Australian Jewish Democratic Society criticises Israeli Legislation

July 15, 2011 Agencies
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The Australian Jewish Democratic Society has issued a statement expressing concern about new Israeli legislation in place to counter BDS campaigns…

 

from Larry Stillman, Sivan Barak and Harold Zwier

The Israeli Knesset’s new law targetting those who  advocate boycotts is of deep concern, as it undermines the principle of free, non-violent speech in a democracy. Merely unpopular opinions ought not be illegal.

We stand with other critical friends, both inside and  outside Israel prepared to publicly stand against  bad laws. As the New Israel Fund says: “many if  not most Israelis oppose the settlement enterprise,  and for good reasons. Criminalising actors who  refuse to perform in Ariel, or NGOs that support holding settlers economically accountable by not  buying their goods or services, is appalling. We  ourselves will not exclude support for organizations that discourage the purchase of goods or use of services from settlements.”

The occupation is a cancer on Israeli society, and  attempts to protect the occupation by law goes  against everything Israel claims to be. Even the Anti Defamation League in the US, a strongly pro-Israel organization considers the legislation as dangerous.

Regardless of the diverse political views within the Jewish community, there should be general and vocal opposition to this legislation, more of which is to come. In addition, we urge the Australian government to voice its concern about the legislation which damages Israel’s standing amongst its declared friends.

Comments

10 Responses to “Australian Jewish Democratic Society criticises Israeli Legislation”
  1. Ronit says:

    My comment is…if you live in Israel and suffer with the Israelis from the existential threat that they live under CONSTANTLY…then you might just have the right to criticise their laws and proposed laws. Otherwise … mind your own business.

  2. Otto Waldmann says:

    It is far too evident that AJDS functions fundamentally on the duality of disdain.One is the obvious disdain they have for everything Jewish, the other is the disdain they managed to cultivate against AJDS among the said Jewish community.
    But they DO plough along obliviously, recharged constantly with that “spiritual” fuel, venom.
    Are we sick of them ??!! Yes and how !
    Anyway, now they have in NIF a fresh ally in expressing, seemingly, “democratic” ideas cum eitzes on how Israel and we all should rearrange our lives.

  3. david singer says:

    I find it hard to believe that any Jewish organization like AJDS or NIF can promote an active campaign of discrimination by Jews against Jews.

    Objecting to a BDS campaign against Jews in Israel – but supporting a BDS campaign against Jews living in the West Bank – is the height of stupidity.

    Expecting Jews in Australia to buy products from Israel but boycott products produced by Jews coming from the West Bank is discriminatory, divisive and demonizing.

    Our enemies must rejoice to see such chaos among our small numbers,

    Is AJDS going to next call for a boycott on Jews living in the West Bank serving in the IDF? if their products are to be boycotted, shouldn’t their blood be also?

    Shame AJDS. You have been compromised and duped.

  4. ivan cher says:

    FREEDOM TO PROMOTE NON-VI\OLENT IDEAS IN A DEMOCRACY DEPENDS UPON THE CONTEXT.

    NO LIES, HALF TRUTHS OR MISREPRESENTATIONS PLEASE

    THE STRATEGY OF SWORN ENEMIES IS NOW “LAWFARE” i.e. WELL-FUNDED, MENDACIOUS PROPAGANDA OR DAMAGING BDS, EVEN AUTO–BOYCOTT.

    IT IS RATHER NAIVE TO THINK CORRECTIVE TALK ALONE WILL BE ENOUGH TO NEUTRALISE ATTEMPTS TO MURDER A STATE AND ITS PEOPLE.

  5. michael Burd says:

    Why Am I not surprised that AJDS, ACJC, Jewish Academics, IAJV, NIF, UIA Progressives, TBI Progressives, Jewish Human rights advocates and their comrades all disagree with Israel’s decision to ban one sided racist Boycotts of Israel…

  6. Otto Waldmann says:

    @ Larry Stillman

    Unfortunately the Reform movement has come out against almost all fundamental Judaic principles quite some time ago. In 1842,for example, a certain Michael Creizenach, a Jewish teacher, formed in Germany a certain Franfurt Society of the Friends of Reform. Creizenach drafted the Constitution of the Society which,inter alia, stated:

    – ” The Talmud is unacceptable in dogma and in practice. All Talmudic ceremonies and ordinances should be abolished.
    – ” Messiah is neither expected nor desired because he is considered to have been realised in German Fatherlad.”
    – ” Circumcision as a religious or civil act is rejected.”

    all above quotes found in Julius Carlebach ” Karl Marx and the Radical Critique of Judaism” , Routledge & Kegan, Londonn 1978, pp.42.

    Now, what else can I be told and moralised about ??!!

    As the current topic would supersed temporally the issues at hand, the Knesset passing certain laws would have the meaningful expresion of a Jewish psyche assaulted perisistently by seemingly conflicting forces, Jewish and non-Jewish in character and appearance, all converging on the legitimacy of Halachic as well as civil political RIGHTS of Israel to simply exist.
    As one may argue that Reform Jews living in Israel also must enoy the right to practice their beliefs, practicing beliefs that aim at eroding and,G-d forbid, reducing to non-existence and practice established non-Reform Jewish values, had to, necessarily, encounter those numbers in the Knesset that allow the current law to pass, “numbers” who have the same inherent right to express their abhorrence and strong objection to the palpable inroads Reform has cut into the Jewish identity.
    The political forum contains, would you believe, LIBERAL rules of procedure, intervention and, indeed, ethics, all concurrent with the flux of circumstances. As long as certain forces will abuse procedures and principles and find “democracy” a useful wheapon to undermine democracy itself, the same should expect the broadside of the same freedom to retort and thus to remind the abusers that FUNDAMENTALS are still valid. That FUNDAMENTAL should be the prevalence of Jewish , Judaic established values as defined by the millenarian Mosaic spirituality, unaltered by any Crazynach.

  7. Shirlee says:

    The new law has key components.

    One is the ability to sue someone who calls for a boycott and the other is to ensure that those who do call for boycotts, lose their ability to go government tenders and therefore contracts.

    Why is this unacceptable?

  8. Shirlee says:

    Why aren’t I surprised at who penned this gem??

    What I am surprised at is that this publication gives them air space !!

  9. Larry Stillman says:

    Oh dear,

    Now that the Reform movement has come out against the legislation, are we also to say of them “the new anti boycot legislation is the very necessary retort to a political anomaly perpetrated with impunity against Israel by exacerbated haters of everything Israel and against all responsible Jews who are trying to mantain a NORMAL life !!!”

  10. Otto Waldmann says:

    Unable to understand political complexities and conversely enslaved by enraged prejudice, the expected objectors to EVERYTHING Israel does in order to protect itself,this farcical “Democratic” mob are rejoicing yet another target of their mindless anxieties.

    The legislation in question marks a drastic change in Israel’s attitude against all forces determined to deligitimise, harm a society which has been struggling since its inception to maintain decency in politics.
    The “mere” fact that non Jews, specifically Arabs, have been enjoying rights in Israel which are blatantly and criminally denied Jews in muslim countries never seems to enter the area of concern of these so called “proggressive” mobs. Time has come for Israel to apply drastic measures against those who have abused freedom, in fact excessive liberties, in exercising their given “right”to undermine the very society which grated them the democratic “implicit” right to voice their enmity against the same very State.The above “Society”has, rightfully, gained the reputation of mobilising all possible venomous virtues aimed at destabilising Israel. They act as if we have been totally unaware of their ostensive hatred of Israel and implicit passion for everything arab, decisively anti Israel phenomena. Repudiated by the mainstream Jewish fold, they are still functioning simply because the said secretion of venom is still in abundance. It is not at all surprising that the JDS regards NIF as their organic ally.
    Short and curly: the new anti boycot legislation is the very necessary retort to a political anomaly perpetrated with impunity against Israel by exacerbated haters of everything Israel and against all responsible Jews who are trying to mantain a NORMAL life !!!
    You think boycots are a legitimate way to advance your views ( because contrary to the false claim above you and NIF and the rest DO back the principle of boycot and harassment of Israel !!),now the same medicine is dished out to you ! Enjoy !!!

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