
Friends of Palestine (WA) member Alex Bainbridge wrote the letter of complaint that appears below to the producers of The Bolt Report and Network Ten after a segment on the show tried to link the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israeli apartheid with the racist measures taken against Jewish businesses by the Hitler regime in the 1930s.
Bainbridge said the claim was a dishonest attempt by opponents of Palestinian human rights to discredit the BDS movement as public interest and support for BDS continues to increase.
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To the producers of The Bolt Report and the managers of Network Ten.
I am writing to make a complaint about the content of The Bolt Report that was aired on TV on July 31 and available online.
The episode in question includes the statement by Andrew Bolt: “You remember the boycott of Jewish shops in Germany 70 years ago, here’s what the Greens-backed boycott of a Jewish shop now — today — looks like in Perth.”
This is immediately followed by a video clip (presumably taken from a YouTube video) that clearly features my voice and image as I participated in a BDS (boycott, divestment and sanctions) action in Perth in May.
It is well known that the “boycott of Jewish shops in Germany 70 years ago” was promoted by the Nazi regime in Germany and was motivated by anti-Semitic ideology.
Since there was a clear attempt to link these Nazi boycotts with the contemporary BDS campaign, this amounts to a clear implication by The Bolt Report that the action in which I took part was similarly anti-Semitic and/or had fascist tendencies. This is a false implication.

Second, the show describes the action as the “boycott of a Jewish shop”. This implies that the shop in question was targeted because of its (presumed) association with the Jewish religion. Again, this is a false implication.
(Incidentally, to this day I do not even know if the shop has any association with the Jewish religion whatsoever.)
In the research I carried out before taking part in that action, I was able to ascertain that the shop sources its product from the Dead Sea in occupied Palestine — a violation of international law.
In fact, it is because of this violation of international law and the shop’s association with apartheid Israel — a state not a religion — that the shop was targeted.
My concern about how your show misrepresented me and the action in which I took part was increased after several friends and associates who saw the show contacted me.
They said that your show presented me as having participated in an anti-Jewish action, which is something I would never do.
Therefore, it is the case that The Bolt Report has defamed me by falsely presenting me, and the action in which I participated, as anti-Jewish.
I would like you to redress this defamation by making an apology on the next episode of The Bolt Report and allowing me the right of reply on your show to explain clearly that the boycott, divestment and sanctions campaign does not target Jewish businesses but instead businesses that profit from their connection to the illegal occupation of Palestine.
Comments
Anonymous replied on Permalink
I support the BDS movement wholeheartedly! It is going to be harder to separate 'israel' from Jewish, in light of legislation in 'israel' that tries to frame the state identity with Judaism. This is racism and religious intolerance which will "delegitimize" 'israel' more than any outside force. As 'israel' becomes more apartheid, then individuals and states will have to boycott anything to do with the zionist entity, and not just activities that directly are involved in the occupation.
Anonymous replied on Permalink
Hi Stan,
See below:
Alex Bainbridge and the Friends of Palestine are not happy. They are not
happy because Andrew Bolt has exposed their sinister racist ways. As
reported on this blog in the past, Australians for Palestine and Friends of
Palestine are supporting the vile racist Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions
campaign.
Mr Bainbridge took personal offense to Bolt's statement ³You remember the
boycott of Jewish shops in Germany seventy years ago, here¹s what the
Greens-backed boycott of a Jewish shop now today looks like in Perth.²
Bainbridge's open letter to Bolt then goes on to explain that he is not a
racist, he is supporting Palestinian rights. What I want to know, Mr
Bainbridge, is "Why does the BDS campaign single out Jewish, Australian
owned and run businesses if that campaign is not anti-Semitic?"
Westfield is listed in the Australians For Palestine BDS book. Westfield is
not Israeli. The owner of the Westfield Group, Frank Lowy, is one of
Australia's most successful businessmen and has made significant
contributions to Australian society. He himself was a refugee who fled Nazi
Germany and immigrated to Australia in 1952.
One cannot help then but wonder why Australians for Palestine would target a
Jewish business as a part of the disgraceful campaign to boycott Israel. It
seems that 59 years in Australia is not enough for Australians for Palestine
to validate Lowy's Australian identity. It is no secret that, in his private
capacity, Lowy is a contributor to Israeli institutions. These contributions
are legitimate, regardless of what Australians for Palestine think. These
contributions have no connection to Lowy's successful business.
This latest lowest of low acts exposes the motivations of Australians for
Palestine, Mr Bainbridge.
Mr Bainbridge, this is proof that you are advocating for the boycott of a
Jewish business in Australia, much like the boycott of Jewish businesses in
the Nazi Germany era. Mr Bainbridge, if are not racist or anti-Semitic, I
seriously think you should reconsider your affiliation with Australians for
Palestine while they continue to vilify Australian run businesses, because
they are owned by those of Jewish descent.
Mr Bolt's show can be viewed on
http://ten.com.au/video-player.htm?movideo_p=44795&movideo_m=121098 and Mr
Bainbridge's letter can we read on
http://www.fopwa.org/2011/08/fopwa-takes-up-defamation-by-andrew-bolt/