Israel: A beacon of democracy unfairly condemned

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Israel: A beacon of democracy unfairly condemned

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Unfortunately Tony Walker misses the mark on acceptable criticism of Israel (Comment, 18/4). Israel is not beyond condemnation. I, for one, vehemently oppose settlement expansion in the West Bank.

Illustration: Jim Pavlidis

Illustration: Jim Pavlidis

Israel is not a terrorist state. Quite the contrary. Israel is a beacon of democracy in a region dominated by autocratic and murderous regimes. One only needs to look at Syria and Iran as examples. Yet, it is Israel that consistently incurs the wrath of those on the left.

If these so-called human rights activists were so concerned with the welfare of the Palestinians, they would urge the Palestinian Authority to renounce terrorism, acknowledge the right of Israel to exist and return to peace talks without preconditions. Instead, they direct their vitriol against the Jewish state and this exposes something more malevolent.

Joel Feren, East St Kilda

Context of random terrorism is needed

Tony Walker misses the point. Criticism of Israel is justified when considered in context because it's not only about "settlement" or "occupation" as he puts it. The underlying issue is about continued, random, unjustified terrorism against Jews all over Israel and the historical "river to the sea" mentality of a people who seek to be neighbours in their own state. Context in the same sentence as "occupation" or "settlements" is generally lacking in the discourse.

Daniel Smolarski, Caulfield

Praise for a balanced view

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Well done Tony Walker for having the courage to present a balanced view on Israel. It is true that one can be supportive of the Jewish people while also being critical of certain actions of the government of the state of Israel. This is no more "anti-Semitic" than it is "anti-Australian" to criticise the Australian government over, say, treatment of asylum seekers.

Mike Puleston, Brunswick

A more even-handed approach is required

It is disingenuous of Tony Walker to take the high moral ground in his criticism of Israel. Walker seems to have a problem in separating the government of Israel from the people of Israel.

It has become convenient to hide behind the actions of the Netanyahu government to level some of the most extreme and continual judgments against Israel no matter what is done. Not only can Walker, and fellow travellers, find no good things that Israelis have achieved over the past 70 years, they never praise the extraordinary advances Israeli scientists have made or the work that so many Israeli hospitals provide for Palestinians and Jews alike nor for that matter the incredible medical support that hospitals in northern Israel have provided for wounded Syrians over the past six years. In fact, there are a huge number activities where Israel Jews and Palestinians work together in harmony. Walker and his friends don't mention these things because it would spoil their propaganda.

If Walker's criticism was more even-handed then his views on Israel would have more credibility. Israel is a tiny country continually battling for its survival and little understanding is given by Walker that Israel needs only to lose one war to disappear. Much of Israel's actions are done under this continual threat. No other country has this pall hanging over them.

Philip Bliss, Hawthorn East

Criticism is not being anti-Semitic

Tony Walker takes on the issue of how we can discuss the treatment of Palestinians in Israel without appearing to be anti-Semitic. Nowhere else do we hold back on international criticism, whether it's the Trump administration, the Venezuela mess or the crazy North Korean forum. But Israel is the exception to the point where Melissa Parke quit her candidacy for Curtin. What is the attitude of the United Nations to the treatment of Palestinians? The UN News journal reports that the abuses of Palestinians "is a grave breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention". The UN cares not for who is abusing human rights and nor should we.

Graeme Lee, Fitzroy

FORUM

Deserve better

Recently I submitted requests for access to the NDIS for Aboriginal clients diagnosed with a psycho-social disability. They live in a very remote community. I used the "Life Skills Profile 16" assessment tool. According to the NDIS, it "assesses a consumer's ability with respect to basic life skills". It includes categories like "grooming" and "personal care".

You'd think by now the Commonwealth would understand these "life skills" in remote communities are meaningless. In community, you may share your home with 15 other people; you may sleep on a bare mattress on the floor; your access to the bathroom is not a given; a washing machine is a luxury; you are food insecure; you buy power on a power card and you are poor.

Nonetheless, I sent the paperwork to NDIS assessors in Canberra.

Imagine my surprise when the assessors emailed me requesting further proof of the clients' addresses rather than seeking to better understand their disability. Could I, for example, send through a tenancy agreement with the client name on it? A rate notice? a power bill? An insurance policy?

No, I can't because these clients have none of the above. It really begs the question: who are the NDIS assessors, do they receive training, do they understand disability in a remote Aboriginal community setting?

And why does the NDIS use an assessment tool that has the effect of reinforcing humiliation and exclusion among disabled Aboriginal people who desperately need the care?

Jane Bean, manager, Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service, Katherine, NT

Not healthy

In my suburb, as in so many others in Melbourne, the beautiful old houses are being demolished and replaced by ghastly grey monoliths. But it's not just the offensive aesthetics that are making us sick. When the house across the road from us was being demolished, asbestos and all, I called the EPA. They told me to call Worksafe. I did and they told me to call the council. I was told an inspector "might" be sent out, but it was probably too late. Good to know all these government bodies are working hard to protect the health and safety of residents.

Sarah Gully, Bentleigh East

Life choices

I am a former nurse, privileged to care for many dying patients over my career, and feel I may have some reasonable insight to add to the ongoing euthanasia debate. While I can appreciate and respect the views of Linda Skinner (Letters, 17/4) and others who support assisted dying, I feel their thinking to be limited.

I have many concerns of my own regarding assisted dying, some already expressed throughout this debate, but there is one the cynical part of me often ponders.

Will there be an insidious reduction in funding for palliative care services as more terminally ill people possibly select assisted death to end their suffering, thus, in effect, pushing others to do so, as they feel they have no other choice to deal with their pain and suffering? Such a situation would be truly shocking.

I, for one, would find it reassuring to hear from politicians that this will never be the case, and that funding will be ongoing and ever increasing to meet the needs and equally rightful choices of those who select to end their days through the care provided by palliative care workers.

Christine Harris, Mordialloc

PC goes mad

The renaming of the Barry Award at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival after his comments about transgender people and vaccinations has caused the predictable lament of political correctness gone mad. Free speech needs to be balanced with a sense of responsibility to those you are talking about. Sometimes you need to be held accountable if your free speech is damaging to others. You might disagree with how someone is held accountable, that's OK, have a discussion about appropriate consequences rather than say it "smacks of political correctness".

Ange Mackie, Coburg

Keep Basin full

The approval of the Adani environmental impact appears to be purely a political fix. Australia cannot afford to risk the Great Artesian Basin, or the Doongmabulla Springs.

Mike Francis, Fitzroy

So, what's the answer?

I am waiting for Bill Shorten to get off his fence and tell us whether he is going to let the greatest threat to Australian agriculture and the environment (the Adani mine) go ahead. Until I know, I cannot vote, and as the election is only a few weeks away I am becoming very worried.

Margaret Collings, Anglesea

Save us the jogging

I'm getting a bit sick and tired of seeing politicians go for a jog during election campaigns. John Howard did it. Bill Shorten is doing it and even Scott Morrison. When are we going to see them hold a fishing rod? When am I going to see a picture of them on horseback, or with a shottie over their shoulder?

Neil Jenkins, Mornington

Go with the vegan

I read with interest Doug Killeen's letter (18/4) and his indignation about to his desire to order an egg and bacon roll. Lord of the Fries advertises that it serves vegan food. The options are much healthier as animal products are full of saturated fat and cholesterol. It is well-established that animal products, particularly processed meat such as ham and bacon, are a leading cause of bowel cancer. Fibre is so important for gut health and is only available in plant foods such as grains, beans, fruit, vegetables, nuts etc. So for your well being Doug, I suggest you try the vegan option, you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Diane Cornelius, Seacliff Park, SA

Trafficking idiocy

Dennis O'Connell (Letters, 18/4), "building more freeways doesn't resolve congestion" is obviously right. Building more freeways to solve traffic problems is like buying bigger pants to "solve" your weight problem.

Idiocy. Never worked, never will.

Barry Webster, Thornbury

Dock his pay

Surely it is not only the possibility that George Christensen used taxpayers' money on connecting flights to Manila that is of concern, it is the fact that he is being paid to do a job he is not fulfilling. Any other worker who just didn't turn up to work would have lost his job years ago. The Senate is a protected workshop and should have some penalties to stop the likes of Christensen and Fraser Anning from abusing the privileges bestowed on the position. Just dock his pay.

Alan Inchley, Frankston

Stop having kids

We don't need to encourage people to have more children ("Help us to afford more children", 17/4). There are already 7 billion people in the world, with 2 billion more predicted in the next 30 years. We are struggling to feed the people we have, and the land has been severely damaged in many countries by drought and land clearing. Let's try to maintain and restore our land before populating it even more.

Lorraine Bates, Surrey Hills

Not a good target

Leaving aside the thorny issue of immigration versus kids born here, we don't need more people. If Australia is grows at 2 per cent per year by the end of the century we would have 124 million people – in this dry continent.

Is that something to aim for?

Professor Peter Seligman, Brunswick West

Crassing the line

Easter is the most important Christian festival. To businesses and advertisers wishing to cash in on it, Easter Saturday is the Saturday after Easter Sunday. The Saturday before is called "Holy Saturday" (or simply the Saturday before Easter). Nobody calls Good Friday "Easter Friday", or not yet anyway.

Moreover, hot cross buns are not Easter buns as they are traditionally consumed on Good Friday to remember the Lord's crucifixion. If they must be sold on every day after Boxing Day, couldn't they leave the cross off and maybe call them not crass buns?

Peter Mackinlay, Geelong

Right and wrong priorities

Beginning in the arly 1930s, the Victorian community, now heavily supported by CFA volunteers, have spent hundreds of thousands of hours raising money for the Good Friday Appeal critical to the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne.

Scott Morrison's political stunt in reopening the Christmas Island detention centre (with no sick asylum seekers requiring attendance to date) at a cost of more than $170 million is more than all the money raised for the Royal Children's Good Friday Appeal in the past 10 years.

Chris Braden, Spring Gully

Staff Centrelink

Pity that Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who claims to have created a million plus jobs, does not employ a few more in Centrelink. I applied for a pension in November, promptly answered a request for further information in January and still no decision has been made. Telephone them, you hold on for an average of about an hour and even then they cannot tell you anything. Three emails and no response, not even an acknowledgement of receipt.

I wonder if the politicians were not paid for five months would they do anything about it?

Roger Vincent, Fitzroy, SA

The problem with hell

I want to speak up for the atheists on Israel Folau's list of the damned. I don't mind being lumped in with gays, but liars, thieves and adulterers? How offensive. Does this really mean all politicians are going to Hell? Isn't Christianity about tolerance and kindness? On the other hand, it might be fun in hell. There'll be some jolly interesting people there. What a pity it doesn't exist.

Layla Godfrey, Mount Eliza

AND ANOTHER THING

Politics

Thank heavens for no political advertising by the major parties on Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Peace is needed on these important religious days.

Hugh McCaig, Blackburn

Scott Morrison never tells intentional lies and all the other ones are Labor's fault.

Evert de Graauw, Wantirna

Electric buses are available. I trust that Bill Shorten's shiny red bus is powered by electricity and not diesel.

Ralph Lewis, Canterbury

Bill Shorten would be wise to keep his head down and leave the talking to Kristina Keneally and Tanya Plibersek.

Roan Plotz, Preston

It's a pity that Peter Dutton doesn't put as much effort into stopping guns illegally entering Australia as he does with refugees.

Kevin Ward, Preston

Forty years ago we had Mad Max. Now we have got Mad Michaelia. You BeUtey!

John Monkman, Heidelberg

Please, Scott Morrison, don't visit Adelaide and tell us you support the Crows. We have enough problems.

Ross Hosking, Blackwood, SA

It seems only the Greens, minor parties and independents do not accept money from Adani. This will certainly influence my vote.

Beverley McIntyre, Camberwell

The only thing Scott Morrison hasn't promised is a free set of steak knives.

Phil Alexander, Eltham

Furthermore

Putting the Apple cart before a review of Fed Square was always going to end in sadness.

Martin Brennan, Fitzroy

"Scientists have brought a pig's brain back to life" (18/4). Just what we have all been waiting for.

Reg Murray, Glen Iris

All criticism has become hate speech.

Rod Matthews, Fairfield


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