Now getting back to the subject would be great for a change. Even though the jew crew would rather do what they do best.
7. JEWISH NEWS ON "THE ASHRAWI AFFAIR"
Although the Australian Jewish News went to the press on Wednesday before Dr Hanan Ashrawi had arrived in Australia and before she had received the Sydney Peace Prize or given her acceptance speech, the paper still went all out with its coverage.
There was a front-page splash on Ashrawi complete with a file photo of the recipient. As Ashrawi was yet to deliver her speech, AJN resorted to reproducing one of Ashrawi's old speeches which was written for the UN Conference Against Racism in 2001, and AJN found to be "replete with naked hostility towards Israel."
Page three was entirely devoted to "The Ashrawi Affair" with stories on Bob Carr, Kathryn Greiner, The Greens and Greens MP Ian Cohen and Israeli Ambassador to Australia Gabby Levy who joined the chorus of those against the prize going to Ashrawi.
The AJN editorial was firmly against Ashrawi getting the Sydney Peace Prize, but it also contained some strong comments on the predicament of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry's president, Jeremy Jones.
Jones is seen to represent the Australian Jewry as ECAJ president, but as the Australia/Israel and Jewish Affairs Council's Sydney-based director of international and community affairs, he has an inherent conflict of interest, and as such has remained deafeningly silent, while the Jewish community has been "under siege".
"There is no question that she is not a worthy recipient of any peace prize," says the AJN editorial, "but the reality of the matter is that she is - or should have been - a one-day wonder who will be gone by the end of the week, taking her insignificant prize with her."
"This ill-considered approach has backfired badly on the entire community. The actions of a few have created the impression that the community resorts to bullying tactics to get its way, stifles free speech, uses its financial and political clout inappropriately, opposes engaging with Palestinians in general and, by extension, opposes Palestinian statehood.
"The truth - all but lost in the media frenzy which erupted over the power of this lobby - is that there are many moderate voices within the community who feel uncomfortable at this intemperate display."
All eight letters to AJN are on the "The Ashrawi Affair" although opinion is mixed with three in favour of her getting the prize or at least letting her speak before judging her, while five are adamantly against it, including one from AIJAC's national chairman Mark Leibler.
There are also four opinion columns on Ashrawi, including one from Stephen Rothman, the president of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies on the negative effect of AIJAC's lobbying.
ABC radio's the World Today also mentioned the AJN editorial in its Ashrawi story today and spoke to Stephen Rothman and Greens MP Ian Cohen (the only Jewish MP in the NSW parliament) for balanced commentary on Ashrawi and the peace debate.
AJN Editorial - The Ashrawi affair http://www.ajn.com.au/pages/current-paper/editorial-01.html
