As support for Israel drops, supporters of the Zionist project feel more isolated and become more hysterical.
According to Sue Bolton from Socialist Alliance (SA) this explains why Nine Entertainment, which owns The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, is running Parnell Palme McGuinness’ confusing and slanderous piece.
McGuinness accused SA on May 19 of having absorbed “the fight against the perceived Jewish global capitalist [sic] into their platforms”.
“Israel’s propaganda is not working,” said Bolton. “After more than seven months of genocide, Benjamin Netanyahu’s government and its supporters are losing the battle for hearts and minds.
“Anyone concerned about peace and justice in the Middle East can see what’s happening is a genocide.”
A US Gallup poll on March 27 showed a majority (55%) disapproved of Israel’s war in Gaza. Last November, that figure was 45%.
An Essential Research poll in April showed only 19% of Australians support Israel's military action in Gaza and 50% want Australia to use all diplomatic channels to secure a ceasefire.
“McGuinness makes many ridiculous assertions,” Bolton said, “including that Labor’s vote at the UN can ‘reasonably be understood’ to mean that it is endorsing Hamas; the student encampments and the chant ‘From the River to the Sea’ are antisemitic; and that Israel is being wrongly accused of being a coloniser.
“McGuinness implies that SA is antisemitic for supporting the movement for peace and justice in Palestine.”
As Bolton said, the assertions about SA are easily disproven by simply checking SA’s policy on Palestine.
Bolton said SA is very involved in the pro-Palestine movement and the student encampments.
“Our members are active in Jews Against the Occupation and other pro-Palestine Jewish groups that all support human rights for Palestinians.
“We do not support racism in any form; we have consistently fought antisemitism.”
Bolton said the party is critical of capitalism “regardless of a capitalist’s religious or ethnic background.
“Capitalism has nothing more to do with Judaism than it does with Christianity or any other religion or, indeed, with atheism.”
Bolton said McGuinness should be called out for her racist dog whistling against Muslim communities: they should be putting pressure on all Members of Parliament.
“It is sad that McGuinness, and other Zionist apologists for genocide, cannot even acknowledge the horrors of Israel’s carpet bombing and starvation as a weapon of war: more than 35,500 Palestinians have been killed so far in Gaza.
“It is hard to imagine the nightmare being experienced by Palestinians trying to survive while being pushed around from place to place like cattle.
“It’s as if McGuinness is hoping that abstractions and red-baiting will distract people from Israel’s genocide. It won’t work.”
McGuinness claims to speak for Jews, but that too is a lie.
“Jewish groups hold diverse views on many issues, but many are opposing Israel’s war and the Zionist excuse for apartheid.
“The Jewish Council of Australia, Jews Against the Occupation ‘48, the Tzedek Collection and Loud Jew Collective are very outspoken about Israel’s occupation of Palestine and the prioritisation of the rights of Jewish people over the rights of Palestinians,” Bolton said.
Bolton said the pressure on Labor is mounting: WA Labor Senator Fatima Payman’s call to her party to divest, and cut ties is one example.
Bolton thanked those who have called out McGuinness for slandering SA. “We want McGuinness to retract and apologise, but don’t hold out much hope that she or her publisher have that sort of integrity.”