Not monolithic
-2>I read with interest "Australian Jews and the Middle East. The Suppressed Debate". (GLW 4/9/91)0>
Whilst the article contains some merit, it does tend (however inadvertently) to confirm the erroneous and widespread misconception that the Jewish community is politically monolithic.
The article fails to even mention the pre-eminent Jewish peace organization, the Australian Jewish Democratic Society. AJDS is neither anti-Israel or anti-Zionist. It is, however, closely linked with the Israeli Peace Movement and does support the creation of a Palestinian State alongside Israel.
-2>In 1989, it initiated a Statement of Concern on the Middle East calling for "a peace of mutual recognition between Israel and the Palestinians based on territorial compromise and self-determination" that was signed by over 550 Australian Jews.0>
-2>AJDS representatives have also been regularly invited to address mainstream Jewish organizations such as the Australian Union of Jewish Students and the Left-wing Zionist youth movements Habonim and Hashomer Hatzair. So, it is somewhat of an exaggeration to say debate is being suppressed.0>
Secondly, your article allows Mark Leibler to present himself as the leader of the Jewish community. He is not. He is the President of the Zionist Federation of Australia; not the President or even Vice-President of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, the representative roof body of Australian Jewry.
-1>Mark Leibler has never been elected to any leadership position within Australian Jewry. At a recent meeting of the Jewish Community Council of Victoria (the Victorian roof body), his intolerant views were soundly condemned by — amongst others — the JCCV Chairman, the Vice-President of the World Jewish Congress and the Rabbinical delegate from the Union for Progressive Judaism. Mr Leibler was also criticized in a subsequent editorial by the Editor of the Jewish News, Sam Lipski. On the issue of debate in the Jewish community, Mark Leibler is clearly isolated.0>
-1>I believe that the overwhelming majority of Australian Jews (like the overwhelming majority of Israelis) would be willing to support an exchange of land for peace. The question to be answered, therefore, is whether the other side — the Palestinians and the Arabs — feel the same way.
0>Philip Mendes
Balaclava Vic
[Edited for length.]