Theresienstadt was the concentration camp used by the Nazi propaganda machine as a model to the world to show that they were not herding Jews into extermination centres. Parts of the camp were revamped prior to a Danish Red Cross visit and serious overcrowding was reduced by deportations to Auschwitz. The Nazis set up flower gardens, false shops, a cafe and kindergartens as well as a “ritual bath” that, in reality, had no plumbing.

After the Red Cross visit, the Nazis made a propaganda movie on, “The new life of the Jews under the protection of the Third Reich.” When filming was over most actors, including many children, were deported to the Birkenau gas chambers. Even the producer of the film was sent off for extermination.

Similarly, Cathy Peters has taken on face value a number of lies put out by a sophisticated propaganda machine. 

That is not to say that Palestinian lives are easy in the current circumstances but it is necessary to understand that the conflict cannot be resolved by unilateral condemnation of one side.  Reconciliation can only be achieved by mutual co-operation and understanding and not by boycotts based on lies such as some of the claims being put out by the BDS camp. 

I have recently returned from Israel and can assure Peters that not only are the Israelis not “cutting off water supplies to the Palestinians” but rather that there are organisations in the country dedicated to working with Palestinians to improve their lives, the quality of their water and agricultural methods. 

Councils should be getting behind such worthwhile projects instead of involving themselves in one sided propagandising that suits the destructive efforts of extremists in the region.

You apparently still have to learn that there is no monolithic Jewish opinion even though the J Wire report made that obviously clear. There are a range of opinions by Jews on what should happen in the West Bank. That is called democracy and freedom of speech.

There is no need for you to ask questions why this happens as though it is an unusual phenomenon. Of course they don’t all unanimously agree with the policies of the Israeli government.

How many Australians disagree with the policies of the Australian Government? Why shouldn’t Jews disagree with the policies of the Israeli Government?

Councillor Peters view was contradicted by the view of Professor Pulver in the same J Wire Report. Apparently that was not important enough for you mention even though she is described in the same article as “The Aboriginal convert to Judaism who is a Professor of Medicine at the University of New South Wales”.

There is only one arena where a monolithic view prevails in relation to Israel and that is in the Arab world. Hopefully we are now seeing an end to this oppression and fear to speak out.

Rather you should be asking this question and seeking the answer from your Arab friends:

Where are there any opinions in the Arab World expressed by individuals or groups
1. Condemning the Arab League for failing to recognize Israel as the Jewish National Home since its establishment in 1948
2. Acknowledging that both Jews and Arabs have claims to sovereignty in the the West Bank that need to be negotiated and resolved
3. Accepting the binding legal validity of the League of Nations Mandate for Palestine and article 80 of the UN Charter
4. Promulgating that Security Council Resolution 242 does not require Israel to withdraw to the 1949 armistice lines
5. Calling for the Arab refugee problem to be resolved by compensation and resettlement within the boundaries of the new Palestinian State

When you can give me the names of any Arabs or Arab media who support and are actively promoting Arab acceptance of any of these positions then perhaps they can get together with the Jewish groups opposed to the Israeli Government policies and together make a difference.

That will be the start of to building peace for the people of Israel and Palestine.

Come on Stweart Mills – Give me the names of Arabs who publicly espouse any of the above. I am eagerly awaiting your reply – just names – not another lengthy diatribe..

Questions need to be asked why is there a movement of people including Jews in Australia, the US and Israel who are calling for not just a settlement boycott (as the Gush Shalom, the World Council of Churches, National Council of Churches and the Jewish Democratic Society of Australia has done) but a general boycott of Israel (including Rabbi Brant Rosen, Jeff Halper, Yonatan Shapitra and Anna Baltzer).

The focus of the boycott is ending the human rights abuses of the Palestinian people. The terror that Israel has faced by Hamas must be considered in line with the state sanctioned terror experienced by Palestinians living under occupation and siege. Why is it ok to boycott, divest and place sanctions on Palestinians but none on Israel?

Are the sanctions called on for Israel going to cause anywhere near the suffering and misery experienced daily by Palestinians? Where are the military jeeps rolling down the streets of Tel Aviv or Ben Gurion St? Military jeeps are a daily part of the life of Palestinians. Settlers are a daily part of the life of Palestinians? Land dispossession, house demolitions and violence from settlers and soldiers are a regular occurrence. Where is the equity here?

Thank you to those within the Jewish community who at great expense to themselves look at this conflict with objectivity and who acknowledge that the human rights situation of Palestinians must imporove and that occupation must end in all haste. This will be a start to building peace for the people of Palestine and Israel.

Seriously, some of these councilors must not only have too much time on their hands, but also a severe mental impairment. They have no idea what this Israel/Arab conflict is about, but divide their own community, import conflict, hatred and violence from half-way around the world into their neighbourhood. What do they think boycotting the only free and democratic country in the Middle East where true multi-ethnicity and multi-culturalism exist will achieve? Have they noticed nowhere else in the M.E. do women have equal rights, gays aren’t put to death and other religions aren’t suppressed by state-sponsored violence.

And then we read they celebrate the “freedom” of a country in Africa which doesn’t even exists. Someone needs to show these fruit cakes how to actually work for a living.

Abandoning their obligations to the ratepayers by devoting the Council staff’s time and ratepayers’ rates and taxes on a fanciful flight into the realm of international politics is unjustifiable. No wonder they appear to be most reluctant to tell the ratepayers what this exercise has cost.

Their action has clearly divided the Marrickville community whose harmony should be an absolute for the Council to preserve. Surely ratepayers are entitled to expect that their Council should not get actively involved in a dispute beyond the Council’s power to resolve.

Each of the councillors supporting the boycott is perfectly entitled to do so in his or her private capacities.

However getting the Council to spend its ratepayers funds and its Council officers time in pursuing their own special interests is outrageous. Those who established a precedent by voting for this course of action should have another think.