Hundreds turn out to listen to Israeli Civil Rights champion

October 11, 2012 Agencies
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Hagai El-Ad, the Executive Director of the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, has spoken to hundreds of people in Sydney over the past week at events hosted by JewishCare, the Union for Progressive Judaism, the Jewish families of the Inner West and the Australian Human Rights Centre at UNSW, among others.

He has discussed the important work being done by ACRI and other Israeli non-profit organisations to advance the human rights of non-Orthodox, Mizrachi and Ethiopian Jews, Palestinian and Bedouin Israelis, women, LGBT and other minorities.

Mr El-Ad has been interviewed by Associate Professor Simon Rice of the ANU and by Waleed Aly on Radio National Drive

And last night about 70 people heard him in conversation with Shirli Kirschner at the National Council of Jewish Women hall in Woollahra.

El-Ad

Mr El-Ad has been brought to Australia by the New Israel Fund Australia Foundation and is heading to Melbourne for one week.

Details of his public speaking engagements there are as follows:

This Sunday evening, October 14, Hagai is speaking in Melbourne at the Glen Eira Town Hall Theatrette on the topic: “Mind the Gap – the big social divisions highlighted in the social justice protests” in conversation with journalist Julie Szego.

For more details, visit the NIF Australia website, or join the Facebook event

Next Wednesday evening, Oct 17, Hagai is speaking to NIForum, supporters of NIF Australia in their 20s and 30s at Temple Beth Israel on the topic: “The Civil and Human Rights Issues Most Crucial To Israel’s Future As A Liberal Democracy.”

For more details, visit the NIF Australia website, or join the Facebook event

Comments

5 Responses to “Hundreds turn out to listen to Israeli Civil Rights champion”
  1. Liat Nagar says:

    Oh, no, not another one! What makes these people tick? Is it the notoriety, a sense of self-importance … I’d really like to begin to understand this.

  2. Peter says:

    Like all NIF claims, overinflated.

    I attended 2 functions with Mr El-Ad, none were well attended and the same people were at both.

    The real issue with Mr El-Ad is that one went away with the impression that Israel is not a democracy and has no Justice system that one can have faith in.

    He is so one sided and so over the top that he lacks any credibility, which means that NIF was the perfect host for him.

    The really amazing thing is that even the few who attended bothered to turn up.

    Peter

  3. Shirlee. says:

    If the New Israel Fund can’t publish the truth, then please do us the favour of not publishing anything.

    The second option is preferable, thank you

    I know someone who went to each event, so I know what the numbers were and your claim to

    ***Hundreds turn out****

    Is not true

  4. pam says:

    You’d think if Hagai El-Ad was really concerned about Human Rights in the Middle East, he’d turn his attention to the oppression of women in ALL Middle Eastern countries EXCEPT Israel.

    Then he could focus on the persecution of ALL non-Muslims in ALL Middle Eastern countries.

    Next he could turn a spotlight on the persecution of Muslims by their fellow Muslims in ALL Middle Eastern countries.

    Or how about telling the world how Muslim countries treat their LGBT citizens?

    Perhaps he could point out how racist the Arabs are, giving as an example modern glittering Dubai, which often treats Black workers as slaves, and ill-treats foreign workers, especially Indians and Pakistanis.

    Strange how he’s chosen to target the only democracy in the Middle East, one which gives equal rights to all its citizens, which is multi-ethnic and has religious pluralism.

  5. michael says:

    Hagai El-Ad, hosted by the Jewish left in Australia who was arrested in Israel along with Palestinian activists was interviewed by past Islamic Council of Victoria board member , spokesman and Muslim advocate Waleed Aly no doubt El- Ad and Aly had a lot in common.
    I wonder how many Pro- Zionist activists or Palestinian critics would be welcomed and interviewed by Islamic advocates In Australia.
    Our Universities and our tax payer funded ABC have been inundated with Left wing Israel bashers in the last few months hosted by the Jewish left and Palestinian Lobby groups.

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