Daphne Anson: David Landau's Bandwagon Trundles On Down Under

Eretz Israel is our unforgettable historic homeland...The Jews who will it shall achieve their State...And whatever we attempt there for our own benefit will redound mightily and beneficially to the good of all mankind. (Theodor Herzl, DerJudenstaat, 1896)

We offer peace and amity to all the neighbouring states and their peoples, and invite them to cooperate with the independent Jewish nation for the common good of all. The State of Israel is ready to contribute its full share to the peaceful progress and development of the Middle East. (From Proclamation of the State of Israel, 5 Iyar 5708; 14 May 1948)

With a liberal democratic political system operating under the rule of law, a flourishing market economy producing technological innovation to the benefit of the wider world, and a population as educated and cultured as anywhere in Europe or North America, Israel is a normal Western country with a right to be treated as such in the community of nations.... For the global jihad, Israel may be the first objective. But it will not be the last. (Friends of Israel Initiative)

Sunday, 27 November 2011

David Landau's Bandwagon Trundles On Down Under

Like Sydney-based Middle East affairs analyst David Singer, who last week resigned from the New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies over its hosting of controversial former Ha'aretz editor David Landau, brought to Australia by the New Israel Fund, Danny Lamm, Melbourne-based President of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ), and the son, incidentally, of one of the great stalwarts of Zionism in Australia, regrets that Landau has been accorded a platform for his views.

The Australian Jewish News quotes Danny Lamm as saying:

“Some of his [Landau's] statements are statements that can be used to delegitimise Israel, for example a boycott of the Knesset and the statements that his idea of a wet dream is the rape of Israel.

These are obscene comments and this is unacceptable stuff.

The ECAJ would not have hosted him.

I am sorry that he is here and I’m sorry that he has been given the opportunity to speak to our audiences.”

The latest J-Wire reports as follows on David Landau's action-packed visit the Shtetl On The Yarra (otherwise known as Melbourne), where leftist Israeli journalist - who is, of course, on record as saying Israel wants to be raped - seems to have been packin' 'em in ...

Reports J-Wire:

Read on for articleFormer Haaretz editor-in-chief David Landau spoke to a packed house in Melbourne last night, just hours before the prominent journalist and commentator made news in the Jewish and non-Jewish press.

'Former Haaretz editor-in-chief David Landau spoke to a packed house in Melbourne last night, just hours before the prominent journalist and commentator made news in the Jewish and non-Jewish press.
Landau, in Australia on a speaking tour for the New Israel Fund, made his sole public appearance at Caulfield Pavilion in Melbourne last night, with standing room only for the 100-plus people in the audience to discuss “The Battle for Israel’s Democracy”.

The Age carried this repugnant cartoon some years ago

In today’s The Age newspaper [known for its hostility to Israel - D.A.], the outspoken Israeli urged Australian Jews to take a more critical line on Israel, saying her democracy is “at a crossroads” and local Jews needed to speak out instead of blindly toeing the government line.
Read The AGE piece here…

“We will have to be either democratic or Jewish,” The Age quoted him as saying. “The poison of the occupation is seeping back and corroding our democracy.”

In addition, Landau, the Israel correspondent for The Economist, had an opinion article on Iran published today in all major Fairfax mastheads, including The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald, WA Today and the Brisbane Times. [The one antipodean newspaper that can be depended upon for its fairness towards Israel is The Australian, owned by Murdoch - D.A.]

Its resident cartoonist, Leunig, also produced this

In it, Landau argued that PM Bibi Netanyahu, whom he described as “a bluffer”, was not bluffing when he threatened Iran with a unilateral strike on its nuclear facilities.

“He does not want to go down in Jewish history as the leader on whose watch a fanatical enemy achieved the means to cow, terrorise and threaten to destroy the Jewish state while the rest of the world stood by and Israel itself did nothing,” Landau wrote. Read the SMH piece here.

But in this week’s edition of the Australian Jewish News, ECAJ president Danny Lamm chastised Landau, saying he was “sorry” that he had been brought to Australia to speak and that the roof body of Australian Jewry would not have hosted an event with him.

And this...

This prompted Yair Miller, president of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, to defend hosting Landau at a lunch last week saying his organisation was “mature” and “open-minded” enough to expose its members to different viewpoints.

Robin Margo, president of the New Israel Fund Australian branch, defended Landau, saying his Zionist credentials were incontrovertible, noting he had collaborated with Shimon Peres on his memoirs, written a biography of Ben-Gurion with Peres and had authored a biography of former PM Ariel Sharon, which is due out next year.

Landau is speaking at Yom Limmud in Melbourne on Sunday.'

Oy vey!

6 comments:

Shirl in Oz27 November 2011 at 08:56
100 people !!!!!!!!!!!

Packing them in ????????????

Don't make me laugh !!!!!!!!!!!
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Daphne Anson27 November 2011 at 09:05
I told you I'm literate but not numerate!
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Shirl in Oz27 November 2011 at 09:23
It wasn't your comment Daph!!
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Daphne Anson27 November 2011 at 20:29
Phew! Well, I did say "trundles" rather than "rolls" ...
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Anonymous28 November 2011 at 21:54
Landau's visit and NIF's controversial policy of supporting organisations with anti-Zionist objectives has made the Israeli press as well.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/150149#.TtNlLWAju4g
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Daphne Anson28 November 2011 at 22:15
Thanks - that's a good, cogent article.
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