James Packer is not the only one to fall in love with Benjamin Netanyahu (See my 2/2/17 post His Secret Love's No Secret Anymore). Now it's the turn - surprise, surprise - of Harold Mitchell, a director of Packer's Crown Resorts. And he's spilled his guts in that easy rag the Sydney Morning Herald. Here it is, along with my picking over the *ahem* entrails. (Well, somebody's gotta do it!):

"No matter what President Trump says or does, this century belongs to Asia... But there are other places now where the catalytic forces of immigration and innovation are creating new opportunities. One of them is Israel, where I have been this week. Its 8 and a half million people are crammed into an area about a third the size of Tasmania with no natural resources."

Er... their choice.

"And while being on a constant war footing... "

Their choice again. Muscle your way into someone else's patch and what do you expect?

"... Israel produces more start-ups than Japan, India, Korea, Canada and Britain combined."

Oh, and more trigger-happy upstarts than all of them combined!

"It is no surprise that this tiny country has more than 10% of the world's cyber-security industry and it's doubling every year."

"The Lord spoke to Moses, saying 'Send men that they may spy out the land of Canaan, which I give to the children of Israel; of every tribe of their fathers shall you send a man, everyone a [Crown] prince among them." (Numbers 13: 1-2)

"And the booming innovation companies work in fields as diverse as medicine and irrigation. It's no surprise that a country that transformed desert into a fruit and veg bowl invented drip irrigation."

Yep, before that, not a fruit or veg as far as the eye could see. Just sand. Sand, sand, sand, sand. And the odd sand nigger. So they innovated, and invented the Uzi submachine gun, the Galil assault rifle and the Merkava tank, and hey, the rest is history...

"Three things stand out. First, Israel's motivation is the survival of its people. Let's not forget that it's a land of immigrants, bound together by a shared commitment to build a safe and prosperous nation."

After giving the place a thorough ethnic cleansing, of course.

"Second, the Israelis have an enormously strong family culture. I built my business on the simple domestic values of of telling each other the truth and arguments are fixed before bedtime."

Hello? Sub-editor? Must've fallen asleep at this point.

"And third, some Israelis are not afraid to question authority, be it the boss or the government. And what's more, authorities usually listen. We should all know by now that if you tend to surround yourself with people who only agree with you, collapse is just around the corner. That is the story of the great Napoleon and it will be the fate of some current leaders who don't have the capacity to listen to news they'd rather not hear."

Hm... most cryptic this... OK, OK, you guys, which one of you isn't listening to James/ Binyamin???

"There was a good example just before I left. The governor of the Bank of Israel said: 'The key to realising the economy's potential will be the development of policies that address economic issues of inequality, inefficient regulation and the need to increase both investment and human capital."

You've heard of the Lost Tribes? What about the lost 'Book of the Bank of Israel'? Now wouldn't that add a little more vibrancy to the fusty Old Testament?

"Which raises a fourth great strength, success through risk taking... "

Except when it comes to dismantling apartheid...

"We are not doing enough and with Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to Australia in a week or so we should listen; we can learn from Israel."

Aha! So that's what this grubby PR exercise is all about. A promo for Netanyahu! Show some respect, you Aussie layabouts, and LISTEN to what the great man has to say!

"But the story of Israel cannot end without an account of my visit to the Hadassah Medical Centre, part of the Hebrew University and with one of the world's great cardiologists, Professor Chaim Lotan. He asked if I wanted to witness two simultaneous heart operations."

Cinch, we're Israelis, you know. (With apologies to Irving Berlin):

Chaim: Anything you can do, we can do better. We can do anything better than you.
Harold: Yes you can.
Chaim: Yes we can.
Harold: Yes you can.
Chaim: Yes we can. Yes we can, Yes we can.

"Now I hate the sight of blood... "

Good thing you didn't go the OCCUPIED West Bank & Gaza then.

"... and I had my own heart somewhere near my mouth as I walked into the control room for operating theatres. On the right was an older Jewish man and to my left was a 12-month-old baby. And the team performing these lifesaving operations within sight of the wall dividing Israel from the Palestinian territory was made up of Arab Israeli and Jewish technicians, side by side. This is as you'd expect from doctors of course. But it struck me strongly that here in the operating theatre the animosities of the outside world didn't mean a thing. It was one of the most memorable experiences of my life." (Australia could look to learn from Israel's successful innovations, 10/2/17)

OK, big thinker, if Arab and Jewish technicians can work side by side, tell me why we need a self-described 'Jewish' state. Think about it.

His Secret Love's No Secret Anymore

The ABC's 7.30 just got steamy.

Steamy, but nice steamy, know what I mean?

Nice, as in Doris Day singing:

Once I had a secret love/ That lived within the heart of me/ All too soon my secret love/ Became impatient to be free/ So I told a friendly star [of David?]/ The way that dreamers often do/ Just how wonderful you are/ And why I'm so in love with you...

Sophie McNeill: "The relationship between one of Australia's richest men and the Prime Minister of Israel can be traced back to a star-studded dinner held in Mr Netanyahu's honour in March 2014. The evening's host was Hollywood producer and Israeli billionaire businessman Arnon Milchan. There, but hiding from the cameras, was the party's co-host, James Packer." (James Packer caught in middle of Israeli political scandal, 31/1/17)

Raviv Drucker: "He's not Jewish, but there was a very immediate chemistry... between him and Mr Netanyahu..."

OMG, those dreaded Israeli pheromones have done it again!

Sophie McNeil: "The relationship quickly developed. Mr Packer purchased a million-dollar beachfront mansion in Israel, right next door to the private home of Mr Netanyahu... Then, in March 2015, James Packer was a surprise guest in the audience as Mr Netanyahu addressed the US Congress in Washington... [He] then appeared at another speech Mr Netanyahu gave to the UN General Assembly, standing with senior Israeli officials and the Netanyahu family. Questions began to be asked."

Indeed.

Sophie McNeill: "Raviv Drucker is one of Israel's most acclaimed investigative journalists... His report on James Packer's relationship with the Prime Minister caused shockwaves across Israel. The report alleged the Australian billionaire showered lavish treatment on the Prime Minister's family, particularly on his 25-year-old son, Yair..."

Ain't love grand?

Doris, if you please?

Now I shout it from the highest hills/ Even told the golden daffodils/ At last my heart's an open door/ And my secret loves's no secret anymore...