NSW Labor ‘bullies’ rebuffed

“A REPUDIATION of hardline anti-Israel sentiment”, a “rebuff of bullies and censors”, “sensible”, “balanced”, “rational” and “measured” … just some of the ways Labor MPs and communal leaders have this week described the resolution that was passed on the Israel-Palestine issue at the NSW Labor state conference last Sunday.

The resolution encourages all party members to spend “substantial time” in both Israel and Palestine when visiting the region for the purpose of understanding the conflict.

It also condemns the Abbott/Turnbull government for “failing to provide clear leadership on Australia’s contribution to progressing peace between Israel and Palestine”, and endorses the resolution carried at the ALP national conference last year, which states that if the next round of negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians fail, the party will consider recognition of a Palestinian state.

The resolution comes after a push within the party to ban Labor MPs, officials and Young Labor members from accepting subsidised trips to Israel altogether, and amid a raft of other motions that were highly critical of the Jewish State and called for, among other things, immediate recognition of Palestine and a boycott of settlement products.

A spokesperson for Opposition Leader Bill Shorten told The AJN he regards the motion that was passed as a “reasonable statement” which “applies equally to all areas of international dispute”.

“As he has previously said, he trusts his MPs to exercise their own judgement on these matters and does not agree with any attempt to limit the flexibility of MPs in the performance of their duties while overseas,” the spokesperson said.

Federal shadow attorney-general Mark Dreyfus said the outcomes of the conference demonstrate that Labor continues its longstanding support for the State of Israel.

“While a number of Labor branches proposed resolutions that I believe were unjustifiably critical of Israel and that called for various policy changes that would have done nothing to further the peace process, those resolutions were all crushed,” Dreyfus said.

“The resolution that was passed was measured and sensible, and effectively recommended a continuation of the longstanding practice for organised trips to Israel to include visits to the West Bank.”

Labor MP Michael Danby said: “Whatever Bob Carr and the pro-Palestinian elements in NSW Labor claim now, they wanted to stop trips to Israel – originally banning them and then by making them unworkable. They failed.”

Australia-Israel Labor Dialogue NSW convenor Greg Holland said the motion is “balanced, demonstrates rational policy towards encouraging understanding of the complexity of the region, and seeks not to single out and demonise Israel”.

Noting that other motions calling for travel bans on party members specifically wanting to visit Israel was a “totalitarian move by those in the party who are anti-Israel”, Holland added, “There is no place for restricting freedom of travel in our party.”

NSW Jewish Board of Deputies president Jeremy Spinak said this is a “sensible outcome” that “rejects the anti-Israel bias and discrimination” promoted by a few party members.

“The outcome reflects the fact that a majority of ALP members wished for a fair and factual debate, wanted to focus on issues that were of immediate importance to NSW and did not wish to participate in an anti-Israel vendetta,” Spinak said.

He noted that in the lead-up to the conference the majority of NSW ALP leaders “engaged with the Jewish community and we greatly appreciated the open and wide-ranging discussions”.

Colin Rubenstein – executive director of the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council, which organises a number of fact-finding trips to the region – welcomed this “effective rebuff of bullies and censors” by the conference.

“We are grateful to all those who successfully produced a motion focusing on advancing a two-state peace process, and we look forward to working with everyone who genuinely promotes peace and a better future for Israelis and Palestinians,” Rubenstein said.

Commending the NSW Labor Party for “encouraging members to further their understanding of both Israelis and Palestinians”, Zionist Federation of Australia president Danny Lamm said: “The final draft of the resolution shows that common sense has prevailed and is a repudiation of hardline anti-Israel sentiment.”

In a statement, the Executive Council of Australian Jewry described the resolution as a “pleasing development”, adding, “The attempt to move Labor into a more and more hostile posture towards Israel this time suffered a firm rebuff.”

For more coverage see this week’s AJN.

EVAN ZLATKIS

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