The Honourable Penny Wong
Minister for Foreign Affairs
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Dear Minister,
I am a Life Member of the ALP.
For the first time in my life I will not be campaigning, financially supporting and possibly not voting for the ALP.
This is because of your stance on the War in Gaza.
I am pleased that my friend Mark Dreyfus is in Israel at present mending the image you have caused for Australia-Israel relations.
And, more importantly to the damage you have caused to the relationship between the Jewish community and the ALP in Australia.
The relationship has rich history.
Doc Evatt, as President of the UN, was instrumental in creating the Partition that, if accepted by the Arab Nations, would have created the States of Palestine and Israel.
Arthur Calwell, as Minister for Immigration in the post war ALP Government, signed blank Immigration Visas and gave them to his friend from the International Socialist movement that facilitated the migration of Jews from the DP camps of Europe. Jews who came to Australia and built successful businesses and voted against their class interests and for the ALP, and financially supported the ALP even though they were incredibly successful financially.
Bob Hawke, as President of the ACTU wanted the Australian Labour movement to emulate the Histadrut in Israel with its influence of the Israeli society and politics. And Bob had many Jewish friends and business acquaintances who supported him as PM.
You have single handedly destroyed all of this.
With your words creating an equivalence between the actions of Israel in Gaza and Putin’s invasion of the Ukraine you have not only distorted history, you have encouraged anti Semitism in Australia.
Israel’s response to an invasion and their actions in a – literally – Existential War are, in your view, equal to an invasion of another country?
You voted in the UN for an Unconditional Cease fire? You did not demand the release of the hostages as a pre condition to any cessation of hostilities?
Fortunately Israel did not listen to you or the UN. Events in Lebanon and Syria since the Israeli assault on Hezbollah have shown just how foolish your policy of appeasement was.
But I return to the domestic position – because this is personal. I am not Jewish. I am not a supporter of the Netanyahu Government – the most right wing Government in Israel’s 75 year history.
But in Australia I have skin in the game because my wife and daughter are Jewish.
Our daughter has recently moved from Thornbury in Melbourne, a suburb in the Municipality of Darebin, to Caulfield because of the anti Semitism she experienced. Anti Semitism encouraged by the Darebin Council which has flown the Palestinian Flag in the place of the Indigenous flag for over 6 months.
Anti Semitism encouraged by your words and the weak actions of the Prime Minister.
Your words have not done anything for peace in the Middle East.
But they have done much to break a 75 year positive relationship between the ALP and the Australian Jewish community.
Your words will mean the Jewish community will not vote for or financially support the ALP as they have done historically.
Melbourne was, in the post WWII period, the City with the highest number of Holocaust refugees per capital in the World. Thanks to Arthur Calwell and his Bundist friend.
You have trashed this proud history.
Why?
In pursuit of narrow political benefit in the forthcoming Federal election? Or seeking plaudits in the politically corrupt UN?
I apologise for the tone of this letter but as a near 60 year Member of the ALP I am, for the first time, ashamed of my Membership.
And for the first time in my life I will not be campaigning for the ALP at a Federal election.
Yours in sorrow
Bruce Hartnett AM
