The majority of the Independent Australian Jewish Voices have disowned him and the Australian Jewish News has labelled him a "fraud". He supported the Nakba Advertisement in this week's Australian - the one that conveniently ignored most of the historic events of 1948 and concentrated solely on a warped narrative of the Palestinian revision of history.
We know that Loewenstein’s knowledge about the history of the conflict is rather limited and he confirmed this ignorance by his support of the Nakba Advertisement in this week's Australian.
The advertisement failed to mention the UN vote in November 1947 that favoured the establishment of a Jewish state alongside an Arab state, its rejection by all Arabs including the Palestinians and the subsequent invasion of the area by surrounding Arab nations with the stated aim of pushing the Jews "into the sea". It ignored Israel's Declaration of Independence in 1948 which gave equal rights to all citizens in the land including full voting rights and recognition of Arabic as an official language of the state. And it did a blank page job on the current malaise of Palestinian terrorism with its callous disregard for innocent human life on both sides and which seeks to perpetuate conflict and avoid a peaceful outcome.
That's why the only democracy in the Middle East has the unqualified support of the leadership of both major Australian political parties.
But far worse than his knowledge of 1948 is Loewenstein’s understanding of the here and now. This is his letter published in the Sydney Morning Herald last Thursday (13 March, 2008) headed "Many Jews feel shame about Israel's actions":-
Robert Goot and David Knoll (Letters, March 12) round on Alan Ramsey for suggesting that Palestinians will not be celebrating Kevin Rudd's parliamentary motion on the 60th anniversary of the Jewish state.
They use the armoury of Israeli Foreign Ministry talking points to portray the Palestinians as bloodthirsty terrorists out to obliterate all Jews. Many Israelis do not agree, a majority recently telling a Haaretz-sponsored poll that they believed in talks between Hamas and the Israeli government. Despite the rhetoric in the Western media, many in the Hamas leadership have consistently offered a long-term ceasefire and accepted a two-state solution.
After unilaterally disengaging from Gaza in 2005, Israel has maintained an economic blockade. Israel targeted civilians at the end of the 2006 Lebanon war by dropping cluster bombs in the last days of its botched campaign. Mr Goot and Mr Knoll paint Israel as a robust democracy in the heart of the Middle East, conveniently ignoring the ever-expanding illegal occupation in the West Bank and racially discriminatory policies in Israel proper.
Many Diaspora Jews, myself included, remain ashamed at Israel's behaviour. It does not speak in my name.
Antony Loewenstein Petersham
The outrageous claims about Hamas offering ceasefires and of its so-called support for a "two- state solution" is Loewenstein's hallmark - it's all double talk. A Hamas ceasefire is one which permits it to rearm and permits other terrorists to continue fighting with its support. There is no evidence whatsoever of any Hamas acceptance of a "two-state" solution but even if it were true, then it's worth knowing that Loewnstein's "two-state solution doesn't mean a Jewish State and an Arab State living side by side together in peace as contemplated in United Nations Resolution 181 of 1947. What he really means is this:
"Mr Loewenstein ... said he supported Israel's right to exist but did not believe in the idea of a Jewish state that discriminated against non-Jews." - Jewish voices in discord after Israel ad. Now, that's what I call "double talk" and it's why his former allies are running away from him at a rate of knots.
We know that Loewenstein’s knowledge about the history of the conflict is rather limited and he confirmed this ignorance by his support of the Nakba Advertisement in this week's Australian.
The advertisement failed to mention the UN vote in November 1947 that favoured the establishment of a Jewish state alongside an Arab state, its rejection by all Arabs including the Palestinians and the subsequent invasion of the area by surrounding Arab nations with the stated aim of pushing the Jews "into the sea". It ignored Israel's Declaration of Independence in 1948 which gave equal rights to all citizens in the land including full voting rights and recognition of Arabic as an official language of the state. And it did a blank page job on the current malaise of Palestinian terrorism with its callous disregard for innocent human life on both sides and which seeks to perpetuate conflict and avoid a peaceful outcome.
That's why the only democracy in the Middle East has the unqualified support of the leadership of both major Australian political parties.
But far worse than his knowledge of 1948 is Loewenstein’s understanding of the here and now. This is his letter published in the Sydney Morning Herald last Thursday (13 March, 2008) headed "Many Jews feel shame about Israel's actions":-
Robert Goot and David Knoll (Letters, March 12) round on Alan Ramsey for suggesting that Palestinians will not be celebrating Kevin Rudd's parliamentary motion on the 60th anniversary of the Jewish state.
They use the armoury of Israeli Foreign Ministry talking points to portray the Palestinians as bloodthirsty terrorists out to obliterate all Jews. Many Israelis do not agree, a majority recently telling a Haaretz-sponsored poll that they believed in talks between Hamas and the Israeli government. Despite the rhetoric in the Western media, many in the Hamas leadership have consistently offered a long-term ceasefire and accepted a two-state solution.
After unilaterally disengaging from Gaza in 2005, Israel has maintained an economic blockade. Israel targeted civilians at the end of the 2006 Lebanon war by dropping cluster bombs in the last days of its botched campaign. Mr Goot and Mr Knoll paint Israel as a robust democracy in the heart of the Middle East, conveniently ignoring the ever-expanding illegal occupation in the West Bank and racially discriminatory policies in Israel proper.
Many Diaspora Jews, myself included, remain ashamed at Israel's behaviour. It does not speak in my name.
Antony Loewenstein Petersham
The outrageous claims about Hamas offering ceasefires and of its so-called support for a "two- state solution" is Loewenstein's hallmark - it's all double talk. A Hamas ceasefire is one which permits it to rearm and permits other terrorists to continue fighting with its support. There is no evidence whatsoever of any Hamas acceptance of a "two-state" solution but even if it were true, then it's worth knowing that Loewnstein's "two-state solution doesn't mean a Jewish State and an Arab State living side by side together in peace as contemplated in United Nations Resolution 181 of 1947. What he really means is this:
"Mr Loewenstein ... said he supported Israel's right to exist but did not believe in the idea of a Jewish state that discriminated against non-Jews." - Jewish voices in discord after Israel ad. Now, that's what I call "double talk" and it's why his former allies are running away from him at a rate of knots.
3 comments:
Stuff all that! His support for the Islamist fascist Hamas says it all.
It's so easy attacking Loewenstein that it is tiring doing so. Where does one start, when he displays so much ignorance, such an incredible lack of knowledge and so much maliciouness bordering on paranoia? The problem is that there is so much to be attacked, that whatever one says will not complete the job: there will always be more, so that it looks as though what is left is somehow ok. Loewenstein has the singular distinction of always being wrong, whether in facts or in opinions based on those non-facts. Unfortunately there are some, like those fans that are allowed to write comments on his blog, who follow St. Antony. Oh, and those 45 (including Antony, his mum and his dad) who signed that atrocious ad. Tiring indeed.
In order to better understand how much of an idiot Loewenstein really is you should have cited the letter he attacks and the vile article written by Alan Ramsey that preceded it. On the one hand you have Goot and Knoll advocating peace and mutual understanding and on the other, Ramsay and Loewenstein spitting out bile and hatred and support for Islamist fascism. This is the letter:-
Friendships with Israel are more enduring than hate-filled rhetoric
"After the slaughter, sickening jubilation" (March 8), was an entirely appropriate headline following the murder of eight students in Jerusalem, and the celebration of their massacre by gun-toting Palestinians. Writing on the same day, Alan Ramsey found it appropriate to indulge one of his passions - hatred of Israel ("Don't mention the war as Israel lauded").
Ramsey's piece crosses the line from robust debate to racial vilification. He denies the Jewish people their right to self-determination; applies double standards by requiring Israel to adhere to standards not demanded of any other democratic nation; and uses images associated with classic anti-semitism. He refers to Israel as "the core malignancy convulsing the Middle East", ignoring the well-documented deficits in human rights and freedoms throughout the Arab world that the United Nations identifies as the real cause of instability.
He is outraged that Israelis defend themselves against Hamas and other Palestinian groups who seek out, kill and maim Jewish civilians.
Ramsey's reference to the "relative pin pricks of (homemade) Hamas rockets fired into territory illegally occupied by Israeli settlers" is another howler. For the past seven years hundreds of rockets have been fired from Gaza at towns and cities within Israel itself. The intended victims are Israeli civilians living not in the occupied territories but on sovereign Israeli territory. A few weeks ago one of these rockets blew off the legs of an Israeli boy. All this despite Israel's withdrawal from Gaza. And why? Google "Hamas charter" and read the document for yourself.
It is only when there is any sign of hope that a peaceful settlement might be achievable that Hamas perpetrates its outrages. It does not want a peaceful settlement with Israel. As its charter makes clear, it wants no Israel.
In a disgraceful reversion to classic anti-semitic canards about Jews and money, Ramsey makes the baseless declaration that Australian parliamentarians support Israel only to safeguard their Jewish financial support.
Ramsey cannot fathom that Israel, despite years of being portrayed as the bully-boy, can still command the genuine admiration and support of millions of Australians.
It's not just because Israel is a thriving democracy whose Arab as well as Jewish citizens enjoy human and political rights undreamt of elsewhere in the Middle East. The long friendship between Australia and Israel can be traced back to the Great War, when Anzac troops in Palestine were first welcomed into the homes of the Jewish pioneers who were laying the foundations of Jewish statehood. The personal friendships forged then and ever since are far more enduring than the hate-filled rhetoric of Alan Ramsey and those he promotes.
Robert Goot president, Executive Council of Australian Jewry
David Knoll president, NSW Jewish Board of Deputies
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