Daphne Anson: Aussie Judge Compares "Nakba Day" To Christmas Day

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)

Tuesday, 15 May 2012

Aussie Judge Compares "Nakba Day" To Christmas Day

"As Australians, we should not be importing overseas conflicts onto the streets of Sydney. But there is a tragedy today, and it is that when the Jewish world accepted the State of Israel as decreed by the UN 64 years ago, the Arab world did not do the same. If it had, we would be celebrating a state of Palestine today which was 64 years old, just as Israel is. Isn’t it time we all moved on and explored ways to advance peace instead of dwelling on the past?"

So, very sensibly, remarks Vic Alhadeff, chief executive officer of the New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies, of the decision to hold a Nakba Day rally (composed of the usual suspects) in the Sydney central business district. Police had opposed owing the disruption to traffic, but on appeal by march organiser Patrick Langosch, Justice Christine Adamson ruled that the march should proceed , though from 7 p.m. rather than the 5.30 p.m. proposed, in order to minimise such disruption.

An online poll on the Sydney Daily Telegraph shows that an overwhelming majority of respondents deplore demos taking place in the CBD.

According to Henry Benjamin, reporting for J-Wire, during the hearing Justice Adamson cited "the continuing grievances of the Palestinian people" in understanding the reasons for the protest.

In delivering her ruling she agreed with Langosch's contention that "it is not an option to have it on any other day than May 15" (he added that "the demonstration will go on regardless of the decision of the Court"):

"I do not regard it as reasonable to expect persons commemorating a particular date to defer or bring forward its commemoration so that it can be commemorated on a weekend.

Nakba Day ought be regarded as a day which, like Anzac Day, Christmas Day or Australia Day, is referable to a particular date which is not movable....

If one's purpose were to disrupt commuter traffic, one could hardly choose a better time or place. But this is not the defendant's purpose. His purpose is to conduct a public assembly to commemorate Nakba Day. The date is the product of history."

Sydney Telegraph blogger Tim Blair, in a post mocking the notion of a Nakba Day as described by the judge, notes sarcastically that the Sydney march started later than organisers wished

"But there’s no holding back other revellers:

Arab terrorists attacked southern Israel with a Kassam rocket early Tuesday and attacked Jews in the Hevron area with two firebombs overnight as “Nakba Day” began …"

Good on yer, cobber. As Bibi Netanyahu has said of the latest perpetrators of violence against the little Jewish State:

"Their struggle is not over the 1967 borders, but it questions the very existence of Israel, which they describe as a catastrophe which must be resolved.

We are determined to defend our borders and our sovereignty."

Update: click here for Ben Fordham's interview with Langosch and here for Ray Hadley's take on events (hat tip: reader Shirlee) See also my next post, where I'll post or link to any relevant videos that come my way...

8 comments:

darrinh15 May 2012 at 20:38
I attended the rally tonight in Sydney, I saw at least three Hizbollah flags, some rabid Anti-Semites (including one Neo Nazi - http://www.pbase.com/image/59901753) and the usual Socialist suspects. They were chanting the usual genocidal 'from the river to the sea', though most of them don't know which river is being referred to. *sigh*, the things you see when you don't have a ....
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darrinh15 May 2012 at 20:39
As for the judge, we live in a day and age when we need hanging judges but all we get are judges that should be hanged.
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Ian16 May 2012 at 02:24
Andrew Bolt on 2GB commenting about the protest and the judge.
http://podcasts.mrn.com.au.s3.amazonaws.com/steveprice/20120515-bolt-price.mp3
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Patrick Langosch16 May 2012 at 07:45
Your statements about the protesters not getting their way are incorrect. The procession was always planned for 7pm. The court upheld the protest as originally planned. Statements made by police implying this was not the case are simply them trying to save face after a humiliating defeat and to divert attention towards traffic rather than the real reason for opposing the rally - the continued attempts to criminalise solidarity with Palestine.
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Ian16 May 2012 at 15:38
This comment has been removed by the author.
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Ian16 May 2012 at 16:51
I’m redoing my last post so it comes up as a reply?

Tim Blair has a pic
http://blogs.news.com.au/images/uploads/idfkill.jpg
NAKBA BISCUITS
http://blogs.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/timblair/index.php/dailytelegraph/comments/nakba_biscuits/
Like the cabbie said on 2GB, most weddings have more people turn up.
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