Last night the Wellington Jewish Community Centre was tagged. Nasty stuff. Thanks to Caelan Macbeth for sharing.
‘Abbas: We Will Continue The Popular Resistance; Israel Is Plotting To Change Status Quo In Jerusalem; Israel Uses Terror, Executes Children
Like the first and second intifadas, the current wave of terrorism is being exploited by Palestinian organizations and leaders, including by Palestinian President Mahmoud ‘Abbas, who attack Israel and accuse it of terror and crimes while making false claims and allegations. Some Palestinian organizations and leaders praised the perpetrators of the attacks, stating that they acted in self-defense. Fatah’s military wing, the Al-Aqsa Brigades, even called to escalate the attacks.
Post-Victoria University Media Coverage
Naftali Gross (L) and Raphael Wein (R) at Victoria University
We recently sponsored a public address by a couple of students at Victoria University on their experiences during the 2014 Gaza War.
The event caused a considerable amount of controversy that was covered by various New Zealand news agencies.
For your convenience here is a list of links to various items published following the event. A list of items published before the event may be found here:
- Sean Plunket follow up interview.
- Dominion Post follow up article.
- Radio New Zealand event review.
- Dominion Post editorial.
Heartwarming stuff.
Thank You!
Hi Folks
Just to report back:
- SJP put posters up with headlines like “Baby Killers” and “War Criminals”
- Despite that, the meeting went ahead.
- The meeting had over 200 attendees.
- There were around 40 demonstrators, some with megaphones, outside.
- Several demonstrators seeded themselves through the crowd and tried to shout down Naftali and Rafael. The crowd boo’d them into silence.
- Clearly there is an appetite for intelligent enquiry.
- Freedom of speech won.
- A fuller report will be available in the coming days.
Much thanks to Naftali Gross and Rafael Wein. We sent them to the lions’ den and the lions were silenced. They were bold and they were courageous. Plaudits to Caelan and the rest of the AUJS team, who stood tall and didn’t bow to pressure from the SJP et al. A hearty kol hakavod also goes to Gael Keren and David Zwartz for their behind the scenes work in preparing press releases for the AUJS, despite both being quite ill. Great job from Susette McLachlan who despite difficult personal circumstances put in a lot of effort to promote the event.
Finally, thanks to all those supporters who tapped “like” buttons, wrote supportive comments, prayed, and/or stood up for us during workplace coffee breaks and thereby showed, among many things, that you value free speech, the rule of law, a safe and secure Israel, there is still regard for the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, you value those who risk themselves so that liberty is maintained and tyranny is defeated. Also a special thank you for standing up without descending into name calling, abusive criticism and ad hominem attacks. I am proud to stand amongst you. Am yisrael chai.
My 11-year old son, Joshua, attended Naftali and Rafael’s talk on Saturday, and has been watching on as this situation played itself out. Tonight he came to me and asked if he could become a member of NZ Friends of Israel.
Laila tov in New Zealand; and boker tov for those in Israel
Tony Kan
President
NZ Friends of Israel Association Inc
Box 37 363
Christchurch
New Zealand 8245
P +64 (27) 433 9745
E contact@nzfoi.org
W www.nzfoi.org
Snap request: Translator needed for Invercargill Sept 30
TRANSLATOR NEEDED FOR INVERCARGILL COURT HEARING TOMORROW AFTERNOON
We know this is High Holiday season, but unfortunately we have a matter that has arisen 10 minutes ago which needs urgent attention.
We have been approached about finding an Israeli translator for a hearing in the Invercargill District Court tomorrow afternoon.
The defendant is an Israeli national with poor English. They want the translator to translate the proceedings so that the Israeli is able to understand what is going on. He has been charged with assault.
They have already tried translating via Skype but apparently the translator found it difficult to understand the defendant who doesn’t speak very clearly.
We’ve tried the Embassy but they are closed for the Holidays.
The court is prepared to pay for their time and reasonable travel expenses.
Please contact us via contact@nzfoi.org or +64 (27) 433 9745 if you or you know someone who can help.
Thanks in advance
SEPT 30, 10AM UPDATE:
Thanks to everyone who replied. We were able to find someone but the timing is going to be tight as the hearing is at 2pm. Great result under the circumstances. Second win for the week. Woohoo.
Freedom of speech: We need you now
Recently New Zealand Friends of Israel decided to sponsor two Israeli students who wanted to support the Canterbury Hebrew Congregation. While they were here, we suggested that they share their personal stories about military ethics and fighting in the 2014 Gaza War.
Due to the limited time available we chose to organise public addresses at Canterbury University and Victoria University in Christchurch and Wellington respectively.
We initially approached the Students for Justice in Palestine in Christchurch and asked if they would like to host them. They said they were too small and would referred us to the University of Canterbury Political Science Society who would draw a much bigger audience.
Discussions were constructive and had reached an advanced stage with the University of Canterbury Political Science Society when suddenly their president withdrew from the project citing that it was unconstitutional to host speakers with any political bias.
Our speakers pointed out that they had hosted other speakers in the past from one side of the political divide or the other without the requirement for both sides to be represented at the same event in the past. Nonetheless we respected their decision but was saddened by the double standard that had been applied.
In Wellington we were able to make much more progress because the Australasian Union of Jewish Students has an active branch there and to their credit they had no hesitation in agreeing to host and organise the event.
Unfortunately another student group called Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) have begun distributing flyers on campus and pressuring the University to deny access to its facilities for the event. They published a press release which was picked up by Scoop on Friday (http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1509/S00344/row-over-universities-hosting-israeli-defence-force-soldiers.htm).
SJP’s stance is an attack on the principles of freedom of speech, a university’s role in facilitating honest enquiry through discussion and debate, and a denial of the principles of natural justice because no one can speak up in defence of the accused if they prevail.
Since the controversy is now in the public arena, both New Zealand Friends of Israel and the Australasian Union of Jewish Students have both issued their own public statements. Both of these statements have been picked up by Scoop: http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1509/S00363/palestinian-justice-advocates-deny-others-justice.htm and http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1509/S00356/palestinian-students-try-to-stifle-freedom-of-speech.htm.
Now a group of Victoria University academics have also joined SJP in calling for these students to be suppressed: http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1509/S00361/academics-protest-idf-meeting-at-victoria.htm.
The Dominion Post (Fairfax , stuff.co.nz) has interviewed the academics.
Sean Plunket of Radio Live has interviewed these academics: http://www.radiolive.co.nz/Israeli-soldiers-to-talk-at-Victoria-University/tabid/506/articleID/101259/Default.aspx.
TV3 (www.tv3.co.nz) has interviewed Naftali and Rafael and this will be aired on the 6pm news September 29. The
The Australian Union of Jewish Students has asked us to inform you that they are determined to protect the right to free speech on campus, they will ensure this event will proceed but opposition is growing.
We invite you to show your support by:
- Quickly reviewing these items on Scoop and if they meet with your approval, click or tap the “like” button.
- Attend the meeting, show that freedom of speech, and the right to enquire about any topic, however controversial, at a University is something worth protecting.
Khazak ve’ematz (be strong and courageous)
IDF: At the Forefront of Military Ethics
Last weekend we were granted a fascinating and revealing account of what it was like to serve in the IDF during the 2014 Gaza War.
Naftali Gross and Rafael Wein gave moving accounts of patrolling the borders of Gaza, whilst working within the IDF’s ethical framework, which is in turn an expression of Jewish traditional values.
What is prominent throughout the evening was the idea of loving your enemies.
What other nation on earth would provide food, construction materials, electricity, medical aid and fuel to its enemies, knowing that that enemy will use those materials to advance their deadly cause against their provider?
Who would give medical assistance even as your enemies attack you and berate you for being there?
In aspiring to meet such lofty ideals the price is much personal sacrifice and loss.
Gross and Wein gave a personal, poignant and intimate testimony of their experiences. Their talk doesn’t cover the role of Dabla, the IDF ‘s international law department and how they sign off on every target card to ensure that it complies with the world’s laws of military conduct.
They don’t talk about the findings of the multinational High Level Military Group who reported to the UN that:
“In the air, on the front and at sea , Israel not only met a reasonable international standard of observance of the laws of armed conflict, but in many cases significantly exceeded that standard… A measure of the seriousness with which Israel took its moral duties and its responsibilities under the laws of armed conflict is that in some cases Israel’s scrupulous a dherence to the laws of war cost Israeli soldiers. and civilians their lives…”
No, they didn’t talk of these things, instead they gave a deeply personal memoir that has left an indelible impression in our souls.
A recording of their address can be downloaded from here: http://1drv.ms/1O2neQR
Happy New Year! Shana Tova!
Shana tova from NZ Friends of Israel!
New box number!
Hi Folks
Please be advised that we have a new box number. Please update your records accordingly.
Our contact details (with the changes in bold) are now:
NZ Friends of Israel Association Inc
Box 37 363
Halswell
Christchurch
New Zealand 8245
Ph +64 (27) 433 9745
contact@nzfoi.org
www.nzfoi.org
Todah!
Legacy: Father, Son and Nation: Reflections on the Adolf Eichmann Trial
We were treated to a fascinating talk by Amos Hausner (right). His father was the Attorney General of Israel and was tasked with prosecuting Eichmann in 1961 following his abduction from Argentina. During his opening address he said:
“I am not standing alone. With me are six million accusers, but they cannot rise to their feet and point an accusing finger. Their ashes ane piled upon the hills of Auschwitz and in the fields of Treblinka and are strewn in the forests of Poland…”
Amos recalled that Eichmann’s defences fell into four categories:
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Acts of state: that Eichmann war merely a civil servant enacting his country’s laws.
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Territorial jurisdiction: That if there had been any crime, it was committed in Europe and the Israeli authorities had no legal power to prosecute him.
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Impartiality: The crime was against the Jews, so Jewish judges cannot impartially carry out their duty.
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Retrospectivity: The laws under which Israel was prosecuting him were enacted in 1950, several years after the purported crimes were committed.
Gideon Hausman successfully argued that this defence was inapplicable since Germany had not enacted any laws mandating the extermination of Jews as they did not wish to turn world opinion against the regime.
The latter three defences were rejected based on ideas contained in the concept of Universal Jurisdiction.
Amos, a distinguished lawyer in his own right, commented on the weaknesses of international law in relation to Crimes against Humanity: Such cases took far too long, often decades, before the crimes were brought to trial and that there were no preventive laws. By preventative laws he gave examples such as laws that prohibited inciting or conspiring to commit crimes against humanity.
The trial also resulted in some heart-warming moments: A doctor presented himself at the court claiming that he had relevant testimony. Confronted by a policeman, he explained that he had treated a youth who had been sentenced to 80 lashes. The doctor had treated the boy as best he could but he was transferred to another facility and had no idea whether the boy had survived. The policeman said that he could put the doctor’s mind at rest at once as he was that youth. When the doctor eventually gave his testimony in court, he was amazingly able to point out the policeman to the judges.
Many thanks to:
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NZFOI volunteers Joanne Moss, Arthur and Sue Comery and Lynnette Gautier;
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Olga Macagon, The Holocaust Centre of New Zealand;
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Alison Dyson, The Jewish Federation of New Zealand;
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Professor Karen Hudson, The Canterbury University Law School
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The Victoria University of Wellington School of Government;
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Professor Ros Noonan, The Auckland University Centre for Human Rights Law, Policy and Practice; and
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Perry Trotter, The Shadows of Shoah Trust
For making his talks in Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland possible.
His talk may be viewed on the Victoria University site.
