Jewish Peak bodies condemn “Jewish Democrat” organisation

MEDIA RELEASE

B’nai B’rith Anti-Defamation Commission and Jewish Community Council of Victoria condemn AJDS (Australian Jewish Democatic Society) statement on Gaza conflict

July 25 2014

The Anti-Defamation Commission (ADC) and the Jewish Community Council of Victoria (JCCV) today condemned in the strongest possible terms the statement dated 22 July 2014 appearing on the AJDS website.(AJDS Website says:

... We reject the claims that these attacks, with such a high civilian toll, are genuinely advancing the security interests of Israelis. Rather, they breed more suffering and hatred, and with it more extremism, that can lead only to further acts of violence, increased segregation and regional isolation. We recognise that Jews in Israel and across the world will never truly be free until Palestinians share in our freedom. ...

).

Both organisations sharply criticised the total lack of balance and disregard for facts in the statement that paints a simplistic and one-sided picture of what is an extremely complex situation. The ADC and JCCV also denounced the AJDS’ analysis of cause and effect that bears no relationship to the facts on the ground.

To speak, as the AJDS does, of thousands of Israelis fleeing rocket fire in the south of Israel is to ignore the immense security threats Israel faces and the reality of the war crime of more than 2000 rockets in July alone being fired at millions of Israeli civilians throughout the country. To fail to mention the network of tunnels allowing Hamas to infiltrate Israel with the aim of murdering and kidnapping Israelis is shameful. To suggest making donations to UNWRA is reckless, given UNWRA’s own admission that Hamas hides weapons in UNWRA schools.

Chairman of the ADC Dr. Dvir Abramovich and President of the JCCV Nina Bassat issued the following statement:

All people of goodwill are deeply saddened by the loss of life on both sides of the current conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza,but the progress towards peace can only be hindered by statements which totally lack balance, such as that of the AJDS. Sadly, the now common reckless and eager rush to condemn Israel is represented by the skewed and outrageous statement of the AJDS, which zealously attacks and accuses the IDF of a massacre without any facts or evidence. It is a pity that the ADJS keeps choosing to engage in a relentless campaign of propaganda in their continuous bashing of Israel.

What is as disturbing as the absence of substantiated data is the inflammatory and pejorative language used in the statement. Given the world-wide conflation between anti-Israel feelings and anti-Semitism, highly emotive words such as perpetrated and massacre are calculated to arouse anger against not only Israel, but the Jewish community in Australia and are a wilful disregard that language such as this destroys the harmonious nature of our multicultural society.

Where is the ADJS concern for Israeli casualties and the millions of Israelis who for many years have suffered at the hands of Hamas, a movement openly committed to Israel’s destruction that began the cycle of violence and has unleashed a reign of terror using children as human-shields and schools as rocket launch sites? We call on the AJDS to refrain in future from making such irresponsible statements and to stop their longstanding pattern of lambasting and stigmatising Israel.

Please address any media queries to Dr. Dvir Abramovich on 9272 5777 or Nina Bassat on 9272 5777