Albanese urged to visit Israel instead of ‘throwing mud' over Gaza war
Israeli President Isaac Herzog has told media in Jerusalem that he wants Anthony Albanese to visit Israel to engage with the problems of the region in person.
'Essentially, what the president is saying, that if you are so concerned about what is going on here, how about you come here and you visit,' Mr Burnie said.
'Instead of throwing mud or criticising through words, how about you come here with your actions, see how things are going, see what's happening on the ground here and come up with practical solutions.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sydney Morning Herald
29 minutes ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Segal's antisemitism plan takes us down a path we should fear to tread
This week, the federal government joined 27 other nations in condemning Israel's 'drip-feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians, including children, seeking to meet their most basic need of water and food'. That same government's own antisemitism envoy, Jillian Segal, also published a report which proposed that universities, arts organisations and perhaps even public broadcasters should have funding stripped if they 'engage in or facilitate antisemitism'. This raises a question: if the words of the Australian government came instead from an academic, or artist at a festival, would it risk their public funding? The government is making grave allegations against Israel – ones that enrage its Israeli and American counterparts. It's possible some people could misuse those allegations to bolster their hatred of Jews, especially in the cesspit of social media. Could the government's words be taken to 'facilitate antisemitism' under their own envoy's plan? Personally, I think not. Trump and Netanyahu might disagree. And that's a worry. The definition of antisemitism Segal wants used to determine when institutions fall foul of it – drafted by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance – states 'criticism of Israel similar to that levelled against any other country cannot be regarded as antisemitic'. Accordingly, those suggesting the envoy's report condemns all criticism of Israel as antisemitism overstate the position. But the trouble is it's very difficult to know by how far. By what criteria, exactly, is someone to determine when anti-Israeli commentary becomes antisemitic? It's a crucial question when you're specifically proposing to make research grants terminable if the academic receiving those funds 'engages in antisemitic … speech or actions'. Or when you propose to strip charities of their tax deductibility if they 'promote speakers' who 'promote antisemitism'. Define this too broadly and you silence perfectly legitimate debate. Define it too narrowly, and these proposals have no purpose at all. Either way, it would need to be defined extremely clearly. The IHRA definition doesn't quite match this brief in two ways. Firstly, it is deliberately drafted vaguely because it describes itself merely as a working definition: guiding, illustrative and non-binding. Its drafters intended it more for the purposes of data collection than meting out punishment: a filter, not a sword. Loading Secondly, the illustrative examples attached to the definition, which outline the kinds of criticisms of Israel that would amount to antisemitism, were not unanimously adopted by those drafting it. One drafter, Antony Lerman, recalls there was so much disagreement about them that they were severed from the part of the definition to be formally adopted, to obtain a consensus. That's significant because it is in the examples that most of the controversy resides. It leaves a breach, now flooded by the most febrile cacophony, largely because this has become a contest to draw sharp lines to define something that simply cannot be defined that way. Take one common example, most recently reiterated by the chair of one of Australia's most influential Jewish advocacy organisations: that it is antisemitic, amounting to a 'blood libel', to accuse Israel of genocide. Fine, if the allegation rests on some trope that Jews by their nature delight in slaughtering children and are merely searching for an excuse to do so. Or if the accusation is so wildly fanciful that only the most prejudiced, conspiratorial mind could entertain it.
Sydney Morning Herald
29 minutes ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Minister pressed library leaders twice before sinking award ceremony
The news Arts Minister John-Paul Langbroek unsuccessfully pressed State Library leaders on two occasions before issuing a direction that led to the last-minute cancellation of a First Nations author's award ceremony in May. The previously unknown detail of a meeting between Langbroek, the library chief executive and board chair one week prior comes as the library launches a promised review into its award processes. The review's terms of reference say it will aim to 'strike a balance between the priorities and expectations of the Minister' and the role of the library as a publicly funded entity. Why it matters The library flagged the review in May, after Langbroek intervened to stop one of two black&write! fellowships going to Adelaide-based author K.A. Ren Wyld, whom he accused in parliament of 'glorifying terrorism'. One day before their presentation, Langbroek made a formal direction that the $15,000 award should not be given to Wyld in a state-owned venue due to a social media post praising slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar – flagged with him by his department, and now deleted. Langbroek's directive, which followed the May 12 meeting and a May 16 follow-up letter, led to the library cancelling Wyld's contract only after she flew to Brisbane and hours before the federally funded program's ceremony was set to begin. The decision sparked the resignations of several Queensland literary award judges in protest. It was praised by the state's peak Jewish body, and came amid a national debate about antisemitism and free speech.
The Age
29 minutes ago
- The Age
Minister pressed library leaders twice before sinking award ceremony
The news Arts Minister John-Paul Langbroek unsuccessfully pressed State Library leaders on two occasions before issuing a direction that led to the last-minute cancellation of a First Nations author's award ceremony in May. The previously unknown detail of a meeting between Langbroek, the library chief executive and board chair one week prior comes as the library launches a promised review into its award processes. The review's terms of reference say it will aim to 'strike a balance between the priorities and expectations of the Minister' and the role of the library as a publicly funded entity. Why it matters The library flagged the review in May, after Langbroek intervened to stop one of two black&write! fellowships going to Adelaide-based author K.A. Ren Wyld, whom he accused in parliament of 'glorifying terrorism'. One day before their presentation, Langbroek made a formal direction that the $15,000 award should not be given to Wyld in a state-owned venue due to a social media post praising slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar – flagged with him by his department, and now deleted. Langbroek's directive, which followed the May 12 meeting and a May 16 follow-up letter, led to the library cancelling Wyld's contract only after she flew to Brisbane and hours before the federally funded program's ceremony was set to begin. The decision sparked the resignations of several Queensland literary award judges in protest. It was praised by the state's peak Jewish body, and came amid a national debate about antisemitism and free speech.
