Support to the max
IT was a grey night outside, but inside Labor Party members sat with their hands wrapped around steaming mugs of hot chocolate. The occasion? Michael Danby’s second anti-Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) solidarity meeting.
IT was a grey night outside, but inside Labor Party members sat with their hands wrapped around steaming mugs of hot chocolate. The occasion? Michael Danby’s second anti-Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) solidarity meeting.
It was the sweetest of protests, but it was attended by two of the Government’s toughest members.
Broadband and Communications Minister Senator Stephen Conroy strolled into Max Brenner in South Melbourne with Victorian senator – and one of the so-called “faceless men” who helped install Julia Gillard as Prime Minister – David Feeney.
Both were there to show their support for Israel, as the Jewish State comes under increasing attacks from local BDS campaigners. Despite the company’s policy of not getting involved in politics, Max Brenner has been one of the main targets for protesters.
“We’re here to send a very strong message that the boycott movement is completely inappropriate,” Senator Conroy said.
Unlike Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd, who attended Danby’s first sweet sit-in last week in his capacity as an “individual citizen”, Senator Conroy said he was there as an elected representative.
“I’m here as a senator for Victoria and to represent the official position of the ALP that is for the State of Israel and against the boycotts,” he said.
Senator Feeney congratulated Danby for coming up with the idea of a calm, positive protest.
“This is a dignified way to send a message,” he said, noting that politicians lending their support to peaceful movements can have more power than making statements in Parliament.
Danby, who had recruited members of the Caulfield branch of the ALP for the tasty trip, said the solidarity event was conducted in a positive spirit.
“This kind of thing shows the warm feeling of Australians for the State of Israel,” he said. The backbencher added he had plans to extend the events to Sydney and Brisbane and hoped to get bipartisan support for the action.
“It is a way of getting grassroots support,” he said. “It’s going viral.”
The MP is encouraging all supporters of Israel to take up his lead. “It is the responsibility of every civilised person who wants to make a contribution against these fanatics who want to boycott Jewish and Israeli commerce, to support these stores and products, particularly after any incident,” Danby said.
“I urge the public to go in and buy every product on the shelves.”
NAOMI LEVIN
Photo: Senator Stephen Conroy, Michael Danby MP and Senator David Feeney. Photo: Peter Haskin/AJN
comments