Four journos report on trip to Israel
More than 300 people in Sydney have heard four senior journalists report to the community on their impressions after participating in the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies’ Journalists Mission to Israel.
Joel Gibson, Yair Miller, Vic Alhadeff, Kylie Merritt, Brian Thomson and John Rolfe pic: Giselle Haber
The public meeting was held in the Saunders Hall, Central Synagogue, on Thursday night.
The journalists were Sydney Morning Herald opinion page editor Joel Gibson, Sky News Business Channel manager Kylie Merritt, Daily Telegraph News Director John Rolfe and SBS Television senior correspondent Brian Thomson.
All four expressed pessimism at the prospects for peace, but all four conveyed a deeper understanding of the complexities of the conflict and the need for the State of Israel.
Saying he had returned from the intensive trip “exhausted, exasperated and exhilarated”, Thomson said he “could not understand what it would be like to have had grandparents murdered in the Holocaust or to be persecuted for your beliefs”, but he did “understand he need for a Jewish homeland”. He also “seriously questions the viability of the two state solution”.
Rolfe hammered the Marrickville Council resolution to impose sanctions on Israeli products, particularly given that the policy had been adopted by people who had never visited Israel to see and learn for themselves.
Rolfe emphasized that it was Palestinian workers who would suffer most from a BDS (Boycott,
Divestment, Sanctions) policy.
Merritt and Gibson both expressed surprise at the depth of views they encountered in Israel, and also at the candour of the political and security leaders they met. It was unusual to speak to politicians who answered questions so frankly, Merritt added.
Gibson also said the trip was “not propaganda”, but exposed the journalists to views across the spectrum. He had not returned either pro Israeli or pro Palestinian, but more informed.
The mission is supported by the JCA Haberman Kulawicz Fund. The journalists were accompanied by four colleagues who travelled as guests of AIJAC.
Heard from Herald Sun’s Editor Damon Johnston and The Age editor MIchael Short today part of the delegation of 8 journalists who just returned from Israel on weekend, Their timing was impeccable arriving in Sderot just when the Israelis took out master Hamas Terrorist Ahmed Jabar so the Journalists felt what it was like to be a Southern Israeli under fire .
Obviously the most repeated remarks were they didn’t realize how small Israel was and in particular how close Gaza was to Sderot which one of the Journalists commented it was a lesser distance than around the ” Tan”[ for Melbourne people]
As far as the big picture they soon under stood Israel has no one to deal with on the other side .
They also conceded that the whole conflict is far more complicated than anyone could imagine.
They met with Palestinians and Israeli / Arabs also .
Lets hope this enlightenment will encourage some balanced journalism now ?
KOl Hakavod AIJAC & NSWJBD
I’d like to thank Joel, Kylie , Brian and John for a truly special evening.
It was a pleasure to hear the honest, witty and informative thoughts of four highly respected journalists.
I thank you too for giving up an evening of your time, to tell of your experiences. It certainly had my attention and I’m usually the first one to be bored by such things.!!
Thank you… Todah rabah