You can’t make figs grow on barren trees – Ernie Lane, in Dawn to Dusk – reminiscences of a rebel
True believers is an apt name for the Labor Party of today. Their beliefs blind them to ongoing resistance in Brisbane Magan-djin to genocide in Gaza. It should come as no surprise that the ALP supports Israel because its founders were from a Labour Party, Mapai. Many of Israel’s Prime Ministers like Shimon Peres, a cousin of Lauren Bacall, and Golda Meir were from the Labour Party and found support from ALP leaders such as Bob Hawke, Kevin Rudd, and Doc Evatt. One of the founders of the state of Israel, Ben Gurion, was elected Prime Minister when Mapai won the largest number of seats in the Knesset in its first national election held on the 14th of February 1949. Zionism has always had a strong presence in the Australian Labor Party.
Coming forward to the true believers dinner at Brisbane Greek Club, the time for Anthony Albanese, Steven Miles, Matt Foley, Peter Russo, Qld MP for Toohey, Di Farmer, Grace Grace, Jon Raven (Mayor of Logan) to declare their support for Palestine is long gone. They have led the Labor Party to extinction, at least the version that supported ordinary workers. Many people are way ahead of the political class. They see Gaza for what it is, a bloody massacre by an evil regime.
To many Labor people, their political consciousness was formed at a time when social democracy was paramount to establishing Israel as a colonial project. Now it is an empire. For example, former Queensland attorney general, Matt Foley, like many others of his generation, worked on a Kibbutz in Israel. They could not know it then, but their participation in the tenuous experiment that was Israel was dependent upon widely accepted fiction that Israel bloomed in an unoccupied desert and that it was the rightful home of Jews throughout the world even though many did not wish to accept the poisoned chalice that Israel would become.
Why tenuous? Very few Israelis even came from Palestine. For example, Rabin and Netanyahu are the only Israeli Prime Ministers to have been born in Palestine. The rest came from places like Poland (Peres), Ukraine (Meir), and Belarus (Shamir & Begin). It showed a certain lack of imagination by Labor’s true believers in failing to forsee that the kibbutzim were a precursor to Israel’s illegal settlements in occupied Palestine.
There is a certain schizophrenia in Labor’s position. Despite international law declaring the legitimacy and legality of the Palestinian homeland, they still accept the right of Israel to expand its occupation of Palestine through the use of expulsion (the Nakba), apartheid and ethnic cleansing (genocide).
Occupation. A Palestinian writer, Raja Shehadeh, puts it this way: “Following more than 50 years of assiduous Israeli attempts to impress upon the world that its status in the occupied territories is not that an occupier but the fulfillment of the wish of the Almighty, the world continues to refer to it by its right name, occupation, as the testimony of many of the Nations at the February 2024 International Court of Justice hearing on the legality of the occupation shows.”
Labor shame. You might think Labor people would recognize that you do not cross a picket line. This was pointed out by one of the speakers. While I can understand the ignorance of some people at the dinner about respecting this protocol, I can’t understand how former and current leaders of unions could not see how foolish it was to cross the picket line in front of the Greek Club in Brisbane.
Of course, some avoided the picket by going in via the rear entry. The prime minister took this option and slunk away early in his darkened limousine, whose driver was not game to turn on the car’s lights until a block away from the Greek club.
Most offensive of all were Labor apparatchiks who came out on to the balcony overlooking the demonstration. They made blatant attempts to provoke the demonstrators below. The Courier Mail reported this in neutral terms: “As speeches were occurring several guests of the dinner walked out on the balcony to take selfies and videos of the crowd.” What the reporter did not say was that even police became annoyed by these antics telling one of the Labor minders to get back inside.
Curiously, people who have attended pro-Palestinian rallies and at least two ALP MPs who were part of the informal parliamentary friends of Palestine, also attended the fundraising dinner. This group included a former Minister in the Goss government, Anne Warner, a former state secretary of the CPSU and federal senator, Claire Moore, and a spokesperson for the Islamic Council of Australia, Ali Kadri, and a senior member of the Hazara community.
We can only guess what conversations were held with the Prime Minister. For example, did Albanese ask Ali Kadri to become the envoy for Islamophobia in the wake of his appointment this week of an envoy for anti-semitism, Jillian Segal?
During the protest I asked a 72-year-old woman who is a regular attendee of these protests what she thought lay behind the appointment of zionist lawyer Jillian Segal as envoy. She thought that it may have been a direct request by Netanyahu to Anthony Albanese, given the proximity of the Australian government to Israel. It makes you wonder the type of person who would feel qualified for such a job. As if anti-semitism trumps genocide? Was there a short list for the appointment? She thought the envoy would be rubbing her hands together trying to divine ways of attacking the pro-Palestine movement in Australia.
ALP arms Genocide
Our conversations strayed to the stick like figure that danced in and out of the light high above above our heads. Ten hours previously a young student had scaled the three-story building with his banner ALP arms genocide. What were his concerns? There are at least two engineering firms in suburban Brisbane that are engaged in the production of weapons parts for the F-35 Bombers that are exacting such an horrific toll on the lives of the Palestinians in Gaza. The respected medical journal, The Lancet, has estimated that the death toll in Gaza since 7 October 2023 may actually have been in excess of 186,000 people, most of them women and children.
Will the ALP cut ties with the unions?
A small posse of police was waiting in the wings of the building preparing to apprehend the lone figure who, from the front, looked dangerously close to the edge of the roof. What too of the woman who was dragged across the pavement by police? I heard another MUA worker chastise older ‘true believers‘ as they left the dinner saying words to the effect: ‘Why don’t you stand up against the genocide?’ To which one replied ‘you’re just a bloody Green.‘ The woman’s retort was ‘no, I’m not, I’m a feminist; why don’t you be a feminist? ‘
Earlier, a Palestinian asked me for the microphone. I regret now that I put him off asking him to wait. At the time, it was unclear what the police were going to do as there were reports that there were numerous cops waiting to be deployed in the basement below the Greek Club. One of the organisers explained to the police that this demonstration was an organic event and that she didn’t have control over what people may or may not do. However, it was clear that no one would lay a hand on Albanese’s guests.
Full marks to the journalist who quoted the astute president of Falasteen Inc, Omar Ashour, who commented that ‘We strive to be peaceful at each of our protests.’ And further, “We are calling for an immediate ceasefire (in Gaza) and we condemn the inaction of this government.” It is a shame that the entire article never found its way into print. But that is typical of the Murdoch press that does not realise at least some of its readers may find the words of a Palestinian man from Gaza informative and interesting especially when he explains the sympathy he had for the actions of former Labor Party senator Fatima Payman: “I hope it makes them reflect, reconsider their mistake in isolating (a senator) who had a legitimate opinion,” he said.
Agent provocateur
Self-described liberal and anti-communist, Drew Pavlou, was provoking participants at the protest with the mindless trope in defence of the Israeli genocide: “Do you support Hamas?” Pavlou did not see the irony in his statement because he is an advocate for rights for Uighur in China but not for the Islamic resistance in Palestine. Police intervened, charging a young woman with spitting. I checked with witnesses … the young woman did not spit at police. People were remonstrating with the provocateur. One asked if it was wrong to support the resistance. I say why aren’t the IDF the real terrorists attempting to drive palestinians off their land and murdering women and children?
In the circumstances, I’m wondering if this charge is being rolled out by police as a tactic and deterrent against pro-Palestinian activists. This is the second time police have deployed this tactic. They did so on May Day. I say this also because with this charge, police do not have to demonstrate any injury; bail may be denied or at least granted on extremely restrictive terms; and the guaranteed jail and maximum 14 years sentence is very daunting. In the old days police would use obscene language as a device to intervene against demonstrators. Here is the incident captured by Drew Pavlou that led to police intervention:
Qld Labor contradiction
At its 2021 state conference the Queensland Labor passed the following motion in support of Palestine:
This state conference notes and congratulates the Federal ALP for re-affirming the 2018 National Conference resolution towards the recognition of Palestine,
condemns; the current violence and incitement in Jerusalem which was sparked by
- the forced evictions in Sheik Jarrah to remove Palestinians from their homes and replace them with Israeli settlers,
- the shooting and tear gassing of worshippers in the Al Aqsa mosque.
- condemns: the ongoing Israeli annexation by stealth of Palestinian land, the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians through the expansion of illegal settlements, home demolitions, evictions, burning of land, crops and olive groves in the Occupied Palestinian Territories in contravention of international humanitarian law,
- recognises; the routine oppression and dehumanisation of Palestinian people denying their dignity and rights to self-determination condemning them to live under perpetual Israeli occupation,
- urges the Federal Parliamentary Caucus and Party as a whole to continue to speak out about the systematic injustices meted out to the Palestinian people,
- calls on the Australian government to strongly advocate for the cessation of hostilities and the end to all violence, and
- calls on a future Labor Government to assist with the peacemaking efforts.
Moved: Wendy Turner
Seconded: Hamish Greenop-Roberts
The federal Labor government has refused to acknowledge the routine oppression and dehumanisation of Palestinian people denying their dignity and rights to self-determination condemning them to live under perpetual Israeli occupation, and has advocated for Israel in national and international forums.
Labor feasting, Gaza starving
Predictably, the Courier-Mail gave a police version of events (below) especially in its Print edition..
Ian Curr
12 July 2024
Hall of Shame
–oOo–
Pro-Palestine protesters gather outside Greek Club as PM, Premier attend dinner, one arrest made [from the Courier-Mail].
A protester has been arrested after allegedly spitting at a police officer during a pro-Palestine protest where Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Premier Steven Miles attended the Labor Party True Believers dinner. A Queensland Police spokesperson told The Courier Mail a 21-year-old Moorooka woman was charged with serious assault after she allegedly spat on an officer’s face.
“Police had a planned attendance at a political event in Edmondstone Street in South Brisbane tonight,” the spokesperson said.
“Approximately 250 people attended the area as a protest.”
The arrest comes after tensions boiled over in front of the Greek Club with one woman being tackled to the ground by police and escorted away from the chanting crowd.
“No other arrests or move on directions were issued, with the large crowd predominantly protesting peacefully,” police said.
Earlier, pro-Palestinian protesters swarmed the Brisbane venue.
Justice for Palestine Meanjin organised the protest to coincide with the dinner at the Greek Club at West End as they demand the Australian government and the Prime Minister “end its support and complicity in the Gaza genocide and immediately sanction apartheid Israel”.
Hundreds of protesters gathered in front of Musgrave Park chanting “Labor Party you can’t hide”, “Labor Party blood on your hands” and “Albanese blood on your hands”.
There was heavy police presence at the Greek Club with tensions erupting as patrons tried to enter the dwelling.
Video shows pushing and shoving as protesters booed two people entering the Greek Club before police intervened. The crowd continued to boo as other patrons entered the building.
Protesters swarmed federal Agriculture Minister Murray Watt and state MP Stirling Hinchliffe, calling them “cowards”, “murderers” and “scum”.
Both remained calm and were led by police down the path.
Protesters then began chanting “Murray Watt you can’t hide your supporting genocide”.
A police helicopter could be seen monitoring the protest from the sky.
Mr Albanese has been visiting parts of the Sunshine State ahead of the Labor Party dinner tonight, with the group forced to move the protest an hour earlier to coincide with the event.
Member for Justice for Palestine Meanjin Omar Ashour told The Courier-Mail the group was attempting to get Mr Albanese and the Labor government to understand the issues that were even brought up in his own party.
“We are calling for an immediate ceasefire (in Gaza) and we condemn the inaction of this government,” Mr Ashour said.
“Millions of people have been silenced who have tried to speak and even from within the Labor Party itself.”
Police have pushed the barrier of protesters back to the street as they continued to scream at, boo and swear at people entering the Greek Club.
Protesters were seen fighting the barrier, as police pleaded with them to comply due to the safety of patrons.
Once most guests were inside, a protester scaled the building, hanging a large sign off the roof reading “ALP arms genocide”.
Activists gave speeches condemning Labor for its recent treatment of Senator Fatima Payman after she recently crossed the floor of federal parliament on the issue of Palestinian statehood.
The group labelled the entrance of ministers to the Greek Club a “walk of shame” in reference to what Senator Payman experienced at Parliament House.
“While Albo went in the back gates…he was more than prepared to let other members of the Labor Party to walk through the crowd, but he himself did not walk in,” another spokesperson said to the crowd.
“That’s what Fatima would have felt.”
Mr Ashour said he hoped the “walk of shame” made ministers rethink their position.
“I hope it makes them reflect, reconsider their mistake in isolating (a senator) who had a legitimate opinion,” he said.
“If not intentional tonight, Albanese has been hiding the last nine months. He has been avoiding us for a long time.”
As speeches were occurring several guests of the dinner walked out on the balcony to take selfies and videos of the crowd.
This elicited boos and “shames” from the crowd.
Despite one incident where a protester was detained, Mr Ashour said it was the group’s aim to be heard, but peacefully.
“We strive to be peaceful at each of our protests,” he said.
Mikaela Mulveney,
Courier-Mail, 12 July 2024
[Please note this full report did not make it into the print edition on Sat 13 July 2024]
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