Camel carrying dead weight
One accusation that can’t be levied at the Zionist Lobby is that it’s backwards coming forward.
If The Israel Lobby has a strong opinion that’s for public consumption, the rest of us get to hear about it, loud and clear. No-one ever suggests The Lobby is too shy to play politics. Not in the USA, not in Europe – and not in Australia, for that matter.
Sometimes I wonder what life might be like if the growing anti-Zionist movement developed political cohesion, tactical skill and the political determination of our opponents.
I’ll use this Australian election campaign as an example.
Sitting in the Australian Parliament, at present, are a handful of individuals known for their strong pro-Israel stance.
Why aren’t they targeted for defeat?
The Israel Lobby has a grip on the two major parties in Australia – but not because of its numerical support in the electorate. It would doubtless use voting strength if it had much voting strength. But it doesn’t. Australian Jews represent a tiny percentage – some 0.5% – of the total population. In very few constituencies around the country are Jewish votes significant (and not all Jewish Australians are Zionists, in any case, as we’re often reminded).
So how does The Israel Lobby pack such a punch in Australia?
There are a variety of overt ways it exercises a quite remarkable influence on our polity. These include effective use of media power, deployment of financial power and policy convergence with kindred Zionist-dominated nations such as the USA and Britain (if they head for war, Australia usually follows). The Lobby may well have other, more clandestine ways of exerting influence too.
But above all, the Zionist movement has a go! It isn’t shy! It uses all legal means at its disposal (and possibly more).
Michael Danby, MP for Melbourne Ports. Probably the most obnoxious Zionist fanatic in the Australian Parliament, Danby should be voted out at the coming election
One may hold a negative point of view about this. Personally, I’m disgusted with the incessant,obsessive bullying of the Jewish pro-Israel Lobby in Australia and write about the subject from time to time. But for the most part, it’s activities are legal and carried out through legitimate channels. They hassle for Israel 24 x 7. In a ‘free country’, that’s their right.
How about anti-Zionists? To date, in Australian elections, I haven’t seen any evidence that we use even the most basic power we do have – our raw numbers – in the most obvious way imaginable, which is to exercise voting power systematically at election time.
Most people in the Australian Parliament are what I’d call ‘soft Zionists’. The Middle East is not their major concern. As Australian politicians, they are primarily focused on Australian issues – but they’re are also aware of the legendary power of the Zionist Lobby.
At present, they notice that no consequences result from taking a pro-Israel position. Doubtless some advantages accrue. On the other hand, media hostility is possible – even likely – if they take a strong anti-Israel stance. Naturally enough, like trees bending in the wind, they tilt towards Israel.
If they saw the politicians that take strong pro-Israel positions punished by hostile campaigns and suffer significant electoral consequences, these flexible men and women might soon start bending the other way. It’s not rocket science. This is Politics 101.
So why don’t Australian anti-Zionists target the most biased and aggressive Zionists in the Australian Parliament? Why isn’t there a systematic national campaign to weed these characters out of Parliament?We know who they are, after all. They brag about it.
Why don’t we have a movement in Australia that punishes politicians when they do the wrong thing and support the worse-than-Apartheid Israeli State – and supports politicians that do the right thing on this crucial issue?
We should!
