Zionist Federation of Australia statement on new Greens Israel policy

The Zionist Federation of Australia condemns the one sided and ahistorical policy adopted by the Australian Greens in relation to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

ZFA President Jeremy Leibler said, “With the adoption of this extreme position, the Greens have dealt themselves out of any serious engagement on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Their portrayal of Israel doesn’t reflect reality and their suggestion that Israel is a colonialist country is a bigoted attempt to reject Jewish indigeneity to the land. This position places the Greens in the company of the most extreme antisemitic groups.”

Mr Leibler continued, “The Greens’ statement blames only Israel for the lack of peace. The Greens’ apparent position that Israel is solely to blame for the Israeli-Palestinian impasse is undergraduate, at best, but speaks to a darker agenda. Let’s remember that in January this year, the Greens’ foreign affairs spokesperson, Senator Steele-John, expressed condolences for eight Palestinian terrorists killed by Israel, but was silent when seven Israeli civilians were murdered the following day.”

Mr Leibler concluded, “The Greens make sweeping statements about antisemitism but don’t actually talk to the community that antisemitism impacts. If you refuse to talk to the representative Jewish organisations but insist on making statements about antisemitism, your views on that matter should be disregarded.”