He’s right, it’s something I see and hear all the time. Countless journalists, editors and politicians may be sent to Israel on Zionist-lobby sponsored trips but this is a sign of weakness, not strength. People are finding out the real news about Zionist occupation of Palestine from alternative sources and brutalisation is hard to sell, no matter how much money is being spent by the usual suspects.
Times are changing:
Israel has to understand it cannot continue to hold public opinion by the throat in countries such as Australia and the United States, according to former Australian ambassador to Egypt Robert Newton.
He was speaking at a dinner in Canberra yesterday arranged by Australians for Justice and Peace in Palestine, to mark the 63rd anniversary of the declaration of the state of Israel.
He said a highly articulate, well-resourced lobby ensured Israel’s interpretation was accepted by most influential politicians, writers and journalists in Australia and the US.
But more Australians, including those of Jewish background, were becoming increasingly uneasy about the continuing violations of human rights of Palestinians in Israel and in camps outside Israel, he said.
Mr Newton, who was recently elected vice-president of the Australia-Palestine Advocacy Network, said the network was made up of groups of people who wanted justice for Palestinians affected by the conflict.
It wanted dialogue with politicians, business and Jewish groups.
Israel’s 63rd anniversary is known by Palestinians as Nakba the catastrophe or disaster when about 700,000 Palestinians were expelled or fled from Israel and hundreds of Palestinian villages there were depopulated and destroyed.
Mr Newton said this was an appalling part of history, endorsed by the United Nations.
The new state of Israel had been assisted in the depopulation of Palestinians by what could only be called terrorist gangs, he said.
He said 500 Palestinian villages had been destroyed and 13,000 Palestinians killed and that Arabs had declared war on Israel.
”Three generations of these Palestinians have suffered terribly as a result of what happened in 1948, 1956 and 1967,” Mr Newton said.
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Meanwhile, Israel completely dominated the Palestinians under its occupation. Israel would probably prefer this, including the occasional terrorist attack, than to a negotiated peace.
Mr Newton said many people who were not well informed believed Israel was deserving of support by countries such as Australia and the United States.