NSW Greens member questions Christian Friends of Israel function being held in parliament
A notice of motion at the NSW parliament will call on the president of Legislative Council to investigate a function being held within the building by Free Fred Nile “which includes a donation to the organisation to continue in its work in illegal Israeli settlements in violation of international law”.
The motion was raised by Greens Member of the LC Dr Mehreen Faruqi.
NSW Parliamentary Friends of Israel deputy chair and NSW Labor frontbencher Walt Secord said he would be objecting to the Greens motion as the Greens are trying to censor other parliamentarians.
Mr Secord said he would support NSW Legislative Council president John Ajaka standing up to the Greens and urged him to reject their “crazy” demands.
“This is the latest example of the Greens and their hypocrisy and long standing blind hatred of Israel.
I support a two-State solution with a safe and secure Israel with a Palestinian State. But the Greens do nothing to advance the cause of the peace.
Rather than trying to promote intelligent and sensible discussion, the Greens are only using their parliamentary motion as another way to attack Israel.”
Earlier today, The Rev. Fred Nile MLC made the following comments:
· “It seems the disdain that the Greens have for the state of Israel is insatiable. First we see the boycott campaigns pushed on a local council level, and now we witness parliamentary motions that effectively condemn an organisation that supports the right of Israeli communities to determine their own destiny in their own lands.”
· “Nobody is fooled by the Green’s appeals to fairness and equity. The kind of rhetoric used against the state of Israel bears the strong stench of veiled antisemitism, especially in the context of Green’s silence about crimes committed against it by state sponsors of terrorism and terrorists themselves.”
· “No country is perfect, but the criticism of Israel that we hear is almost always one-sided. The Greens, in their invincible naivete, don’t understand or appreciate the position Israel finds itself today. Like the ignorant colonialist of last century, they would rather impose their own worldview on a people they simply do not understand.”
· “Instead, the Greens appeal to declarations of the UN, which is perhaps one of the least democratic, transparent and credible institutions on the planet. We appeal to the natural law right of nations to exist and to take whatever steps are necessary to protect their borders and citizenry.”
NSW Jewish Board of Deputies CEO Vic Alhadeff labelled Ms Feruqi’s motion as “nothing more than a stunt. It’s a shame she does not issue similar condemnations to members of her own party who have addressed rallies featuring swastikas and Hezbollah flags or who used Parliament House to host a Farewell to Freedom Flotilla event, using taxpayer-funded facilities to encourage groups to break international law. Her party colleague chose to ignore the fact that Gaza is controlled by Hamas – a terrorist group openly committed to Israel’s destruction.”
The Rev.Fred Nile’s position and statement are exemplary, and should be supported by all decent people.