Confronting an Explosive Increase in Online and Offline Antisemitism

AUSTRALIA/ISRAEL REVIEW

VOLUME 46 No. 8 AUGUST 2021

AUSTRALIA/ISRAEL & JEWISH AFFAIRS COUNCIL HATE WAVE

Confronting an explosive increase in online and offline antisemitism

PRESIDENTS WITHOUT DEATH OF A NATION FEEDING THE “PALESTINIAN PRECEDENT Lebanon’s slow FUTURE SPRING?” demise and what Australia, Israel and the The West Bank’s Herzog succeeds Rivlin as Israel’s head of caused it ...... PAGE 22 potential of the AgTech mass protests state ...... PAGE 20 revolution ...... PAGE 30 against Mahmoud Abbas ...... PAGE 23 NAME OF SECTION

311 HEALESVILLE – YARRA GLEN ROAD, YARRA GLEN, VIC 3775 +61 3 5962 3311 WWW.TARRAWARRA.COM.AU

WITH COMPLIMENTS

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AIR – August 2021 AUSTRALIA/ISRAEL VOLUME 46 No. 8 REVIEW AUGUST 2021 EDITOR’S NOTE NAME OF SECTION his AIR edition looks at the explosion of online antisemitism over recent months, and ON THE COVER Tits apparent spillover into unprecedented anti-Jewish violence and harassment around A collage of antisemitic social the world. media posts (Credit: Twitter/ Naomi Levin details this wave of online and offline Jew hatred and what is being done Arek Dybel) to fight back against it, while social media entrepreneur Emily Schrader gives a personal account of what it is like to be a woman caught in the crosshairs of an army of antisemitic “trolls”. Furthermore, Israeli academic Gerald Steinberg explains how what is happening now can be traced back in part to the antisemitic Durban conference of 2001, while US academic Peter Herman exposes how efforts to fight back against antisemitism are being delegitimised. Also featured this month is Amotz Asa-El on the extraordinary stories of the incoming and outgoing Israeli presidents, Isaac Her- zog and Reuven Rivlin, while Jonathan Spyer discusses the demise of Lebanon as a state and how it came about. Finally, don’t miss Zachary Milewicz on an extraordinary opportunity for Australia-Israel cooperation to take advantage of the coming “AgTech revolution”, Dr Ran Porat on evidence that efforts to stop an Iranian nuclear bomb may already be too late, and Amelia Navins on the Hamas summer camps turning kids into terrorists. Please give us your feedback on any aspect of this edition at [email protected].

Tzvi Fleischer CONTENTS FEATURE STORIES REGULAR COLUMNS HATE WAVE FROM THE EDITORIAL CHAIRMAN NAOMI LEVIN COLIN RUBENSTEIN ...... PAGE 4 For the world’s Jews, the past 18 months have WORD FOR WORD...... PAGE 5 served up a double-whammy of online anti- SCRIBBLINGS semitism... Action clearly needs to be taken, but what can be TZVI FLEISCHER ...... PAGE 6 done to combat antisemitism online? ...... PAGE 12 DECONSTRUCTION ZONE BEING A ZIONIST WOMAN ON TWITTER BEN DROR YEMINI ...... PAGE 7 EMILY SCHRADER ...... PAGE 15 ASIA WATCH FROM DURBAN TO TODAY MICHAEL SHANNON ...... PAGE 8 GERALD STEINBERG ...... PAGE 16 EUROPA EUROPA CONDEMNING ANTISEMITISM FORBIDDEN OLGA DEUTSCH ...... PAGE 9 PETER C. HERMAN ...... PAGE 17 PRESIDENTS WITHOUT PRECEDENT BEHIND THE NEWS...... PAGE 10 From Rivlin to Herzog in Israel ...... PAGE 11 AMOTZ ASA-EL ...... PAGE 20 STRANGER THAN FICTION THE SLOW DEATH OF LEBANON NOTED AND QUOTED...... PAGE 35 JONATHAN SPYER ...... PAGE 22 IN PARLIAMENT...... PAGE 36 PERILS OF A “PALESTINIAN SPRING” MEDIA MICROSCOPE MARK LAVIE ...... PAGE 23 ALLON LEE ...... PAGE 39 GAZA’S TERROR CAMPS FOR KIDS AMELIA NAVINS ...... PAGE 25 THE LAST WORD JEREMY JONES ...... PAGE 40 ISRAEL’S HOPES FOR INDONESIA GIORA ELIRAZ...... PAGE 26 HOW TO USE OUR INTERACTIVE EDITION BIBLIO FILE: TOO LATE ON IRAN NUKES? RAN PORAT ...... PAGE 28 • Tap/click to return to the Contents page • All listed articles link to their page. ESSAY: FEEDING THE FUTURE • Best viewed in your desktop browser or the Books (iOS) or Australia, Israel and the AgTech revolution equivalent e-book reader app in portrait mode. ZACHARY MILEWICZ ...... PAGE 30 3

AIR – August 2021 Australia/Israel Review Published by the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC)

Editorial Chairman Dr COLIN RUBENSTEIN AM EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief Dr TZVI FLEISCHER Senior Contributing Editor JEREMY JONES AM ANOTHER TOXIC EPIDEMIC Staff Writers ALLON LEE, JAMIE HYAMS, AHRON SHAPIRO, SHARYN MITTELMAN, NAOMI ike the COVID-19 pandemic that has gripped the globe for the past 18 months, anti- LEVIN, OVED LOBEL, JUDY MAYNARD, ZACHARY MILEWICZ Lsemitism has been experiencing a resurgence in virtually every part of the world. Publishing Manager Organisations that monitor antisemitic incidents in many countries, including Austra- MICHAEL SHANNON Correspondents lia, have found a steady and sometimes dramatic rise in assaults, harassment, intimidation ISRAEL: AMOTZ ASA-EL and bullying over recent years – reaching a dramatic crescendo during and in the after- EUROPE: DOUGLAS DAVIS NEW ZEALAND: MIRIAM BELL math of the conflict launched by Gaza’s Hamas rulers against Israel in May 2021. National Editorial Board KEITH BEVILLE, RABBI RALPH In both the US and Britain over recent months, monitoring bodies have recorded the GENENDE OAM, GARY HERZ, MIRIAM highest levels of antisemitic incidents ever experienced. LASKY, STEVE LIEBLICH, RABBI JOHN LEVI AC, Hon. HOWARD NATHAN AM, Social media is clearly a key part of this explosion of hate. IAN WALLER SC A European Commission study showed a seven-fold increase in antisemitic content on Twitter, Facebook and Telegram in French, and a more than 13-fold increase in antisemitic AIJAC content in German between the beginning of 2020 and early 2021. National Chairman Antisemites have apparently found social media to be the perfect medium for anti-Jew- MARK LEIBLER AC NSW Chairman ish bullying, abuse and libel, and for organising and inciting hatred on a global scale. PAUL RUBENSTEIN State sponsorship by antisemitic regimes is an important element of this ugly trend. Executive Director Dr COLIN RUBENSTEIN AM A recent US study revealed that Iranian regime-linked Twitter accounts began spreading Director of International & Community Affairs messages like “Hitler was right” and “Kill all Jews” at a rate of 175 times per minute during JEREMY JONES AM the recent Israel-Hamas conflict. Policy and Research Coordinator Dr TZVI FLEISCHER Moreover, in Malaysia, government-linked organisations with hundreds of thousands of Associate Director of Public Affairs members not only flooded the internet with virulently anti-Israel and antisemitic propa- & Operations JOEL BURNIE ganda, but made concerted efforts to hack or shut down the accounts of Jews and other Senior Policy Analysts AHRON SHAPIRO, JAMIE HYAMS, supporters of Israel. ALLON LEE, NAOMI LEVIN, SHARYN MITTELMAN Many commentators seem to be in denial about the current unprecedented wave of Policy Analysts antisemitism, insisting it is either a response to Israeli policies, or even a concoction of OVED LOBEL, JUDY MAYNARD Zionists who want to smear all criticism of Israel as antisemitic. Multimedia Designer AREK DYBEL Kenneth Roth, Executive Director of Human Rights Watch, put himself in the former Events Coordinator HELEN BRUSTMAN OAM category in a recent tweet, when he wrote: “Antisemitism is always wrong, and it long Administration preceded the creation of Israel, but the surge in UK antisemitic incidents during the re- MELBOURNE: ROSEMARY SANDLER, RENA LANGBERG cent Gaza conflict gives the lie to those who pretend that the Israeli government’s conduct SYDNEY: LOUISE DE MESQUITA doesn’t affect antisemitism.” (Roth subsequently removed it without retracting it.) Israel Liaison PETER ADLER Meanwhile, antisemites often use the excuse that they are “only criticising Israel” as a Founding Chairmen ISADOR MAGID AM (OBM) cloak to clothe their hatred in a veneer of self-righteous social virtue. ROBERT ZABLUD (OBM) Yet, in addition to its own dubious morality, obsessive, over-the-top and dispropor- HEAD OFFICE tionate criticism of Israel unquestionably helps create the environment in which antise- Level 1, 22 Albert Road, South Melbourne, VIC 3205, Australia mitic activity has flourished. Telephone: (03) 9681 6660 Fax: (03) 9681 6650 As we’ve witnessed time and time again at pro-Palestinian rallies in Australia, groups Email: [email protected] that organise these demonstrations provide a safe space for bona fide antisemites to march SYDNEY OFFICE 140 William Street proudly alongside the well-meaning but ill-informed people who have been taught to see East Sydney, NSW 2011, Australia Telephone: (02) 9360 5415 the situation in the Holy Land through a false prism – such as by defining Israelis as white Email: [email protected] colonisers oppressing dark-skinned Palestinians in a misappropriation of critical race SUBSCRIPTIONS theory. Please send all remittances, changes of address and subscription inquiries to: People like Roth are part of this same environment – effectively legitimating antisemi- Australia/Israel Review Level 1, 22 Albert Road tism by placing the blame on Israel rather than the perpetrators. South Melbourne, VIC 3205, Australia ISSN No. 1442-3693 Antisemitism does rise when Israel fights back against attacks. But the only moral Print Post Approved – 100007869 response to such ugliness, particularly from the standpoint of universal human rights, is www.aijac.org.au 4 that “Nothing justifies hate crimes or harassment against Jews anywhere, regardless of

AIR – August 2021 the Israeli Government’s conduct.” Therefore, some individuals affiliated with these anti- One key to confronting this problem is the widely- Israel groups, indignant at their dubious and potentially an- employed working definition of antisemitism developed in tisemitic behaviour being exposed, arranged an alternative 2016 by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alli- to give themselves cover – the “Jerusalem Declaration” of ance (IHRA), of which Australia is a member. 2020. This alternative definition differentiates itself from EDITORIAL This definition has been adopted by the governments the IHRA’s mainly by providing a long list of anti-Israel of 32 countries, supported by the UN Secretary-General stances and activities associated with the Boycott, Divest- and the EU, and is in use by hundreds of public and private ment and Sanctions (BDS) movement which it explicitly institutions. “Antisemites have apparently found social says should never be consid- Recognising that as a ered antisemitic. Jewish collective, Israel can media to be the perfect medium for anti-Jew- This misconceived and be either a target of antisemi- ish bullying, abuse and libel, and for organis- unconvincing ploy is par- tism or employed as a way to ing and inciting hatred on a global scale” ticularly damaging because express antisemitism indi- the IHRA definition is so rectly, the IHRA definition astutely offers some examples central to any effort to turn back the current dangerous where criticism of Israel can cross a line into antisemitism tide of antisemitism. – while rightly insisting that “criticism of Israel similar to Social media companies, in particular, need to adopt that leveled against any other country cannot be regarded the IHRA definition to help recognise and limit the explo- as antisemitic.” sion of online hate which has fed and helped incite the The examples it offers are simply common sense – for parallel explosion of antisemitic attacks, harassment, and example, blaming all Jews for Israel’s behaviour; using intimidation in the offline world. These companies have traditional antisemitic tropes in castigating Israel; accus- made some improvements at the margins recently, but ing Jews of dual loyalty for supporting Israel; rejecting a have light years left to travel before they will be adequately Jewish right to self-determination, alone of all peoples; meeting their responsibilities in this regard. or insisting that the expression of that right in the State of To convince them to meet these responsibilities, Israel is inherently a racist endeavour. Any person of good Jews and their non-Jewish allies need to stand together will should see that doing any of these things at least raises against antisemitism, like all other forms of prejudice questions about possible antisemitic motives. and racism, wherever and whenever it arises, and end the The IHRA definition effectively leaves no place for unconvincing qualifying, equivocating and prevaricating those who espouse antisemitism to hide amidst the broader that has prevailed in confronting the “longest hatred” for activities of anti-Israel organisations. far too long.

Grossi on Iran’s obstruction of IAEA access to its nuclear facilities WORD (Bloomberg, July 20). FOR WORD “Against the greatest threat – Iran arming itself with a nuclear weapon – we have no choice but to expand our force build-up, “The Iranian Atomic Energy Agency has the ability to enrich to continue to rely on our human capital and to adapt our capa- uranium to a purity of up to 90 percent (weapons-grade) if bilities and our plans.” necessary.” Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz at a graduation ceremony for Iran’s outgoing president Hassan Rouhani (Anadolu, July 14). Israel’s National Defence College (Times of Israel, July 15).

“I left my beloved homeland to be safe here in America, and now “It is our hope that the opening of the UAE Embassy in Tel Aviv when the regime in Iran is trying to kidnap me, my government will mark an important milestone in the growing relationship here in the US is trying to have a deal with the same regime.” between our two countries and between the peoples of the UAE US-based Iranian dissident Masih Alinejad, after four Iranian and Israel.” agents were indicted for trying to kidnap her back to Iran (Times of UAE Ambassador to Israel Mohamed Al Khaja after opening the Israel, July 20). UAE’s embassy in Tel Aviv (Twitter, July 14).

“We need to verify that all this material at those higher grades “We are standing here today because we chose peace over war, [enriched uranium] is going to remain in peaceful uses. The only cooperation over conflict, the good of our children over the bad way to do that is to cooperate with the IAEA. If they don’t do it, memories of the past.” they are outlaws.” Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid in the UAE inaugurating Israel’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General Rafael embassy (Times of Israel, June 29). 5

AIR – August 2021 impose this “function” on the area were Oliver Cromwell, Napoleon Bonaparte, “Balfour”, and an unnamed “Ameri- can consul in Jerusalem.” In a unique twist, Shtayyeh also insisted “the Jews of COLUMNS NAME OF SECTION Tzvi Fleischer today are the Khazar Jews who were Judaised in the sixth century” – invoking an antisemitic myth about the eastern DENIAL – A RIVER IN “PALESTINE” European Khazar kingdom, long disproven by genetic data, On the ninth day of the July 2000 Camp David Sum- which is intended to deny Jews any link to the Middle East. mit between Israel and the Palestinians, hosted by then US These claims came from the supposed Palestinian mod- President Bill Clinton, PLO head Yasser Arafat did some- erates of the PA, not the open antisemites of Hamas. thing that appalled his American hosts. He invoked what Needless to say, this sort of zero-sum mythologising veteran US mediator Dennis Ross called an “outrageous effectively renders peace impossible. If your enemy’s very new mythology” – denying that a Jewish temple had even existence is simply a lying plot to harm you – as both existed in Jerusalem, suggesting it had been in Nablus in- Abbas and Shtayyeh basically claimed – how is any coexis- stead. Ross said Arafat “was challenging the core of Jewish tence possible? faith and seeking to deny Israel any claim in the old city” of At Camp David, Arafat’s shocking denial about the Jerusalem. Jewish temple helped convince American mediators he was President Clinton was reportedly “stunned” by Arafat’s not serious about making a final peace. The continuation of claim. similar Palestinian denial from even supposed moderates Yet since then, other senior Palestinian leaders and should convince everyone what the main obstacles really negotiators have similarly denied that a Jewish temple are that have prevented a two-state peace being reached in ever existed in Jerusalem – including Saeb Erekat, Nabil the years since then. Sha’ath, Yasser Abed Rabbo and even current Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas. WAR, LAW AND TRUTH Palestinian denials of established history continue today. In the June edition of this column, I quoted the former In late June, the PA sponsored a conference at Al-Quds Open head of the US Marine Corps, Lt. Gen. (ret.) Richard Na- University titled “The myth: Zionism between denunciation tonski, and former US military lawyer David French. Both and dismantling”, held under the patronage of President Ab- said that not only is it untrue that Israel’s actions during bas. PA Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh attended, as did the conflict with Hamas in May violated the laws of war, numerous other leaders of the ruling Fatah party. as many had claimed, but that Israel’s efforts to minimise The conference featured several papers insisting all civilian casualties often went “beyond the requirements of claims of Jewish ties to the region and to Jerusalem are lies. the law of war” – in Natonski’s words. Moreover, at the conference, both Abbas and Shtayyeh Now this view has been supported by one of the expressed the fundamental belief that underlies the ongo- world’s foremost scholars on international humanitarian ing Palestinian denial of any Jewish history in the area – a law and the use of force. central plank of Palestinian nationalism that insists that Professor Michael Schmitt is the G. Norman Lieber Israel is really a foreign-imposed “settler-colonialist” entity Distinguished Scholar at the United States Military Acad- placed in the region by imperialist powers for nefarious emy at West Point, and also has affiliations with Harvard purposes. Law School, the University of Texas, University of Read- In his keynote speech, delivered on video, Abbas said: ing, and other universities. “I salute the efforts made to hold this conference that refutes the He has written a paper on Israel’s strike during the Zionist narrative that falsifies truth and history… They planned, conflict on the Al Jalaa Tower, which housed Al Jazeera and executed and financed the implantation of Israel as a foreign Associated Press offices. Israel alleged that Hamas located an body in this region in order to break it up and keep it weak. intelligence office within the building that, among other The colonial powers in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries functions, was being used in efforts to jam Israel’s Iron organised the immigration of Jews to Palestine… this conference Dome missile defence system. will have an important impact on clarifying and explaining the Schmitt concludes the strike was legal, despite the media truth of the myths and false narratives of this Zionist project, offices in the building, arguing, “if the Israeli reports of which was created by the countries of the West for purely colonial Hamas using the building are accurate, the entire building purposes.” constituted a single military objective, damage to which did Shtayyeh said similar things. He emphasised repeatedly not have to factor into the IDF’s proportionality calculation.” that Israel is “a function rather than a state,” presumably More than this, he says the warning Israel gave to evac- meaning it was merely a tool to serve the purposes of uate the building before striking “appears to have exceeded 6 colonial powers. Among those he accused of conspiring to that required by the law of armed conflict.”

AIR – August 2021 In an earlier article, Schmitt had reviewed IDF poli- that “the real aim of BDS is to bring down the state of cies on the use of force generally, and similarly concluded, Israel” and that this “should be stated as an unambiguous “in many cases, the IDF imposes policy restrictions that goal.” go above and beyond the requirements of LOAC [Law of In fact, there is not a single key activist in the boycott

Armed Conflict].” campaign who supports a fair solution of two states for COLUMNS NAME OF SECTION War is horrible, and sympathy for both Palestinian two peoples. and Israeli civilian victims of the recent conflict between Is this the struggle you support? Hamas and Israel is not only understandable, but essential. We need peace based on the compromises that have But the analysis of genuine experts like Schmitt makes been proposed since the conflict began. it clear that efforts to turn that sympathy into claims Israel In fact, allow me to give you a brief review of the must somehow have been acting illegally are either slan- history: derous, grossly ignorant or both. As early as 1937, the Peel Commission proposed a so- lution that gave Jews just 4% of the original Palestine. The leader of the Palestinian Arabs at the time was the Mufti of Jerusalem, Haj Amin al-Husseini. He said no. And when a decade later this became the United Nations Partition Plan, the Mufti was there again to Ben Dror Yemini lead the refusals. This refusal led to both the Palestinian Nakba, when ICE CREAM FOR HATRED 715,000 people became what are today known as Palestin- After coming under pressure from anti-Israel activists, the Ben & ians, and a Jewish Nakba, when 850,000 Jews were forced Jerry’s ice cream company announced on July 19 that it will no to leave or be deported from Arab nations where they longer distribute its products in the “Occupied Palestinian Terri- lived. tory,” apparently referring to West Bank settlements, but will make There have also been compromise proposals in recent a new “arrangement” so its products would remain available in decades. In 2000, then-US President Bill Clinton offered Israel. Below is a response from Israeli columnist Ben Dror Yemini: the Palestinians a state on about 96% of the territories, with additional land from Israel to make up the shortfall. Dear Ben & Jerry’s directors, The Palestinians again said no. In 2008 they said no I do not like boycotts, for they are seldom justified. again to a similar proposal by then-Israeli Prime Minister Nor am I a devout supporter of Israeli rule in Judea and Ehud Olmert. Samaria [the West Bank]. They said no again in 2014 to a proposal by then-US And although your ice cream has been my favourite Secretary of State John Kerry and then-US President until now, from this point on I intend to boycott it. Barack Obama. In fact, anyone who opposes racism, lies, incitement It may have been possible to achieve peace. There and human rights abuses should boycott your ice cream. were indeed here and there Palestinian leaders who were For even if you did not have racist or antisemitic inten- inclined to compromise. But the leaders of the boycott tions, your boycott is another success story for the racist campaign continue in the path of the Mufti, standing up to and antisemitic campaign that opposes the very existence oppose any compromise. of just one state in the whole world: the Jewish state. The settlements were never the obstacle to peace. This is what you should know about this campaign, Remember the settlements in the Gaza Strip that were all which is led by the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions evacuated by the Israeli Government in 2005? movement (BDS). In fact, even today the settlements take up just a tiny This campaign has no interest in peace nor in ending percentage of the Palestinian territories. the occupation. Anyone who supports a solution of two states for two Yes, there are pure-hearted and honest people who peoples knows that Arabs will continue to live in Israel, support a peaceful, violence-free solution to the Israeli- where they comprise 20% of the population, and a small Palestinian conflict and who also support this campaign. percentage of Jews will be able to keep living in the Pales- But they have been deceived. tinian state. They do not know the facts. And in order to know the Your boycott decision does not serve human rights or facts, you should listen to what the creators and leaders of peace or reconciliation or compromise. this campaign have to say. Your decision is also contrary to the winds that are Omar Barghouti openly declared that “no Palestinian blowing today in most Arab countries, where they know all will agree to a Jewish state.” too well that Palestinian refusal is the real problem and not The same is true of Prof. As’ad Abu Khalil, who wrote Israel. 7

AIR – August 2021 According to a survey conducted by the Zogby Institute lowers, which he activated during the operation by provid- a few months ago, most residents of Arab countries sup- ing a list of pro-Israel accounts to hack and shut down. port normalisation with Israel. Research released by the Meir Amit Intelligence and And what about you? To which side do you belong? Are Terrorism Information Center (ITIC) in Israel further de- COLUMNS NAME OF SECTION you on the side of those who want peace and normalisation tailed how the cyberattackers identified accounts that used or for those who cultivate boycotts and hatred? the most common pro-Israel hashtags in their social media Do you understand that you have chosen the wrong content, such as #IsraelUnderFire or #IsraelUnderAt- side? tack, or expressed their support for this content. Notable targets included then-PM Binyamin Netanyahu, IDF Arab ©Ynet.com, reprinted by permission, all rights reserved. media spokesperson Avichay Adraee, Israeli Hollywood ac- tor Gal Gadot, Christians Unite for Israel and the IDF. A browse through the official Facebook page of the IDF during the conflict showed Malaysian accounts bombarding the comments section of every post with the same pro- Palestinian, anti-Israel/anti-Zionist statements. The ITIC reported that one of the main hashtags that Michael Shannon was used during the attacks was #IsraelKoyak. “Koyak” TROLL PLAY is a Malay word meaning “torn/ripped”, but it is also a It’s a mark of our age that all conflicts – whether slang insult commonly directed at someone who is easily involving bullets and bombs, or those of a cultural or frustrated or having a mental breakdown. This hashtag was ideological dimension – have an increasingly powerful mentioned more than 557,000 times on Twitter during digital front. The May hostilities between Israel and Hamas the days of the operation in Gaza, with a potential reach of in Gaza brought havoc on the ground, and an online on- over 251 million, the report said. slaught launched half a world away in Malaysia. While not discounting the possibility that automatic A coordinated campaign by Malaysian online groups infrastructure, such as bots or pay-per-like/comment targeted Israeli public officials and citizens who were posting services, were also involved in the attacks, the report pro-Israel messages. The tactics employed included antisemitic noted that no actual indications of this had been identified. and sexually explicit insults and death threats, spamming, the Rather, the report observed that the network of activists hacking of social media accounts, effectively getting them “designed and spread meticulous instructions of how to locked, and the dissemination of private information. attack, whom to attack and what content to use.” The best description of the scale and intensity of harass- Weeks after the cessation of hostilities, on July 11, ment came from Emily Schrader, an Israeli social media Schrader released a three-minute video titled “Exposing consultant and researcher, who was herself targeted. (For the Malaysian Troll Army”, describing the cyberattacks as more on Schrader’s ordeal, see p. 15.) Writing in Tablet “[not] just hacktivism. It’s a digital war.” Magazine, Schrader recounted: Another unfortunate reality of our age is that the troll “I was targeted by Malaysians who tweeted over usually has the last word, so the response on Twitter was 100,000 times with personal insults about my appear- entirely predictable. ance and dozens of poor-quality memes ranging from “Thank you for this documentary. Glad that everyone laughably absurd to deeply violent. Of course, I received now knows what happened in Gaza and Palestine through- dozens of Hitler pictures and calls to ‘kill the Jews,’ but I out that attack. They can search throughout #israelkoyak also had multiple fake accounts made in my name, which #IsraelTerrorism and #SavePalestine for more info,” said were tweeting and tagging people who follow my verified @Zhrrdin. account, saying, ‘I’m the real Emily Schrader. I’m a slut.’” “This is nothing Emily. Your people attack and mur- Schrader detailed how one of the leading groups behind dered Palestinian for real. Good Job Malaysian. Let’s make the cyberattacks was a Facebook group called the “Ma- #israelkoyak,” said @Bose. laysian Troll Army”, which has more than half a million The stream of invective appears set to continue indefi- followers. Throughout the conflict period, the group sent nitely, unless action is taken. out calls to harass, hack and effectively silence pro-Israel “There is no way social media platforms aren’t able to accounts. track and shut down these groups which are being used on Another group which works with the Malaysian Troll social media platforms for the sole purpose of silencing pro- Army is the Cinta Syria Malaysia (CSM), with 300,000 Israel voices,” Schrader told The Algemeiner. “The fact that this followers, and its sister organisation, Cinta Gaza Malaysia, activity has gone on for months unaddressed by the net- which is run by a Malaysian in Gaza, Nadir al-Nuri. Nadir works is really a failure of enforcement of their own policies. 8 himself has a Telegram network of more than 256,000 fol- No group should be abused this way on social media.”

AIR – August 2021 senior PFLP post and authorised the bombing, was UAWC’s finance and administration director. Walid Hanatsheh, the al- leged commander and financier of the attack, was employed as HWC’s finance and administration manager. NAME OF SECTION Olga Deutsch UAWC has received at least €22 million (A$35.4 mil- COLUMNS lion) from the EU since 2011 and an additional €17 million EUROPE’S TERROR-LINKED NGO (A$27.4 million) through Dutch development programs PROBLEM since 2013. Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have become Despite initial insistence that their stringent vetting an important part of international politics, with their work procedures rendered such activities impossible, in May often seen as complementing governments in shaping and 2020 the EU announced an internal investigation into implementing policy. potential diversion of its funds to terror. In July 2020, the However, while government officials are subject to a Netherlands announced a freeze of its funding to UAWC strict set of legal boundaries and are supposed to be held pending an investigation, and in June 2021, Belgium also responsible by their constituencies, civil society NGOs op- launched an investigation. In July 2021, Israeli authorities erate beyond such confines. The potential for abuse by and ordered UAWC’s Ramallah headquarters closed for six of civil society organisations, especially in conflict ridden months. areas, therefore, poses a significant challenge to NGOs and In May 2021, Israeli authorities announced the arrest of to their government funders alike, as they become vulner- four additional HWC officials for terror-related activity, able to radical and terrorist elements. including the diversion of millions in European funds from One of the most striking examples is that of European- supposedly humanitarian projects to the PFLP. The HWC funded Palestinian human rights and humanitarian NGOs, arrests were part of an operation that uncovered a large many of which are directly affiliated with the Popular finance network for the PFLP orchestrated by PFLP-affil- Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) – designated iated NGOs. The NGOs allegedly used different methods, as a terrorist organisation in the US, the EU, Canada, including reporting fictitious projects and inflated salaries, and Israel. Since its founding in 1967, the PFLP has been and forging invoices, to transfer funds to families of PFLP involved in suicide bombings, hijackings and assassinations, terrorists, pay salaries for militants, and other terror- among other terrorist activities targeting civilians. related activity. According to data compiled by NGO Monitor, in 2011- This is not exclusively a European problem. In fact, 2019 the European Union alone authorised grants of at in 2012, the Australian Government, having provided least €37 million (A$59.5 million) to NGOs with ties to taxpayer funding to UAWC via the World Vision charity, the PFLP. Although this constitutes a breach of the general launched an investigation into UAWC’s possible terror ties conditions applicable to EU-financed grant contracts, and and concluded that there was “no evidence of any UAWC despite many NGO officials and employees having served espousal of violence against Israel.” Needless to say, the security-related prison sentences, these organisations con- arrests of UAWC officials highlight the limitations of that tinue to receive funding from European governments even Australian investigation. after the discovery of evidence of these terror ties. A few years later, Israeli authorities arrested World After over a decade of suspicious but inconclusive evi- Vision’s operations manager in Gaza, alleging that he fun- dence of terror affiliation, in late 2019 the Israel Security neled millions of the organisation’s Gaza budget to Hamas. Agency announced that it had uncovered a 50-person Australia suspended its support for World Vision’s Gaza terror network operating in the West Bank on behalf of operations. the PFLP. Among those in the network were individuals It is clear that much of Palestinian civil society is highly arrested for carrying out an Aug. 23, 2019 bombing attack politicised and geared toward promoting a nationalistic, which murdered 17-year-old Rina Shnerb and injured her often violent agenda. This places European donor govern- father and brother. At least five members of this network ments in a vulnerable position and increases the need for were employed as senior officials at the Palestinian NGOs greater oversight and accountability. While the EU, Dutch Union of Agricultural Work Committees (UAWC) and and Belgian reviews are important steps towards that, what Health Works Committee (HWC). is truly needed is a genuine and critical debate on how to Samer Arbid, accused of preparing and detonating the best engage with civil society to achieve the best possible explosive device, was employed as UAWC’s financial direc- results for the beneficiaries on the ground, without pro- tor and “senior staff.” In August 2020, the PFLP issued a moting or facilitating violence. statement referring to Arbid as a “prisoner and commander,” and “one of the heroes of the Bubeen operation” – referring Olga Deutsch is Vice President of NGO Monitor, and served for five to the bombing. Abdel Razeq Farraj, who reportedly holds a years as Director of its Europe Desk. 9

AIR – August 2021 BEHIND THE NEWS BEHIND THE ROCKET AND TERROR and interrogated dozens more, in Particularly significant were REPORT a crackdown on those suspected of the extensive anti-regime protests Two rockets were fired from Leba- affiliation with ousted former Fatah launched by Iran’s Ahwazi Arab non into Israel on July 20. One was heavyweight Mohammad Dahlan. minority in the country’s western intercepted by Israeli defences, the Khuzestan Province, starting on July other landing in open space. The IDF 7. Several protestors were reportedly responded with artillery fire at targets NEW “PAY FOR SLAY” killed by live fire from regime forces. in Lebanon. SYSTEM No rockets have been fired from On July 6, the PA held a ceremony Gaza since a ceasefire was announced to announce a new system for making CYBER-ATTACK ON IRAN’S between Israel and Hamas on May regular payments to terrorists impris- RAILWAY SYSTEM 22, but Palestinian terrorist groups oned by Israel, and to the families of On July 9, Iran’s railway network launched incendiary balloons from terrorists who died in the act, known suffered a major disruption, with train Gaza into Israel during the first week as “pay for slay”. PA Telecommunica- cancellations and delays, following a of July, prompting Israeli retaliatory tions Minister Ishaq Sider explained cyber-attack. The hackers posted a strikes against Hamas military targets. the payments could now be collected message on the electronic boards at Stone throwing, Molotov cocktail at ATMs at postal bank branches us- some train stations urging Iranians to and knife attacks, along with rioting, ing a special card. Previously, the PA call a phone number for explanations continued throughout the West Bank, had disbursed the payments through – that number was for the office of including one incident that resulted banks, but these have refused to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. in the death of a Palestinian after he continue participating after Israel Earlier, on July 3, a commercial threw an IED at a soldier. threatened sanctions. The PA then ship Tyndall, previously owned by an On July 9, Israeli security forces used post offices, but recipients had Israeli company, was attacked in the foiled a weapon smuggling attempt complained about long wait times and Indian Ocean. Sources blame Iran’s from Lebanon attributed to Hezbol- other problems. Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps lah. It included 43 handguns, maga- On July 11, Israel’s new security for the assault. zines, and silencers. cabinet authorised the deduction of Meanwhile, satellite imagery pub- NIS 597 million (A$244 million) lished in July suggests major damage from the regular payments Israel after an alleged drone attack on Iran’s WEST BANK UNREST makes to the PA of tariffs collected on Karaj facility on June 23. Equipment AFTER KILLING OF its behalf. This sum corresponds with in the factory – which manufactures DISSIDENT the amount of “pay for slay” payments centrifuge parts for Iran’s nuclear Thousands of Palestinians dem- made by the PA in 2020. program – was destroyed beyond onstrated in the streets for weeks to repair, according to analysts. protest against the Palestinian Author- ity (PA) and its President Mahmoud POWER AND WATER Abbas in unrest sparked by the June SHORTAGES LEAD TO HEZBOLLAH STORING 24 beating death of PA critic Nizar UNREST IN IRAN WEAPONS NEXT TO Banat while in PA custody. Banat was Amidst a heat wave and drought, SCHOOL: IDF a candidate in the parliamentary elec- Iranians are suffering as the regime is The IDF alleged on July 14 that tions Abbas called off in April. unable to provide basic services such Hezbollah is storing rockets, military- The protests were met with bru- as power and water (see box below), grade explosives and other weapons tality from PA security forces, some sparking widespread unrest. in a residential building in the south- in plain clothes. Multiple witnesses Rising food prices and extreme ern Lebanese village of Ebba only said the Palestinian police used pepper water shortages led workers across 25 metres from a school with 300 spray and beat protesters with batons, several industries to strike follow- students. It said an explosion at that and targeted women and journalists. ing pay cuts, as protests against the warehouse would be half the size of Earlier in June, PA security forces regime were held across Iran in early the Beirut port explosion last year 10 reportedly arrested 49 Palestinians, July. that killed at least 211 people.

AIR – August 2021 cases in Israel saw spikes of over 1,000 new cases per day on several days in ISRAEL-SOUTH KOREA mid-July, and a rise to more than 8,800 VACCINE SWAP DEAL active cases as of July 20. However,

Under an agreement signed on July numbers of serious cases requiring NEWS BEHIND THE 6, Israel sent South Korea 700,000 hospitalisation remained low. doses of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine due As of July 20, Israel had seen to expire at the end of July or August, 13,399 more cases and 23 deaths and will receive the same number from since June 23, while 71.34% of Israe- supplies earmarked for South Korea lis were fully vaccinated and 78.15% later this year. had received at least one dose. Several weeks earlier the PA had In the Palestinian-ruled areas of A 2020 report by the ALMA Re- signed, but then backed out of, a the West Bank, as of July 20, there search and Education Centre identi- similar arrangement that would have had been 9,984 new cases and 39 fied at least 28 missile launching and seen it receive approximately one mil- deaths since June 21, while 10.54% of storage sites belonging to Hezbollah lion doses. The PA claimed the doses people had been fully vaccinated and in civilian areas of the Lebanese capi- were too close to expiry, but the same 14.9% had received at least one dose. tal of Beirut, including next to high batches were used to vaccinate Israeli Gaza saw 2,584 new cases over the schools, clinics, hospitals, golf clubs, teenagers or sent to Korea. same period. soccer fields and fast-food chains. On July 12, Israel’s Health Minis- try announced healthcare providers ISRAELI AND could begin giving third vaccine doses UAE EMBASSIES OPEN PALESTINIAN COVID to adults with impaired immune sys- On July 14, almost a year after NUMBERS tems, making Israel the first country Israel and the United Arab Emirates A surge in Delta variant COVID to do so. announced they were normalising ties, the UAE officially opened its cryptocurrency mining. The cryptocurrency embassy in Tel Aviv. mining has been outlawed because of the Declaring it a great honour, Ambas- power it consumes, but continues illegally. sador Mohammad Mahmoud Al Khajah The drought has led to a drop in added: “This is just the beginning. Both THE NOT SO FINAL the generation of hydroelectricity, and countries are innovative nations and we COUNTDOWN international sanctions have prevented will harness these new approaches for As a symbol of the Iranian regime’s investment in Iran’s electricity grid, the prosperity of the countries.” commitment to the destruction of Israel, contributing to the lack of infrastructure Earlier, on June 29, Israeli Foreign there is a clock in Teheran’s Palestine renewal, while the heatwave has spiked Minister Yair Lapid opened the Israeli Square that counts down the days till that power demands for cooling. embassy in Abu Dhabi, and signed an event will supposedly happen in 2040. Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, Danny economic and trade agreement with The timing is based on a prediction made Danon, helpfully tweeted, “Perhaps his Emirati counterpart Abdullah bin by Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali instead of developing nuclear weapons Zayed Al Nahyan. Khamenei in September 2015 that Israel [Iran] should concentrate on developing would “cease to exist in the next 25 years.” renewable energies.” However, something has happened that Outgoing Iranian President Hassan HONDURAS OPENS Khamenei didn’t predict. Little more than Rouhani has apologised for the rolling EMBASSY IN JERUSALEM four years after it started its countdown blackouts, which have affected all aspects On June 24, Honduran President at 8,411 days on “Quds Day” on June 23 of Iranian life, including telecommunica- Juan Orlando Hernandez and Israeli 2017, the clock has stopped working due tions, water pumps and traffic lights. Prime Minister Naftali Bennett inau- to the power cuts sweeping Iran. They have also been one of the mo- gurated Honduras’ embassy in Jerusa- Amidst an intensive heat wave and tivations for widespread protests against lem. Honduras is the fourth country, drought sweeping the Middle East, multiple the regime. after the United States, Guatemala, power outages have been occurring on a There is no word on whether the and Kosovo, to open its embassy in regular basis. Among the reasons are poor stoppage means Israel has been granted Israel’s capital, while Hungary and the infrastructure and ageing equipment, an extension, but perhaps it’s not Israel’s Czech Republic have opened diplo- mismanagement and corruption and ex- survival Iran’s rulers should be concern- matic offices. ceptionally high demand for power due to ing themselves with. 11

AIR – August 2021 COVER STORY NAME OF SECTION COVER STORIES HATE WAVE

CONFRONTING AN EXPLOSION OF ONLINE AND OFFLINE ANTISEMITISM

by Naomi Levin

or the world’s Jews, the past 18 months have served Similarly in mid-2020, at the height of pandemic panic, Fup a double-whammy of online antisemitism. white supremacists and other racist extremists published First, Jews were blamed for the coronavirus pandemic. thousands of posts, memes and diatribes positing that CO- Blood libel, Jewish global domination and vile anti-Israel VID-19 vaccinations were a “calculated, long-term Jewish tropes were reheated and served out across social media. plot to institute ‘Global Jew Government’, a new iteration Strange bedfellows, from Iranian internet trolls to white of the age-old canard of international Jewish control,” ac- supremacists, took to a variety of digital platforms to cording to the US-based non-government organisation the blame COVID-19 on the Jews. Anti-Defamation League (ADL). Then in May this year, social media users launched a The ADL went on to explain: “Some believe Jews will new wave of antisemitism at the world’s Jewish people, as achieve this power by using the vaccine ingredients to ster- Israel defended itself against more than ilise the ‘white race’.” “Facebook posts called for 4,000 Hamas rockets. The QAnon online conspiracy Action clearly needs to be taken, Jews to be massacred and theory movement had already been but what can be done in Australia to their bodies ground up. Vid- focussing attention on antisemitic combat antisemitism online? eos circulated accusing all conspiracies prior to the pandemic. In March 2020, a few weeks into Jews of having hatred and But QAnon, which peaked in popular- the global COVID-19 pandemic, the ity in 2020 as the Trump presidency Australia/Israel Review published an ar- hostility in their hearts” ended, ramped up this rhetoric as the ticle identifying how Jews were already pandemic raged. being blamed for the spread of coronavirus. COVID-19-related antisemitism came to a head in mid- By April 2020, the hashtag #covid1948 was born – a 2020. But with 2021 came a new, and possibly even more reference to the year of the founding of the modern state noxious, wave of antisemitism during the May conflict of Israel. The hashtag was used more than 85,000 times on between Israel and Hamas. Twitter over the next two months. A year later, it is still While credible analysts posit that Hamas had been plan- circulating, mostly in Arabic and Farsi-language tweets. ning for the conflict for months, there were online incidents According to a study by Stanford University’s Freeman that inflamed tensions even before full-scale conflict erupted. Spogli Institute for International Studies, the hashtag was One of them was a TikTok video showing an unpro- started by Palestinian activists, who posted messages like voked assault by Israeli Arabs against an ultra-Orthodox “The virus of 15 May 1948. Israel is a much bigger threat Jewish man in Jerusalem. The short video was circulated to humanity than Corona #covid1948.” widely and it is understood that the assault was carried The hashtag was then amplified by Iranian state media out as part of a dare to Palestinian TikTok users to film and Iranian government sources. Iranian Supreme Leader themselves assaulting Orthodox Jews. Unsurprisingly, it Ayatollah Ali Khamenei used the hashtag repeatedly on inspired copycat video assaults and significantly inflamed 12 Instagram. societal tensions.

AIR – August 2021 During the conflict itself, social media platforms were increase in antisemitic incidents in May 2021 in the US, awash with highly emotive videos – the more shocking the compared with May 2020. This left May 2021 the worst content, the more views they attracted. month for acts of assault, vandalism, and harassment On the pro-Israel side, videos of the Iron Dome missile against US Jews since ADL’s tracking began in 1979. defence shield intercepting barrages of Hamas rockets, or Yiftah Curiel, director of digital diplomacy at Israel’s NAME OF SECTION COVER STORIES Israelis cowering in shelters as sirens blared, got millions Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told Israeli media that incite- of views. ment against Israel online during the conflict was “the On the Hamas side, videos of young men in balaclavas engine behind at least part of the antisemitic incidents.” firing rockets at Israel in quick succession while yelling Hollywood star Sacha Baron-Cohen was fed up, posting “Allahu Akbar”, or of Palestinian children crying in front of the message: “The surge in antisemitism on the streets is destroyed buildings, garnered a similar number of views. fuelled by antisemitism on social media. [Twitter founder] Many of these videos were amplified by bots and fake ac- Jack [Dorsey], Twitter, why do you allow #hitlerwasright? counts originating from places like Malaysia and Iran. Those who celebrate the Holocaust aim to perpetuate These videos were not moderated by broadcast jour- another.” nalists nor editors, they were dispatched raw to mobile phones PLATFORM PROGRESS? around the world via social media To their credit, in the second platforms. The captions accompa- half of 2020, some of the biggest nying them were inevitably highly platforms, including Facebook emotive and, in most cases, com- and Instagram, acted to remove pletely lacked essential context. some conspiracy theory content, The disinformation and anti- including QAnon related ac- semitism that resulted was highly counts and posts, as well as Holo- destructive and dangerous. caust denying material. However, The hashtag #hitlerwasright as at mid-July 2021, Ayatollah regained popularity among anti- Khamenei’s #covid1948 posts Israel posters. Facebook posts are still easily discoverable on called for Jews to be massacred Instagram. and their bodies ground up. Vid- TikTok too has banned many eos circulated accusing all Jews of offensive hashtags, such as #hit- having hatred and hostility in their Some examples from the wave of antisemitic memes lerwasright, that violate the hearts. and posts (Sources: Twitter, Facebook) platform’s community standards. In social media posts, Israel Others though, including #co- was demonised at levels never before seen. Accusations vid1948, remain. that Israel was a colonial terrorist state engaged in ethnic While Twitter has shown a willingness to remove cleansing and genocide became unremarkable due to their or limit accounts that breach its guidelines – the most frequency. The hashtag #fromtherivertothesea, which high-profile example being former US president Donald denies the right of existence for a Jewish state, and often Trump – the social media giant has failed to remove anti- implies the desire for the ethnic cleansing of Israel’s Jews, semitic content from its platform. During 2020, it acted trended unceasingly. These lies and expressions of hate to remove QAnon content and accounts, but analysis by leaked from social media onto posters at rallies around the ADL after the January riot at the US Capitol found the world, which were then beamed out on the nightly TV many accounts still active and spreading dangerous QA- news. non conspiracies. And while Trump was kicked off Twitter, In fact, commentators increasingly agree that rising Ayatollah Khamenei, who has called for the destruction of antisemitism online led to real world incidents of antisemi- Israel and spread Holocaust denial, is permitted to remain tism – from graffiti reading “free Palestine” sprayed outside an active tweeter. Melbourne Jewish schools, to physical assaults on Jewish More clearly needs to be done. Jewish organisations people in US and European cities. around the world continue to advocate for social media Organisations that monitor antisemitic activities in companies to adopt the International Holocaust Remem- Jewish communities around the world are tallying record brance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism in order numbers of assaults. In Britain, the Community Security to better identify antisemitism on their platforms – and Trust recorded more antisemitic incidents in May than ultimately to ensure all antisemitic material is removed. in any month since 1984, when it began documenting In August 2020, 140 NGOs from around the world – incidents. Similarly, the ADL logged a more than 100% including AIJAC – co-wrote a letter to Facebook calling on 13

AIR – August 2021 the social media giant to devise a plan to combat antisemi- definition because “without first defining a problem, we tism and adopt the IHRA definition. To date, Facebook has cannot combat it.” not heeded this call. Among its other recommendations, the taskforce has In recent weeks, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg called on social media platforms to be more transparent

NAME OF SECTION COVER STORIES was on the receiving end of what so many Jewish people on about how their algorithms work and to publish regular social media have experienced regularly: personal antise- reports on these issues. mitic attacks. Zuckerberg posted a photo of his dog dressed This is particularly topical after the recent conflict, in a Jewish skullcap (“kippa”) and prayer shawl and was bom- where pro-Israel content was censored and removed from barded with thousands of hateful messages in response. social media platforms with no explanation. AIJAC experi- Music journalist Eve Barlow spoke out for Israel on enced this first-hand. social media during the conflict. In response, she was sub- Currently, each social media giant has its own algorithm jected to what she termed a “social media pogrom”. that drives users to spend more time on the platform by Barlow wrote: “The activity that Jews – Zionist Jews showing them content the algorithm predicts will inter- in particular – experienced all over the web [during the est them. There is evidence that, in some instances, these conflict] was bizarre at best and invalidating, abusive, and algorithms drive users to view more extreme content than dehumanising at worst.” they would search out themselves. Maybe after seeing the mob come after him for an in- The Inter-Parliamentary Taskforce and others have nocent photo of his dog, Zuckerberg might again consider urged social media companies to be transparent about their heeding the calls of leading global anti-racism campaigners algorithms and consider redesigning them so they do not and adopt the IHRA definition for his platform? promote content that can cause harm. Among those calling for Facebook – and other social media giants – to do just that is the Inter-Parliamentary FIGHTING BACK Taskforce to Combat Online Antisemitism, of which Aus- Meanwhile, some Jewish social media users are taking tralian MPs Dave Sharma (Liberal) and Josh Burns (ALP) a different approach altogether to rising antisemitism on are members. In July, the taskforce, made up of MPs from Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok. It is a grassroots the US, UK, Canada, Israel and Australia, called for gov- approach that has begun in the US, but is ripe for replica- ernments and social media platforms to adopt the IHRA tion around the world. This method sees young people openly and proudly flaunting their Jewish and Zionist credentials on social media. It is a brave approach, but one that empowers their hordes of followers to be proud of their traditions, their With Compliments community and their spiritual homeland. Music journalist Barlow regularly posts edgy calls to her 40,000 Instagram followers and 33,000 Twitter followers, such as the “Moshiach comes when every Jew stops hiding challenge” (referring to Jewish traditions about the coming of the Messiah after the Jewish people prove themselves ready). There are even younger voices like Blake Flayton, a Jewish university student who helped to start a group called the New Zionist Congress and did a high-profile CNN interview calling out antisemitism. Flayton was joined by Julia Jassey, a fellow American uni- versity student, CNN interviewee and founder of Jewish on Campus. Flayton and Jassey both have tens of thousands of social media followers to whom they spread messages of open Zionism and Jewish pride. In a social media world of darkness, individuals like Barlow, Flayton and Jassey are pinpricks of light showing the world that Jewish people cannot and will not cower in the face of unprecedented online antisemitism. www.tigcorp.com.au Together with politicians and anti-racist NGOs, they will advocate, hit back and continue to proudly protect Jewish people from antisemitism on- and off-line in the 14 face of an increasingly hostile global environment.

AIR – August 2021 The situation was even more extreme for female activ- THE PRICE OF BEING ists such as myself. That is not to say that male activists did A ZIONIST WOMAN ON not receive threats or harassment, but the viciousness of attacks against women on social media was of a different

TWITTER nature entirely. For one, I was targeted by Malaysians who NAME OF SECTION COVER STORIES tweeted over 100,000 times with personal insults about by Emily Schrader my appearance and dozens of poor-quality memes rang- ing from laughably absurd to deeply violent. Of course, n May, while 4,500 rockets from Gaza were flying at I received dozens of Hitler pictures and calls to “kill the IIsraeli schools, homes, and businesses, another war Jews,” but I also had multiple fake accounts made in my against the Jews was brewing abroad. The Anti-Defa- name, which were tweeting and tagging people who follow mation League (ADL) reported that, in only eight days my verified account, saying, “I’m the real Emily Schrader. after the conflict kicked off, antisemitic incidents rose I’m a slut.” by 75%. In London, anti-Israel activists drove around In addition, my email was leaked, and I received mul- Jewish neighbourhoods scream- tiple detailed death threats with sexually explicit descrip- ing from their cars to “rape their tions of how they would attack me. There was a public call daughters”; in Florida, Jews to hack my social media accounts and website. My Insta- were targeted by pro-Palestinian gram and Twitter DMs (direct messages) exploded with activists who threw garbage at hundreds of messages calling me names, threatening rape, them while screaming “Free Pal- and making otherwise sexist and outrageous comments estine! ... We’re going to rape such as, “Go suck Netanyahu’s ball [sic] ... Hey slut I will your wife”; and in New York, bomb your house.” Another stated, “Your vagina is so dirty pro-Palestinian protestors threw and disgusting, I can assure that it was a rape of an Israeli fireworks at Jews in the Dia- dog [sic].” Fireworks attack upon mond District. The scenes are Jews in New York (Source: jarring, but given the rhetoric Twitter) accompanying them online, they are hardly surprising. As someone with over a decade of experience in the digital marketing side of Israel advocacy, I can honestly say I’ve never seen an outpouring of explicit antisemitic, not “anti-Zionist”, content across social media platforms as strong as what we witnessed in May. For years, Jews and pro-Israel activists warned that ignoring antisemitism couched as anti-Zionism would lead to violence against Emily Schrader documenting her ordeal at the hands of trolls in a Jews. The past few weeks have proven that argument to be Youtube video (YouTube screenshot) sadly true. There is a direct correlation between real-world violence and the level of hate we see online – making it all I share these vile comments not to give them attention, the more alarming that the rhetoric against Jewish women as some have counselled me not to do, but to draw atten- is even more radically perverse and aggressive. tion to the larger problem: These comments are not out The immediate response to Israel’s operation in Gaza of the ordinary for a Jewish woman to receive on social was a barrage of online antisemitism. Jews were attacked media. Today there is no greater social media “crime” than with thousands of “free Palestine” comments, even when being a Jewish or pro-Israel woman. not talking about Israel or the conflict. Teens on TikTok In the pro-Israel world, there are few vocal female were spammed and harassed by anti-Israel activists accus- voices. This, again, is not a coincidence. Personally attack- ing them of supporting “genocide” and “apartheid.” Ins- ing and threatening women is a method of silencing their tagram became a hostile environment for Jews thanks to voices, online and in real life, and deterring new ones influencers such as Bella and Gigi Hadid, who used their from speaking up. “With women there are no boundaries collective 100 million followers to spread extremist rheto- ... The most common comment I get is sharmuta (“whore” ric about Israel. Subsequently, the ADL reported that the in Arabic),” said TikTok influencer Shai Emanuel Yamin. “I same week that “Hitler was right” was trending on social saw men also suffering from hate comments, but it’s never media—with over 17,000 mentions —and as mentioned about how they look or what they wear.” above, there was also a 400% increase in antisemitic activ- Liora Rez, the founder and executive director of ity around the world. Stop Antisemitism, agreed that the online attacks against 15

AIR – August 2021 women are more personal: “From the most deranged rape in Durban, South Africa, launched a virulent wave of hate threats to the doxxing (publicly revealing private personal and antisemitism that continues to spread deadly poison. information) of my parents’ information, antisemites have Durban had three frameworks – diplomatic, youth and no boundaries when it comes to harassing female Jewish NGOs. At the diplomatic conference, when the proposed COVER STORIES NAME OF SECTION activists online.” text – singling out Israel with accusations of genocide, To be clear, it’s not just Jewish women being targeted. ethnic cleansing, war crimes and similar language – was Yasmine Mohammed, an ex-Muslim and women’s rights tabled, the American and Israeli delegations walked out. activist with over 100,000 Twitter followers, has been The Europeans and Canadians [and Australians -Ed.] stayed the target of gender-based hate comments for years after and brokered a revised text that greatly reduced but did speaking against antisemitism. In response to the Israeli- not eliminate the anti-Israel focus. Whether or not this was Gaza conflict, she tweeted, “I’m normally inundated with the right decision contin- death threats, but these past couple of weeks, it’s been ues to be debated. more vicious than ever.” In conversation, she told me, “The But the most damag- explosion in the intensity of hate that I receive when I ing aspect of Durban was speak up in support of Israel or against antisemitism … no the NGO Forum, includ- one can ever get used to that.” ing 1,500 participating We cannot continue to shrug our shoulders and say organisations, with the “Just ignore it,” because the results, as we’ve already seen primary aim of waging a A scene from Durban, September for Jews, can very rapidly escalate into real-world violence. deadly war of hate against 2001 (Source: YouTube screenshot) Harassing women, launching public smear campaigns, Israel. This part of the levying threats of sexual violence – these are actions with event was irresponsibly funded by the UN, EU, Canada, real consequences that should have no place on social and the Ford Foundation. media, and every social media platform should have a zero- There were mass marches through the streets of tolerance policy toward such virulent abuse. Durban, and hate material was distributed, including the Yet, despite the myriad risks, as Jewish and pro-Israel Protocols of the Elders of Zion and signs with a Star of David female voices, we must not back down in the face of alongside a swastika. cyberbullying. Instead, we must elevate female voices and NGO representatives led by Human Rights Watch encourage new voices to join the conversation and help blocked and threatened Jewish speakers who did not toe fight back. the anti-Israel line. The UN High Commissioner, former As Rez put it, “Antisemites just failed to realise that Irish President Mary Robinson, presided over these events, their hatred and obscenities do nothing but motivate me but failed to respond. Afterwards, she meekly declared that to continue and amplify what I’m doing.” It’s draining to there was nothing she could have done. be on the receiving end of such abuse, but it also reaffirms Plans for hijacking Durban were announced openly at a that what we are fighting for is worthwhile, and more UN preparatory meeting in Teheran. Based on this script, important than ever before. the NGO Forum’s Final Declaration singled out Israel repeatedly with accusations of war crimes, ethnic cleans- Emily Schrader is the CEO of Social Lite Creative LLC. This article ing and even genocide, and presented an action plan for is reprinted from Tablet Magazine, at tabletmag.com, the online “the complete and international isolation of Israel as an magazine of Jewish news, ideas, and culture. © Tablet Magazine, apartheid state.” Just as the South African apartheid regime reprinted by permission, all rights reserved. was overturned, Israel – as the nation state of the Jewish people – would be eliminated. After Durban, the same NGO leaders and their UN allies moved quickly to implement the boycott and lawfare FROM DURBAN TO campaigns, proclaiming their myths as “legitimate criticism TODAY of Israeli policies.” In addition to discriminatory boycotts, the International Criminal Court was targeted from the beginning as a platform that could be readily manipulated by Gerald Steinberg by anti-Israel campaigners through false allegations and propaganda. This fuels the incitement that in turn leads to wenty years ago, in September 2001, the United Na- antisemitic attacks around the world. Ttions Human Rights Commission held a conference In response, some on the front lines recognised the ostensibly to mark the end of apartheid in South Africa urgent need for confronting this hatred, and launched a and to adopt an auspicious plan to eliminate racism and process that led to the international consensus working 16 discrimination worldwide. Instead, this mega-event, held definition of antisemitism, adopted in 2016 by the govern-

AIR – August 2021 mental members of the International Holocaust Remem- under the leadership of Michelle Bachelet, is trying again. brance Alliance (IHRA). While Israel, the US, Canada, Australia, the UK, Hungary, As examples of this hatred, all of which are part of the Austria, the Netherlands and the Czech Republic have NGO Durban strategy, they included “Denying the Jewish announced a boycott, others, particularly in Europe, have people their right to self-determination, e.g., by claiming not. NAME OF SECTION COVER STORIES that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor”; For the Jewish people, the scars of the original Dur- applying double standards; and “drawing comparisons of ban events remain very painful, and the powerful UN and contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis.” NGO network that hijacked the human rights agenda in order to demonise Israel continues to spread its poison. e now stand 20 years later, and the Durban NGO For world leaders who claim to oppose antisemitism, Wstrategy is being implemented through attacks on their complicity and silence in the wake of the virulent different fronts. Poisonous “apartheid weeks,” featuring targeting of Israel and the Jewish people has already gone the same NGOs and their anti-Israel slogans, are annual too far. events on university campuses. Human Rights Watch and its allies, such as Al Haq, as Professor Gerald Steinberg is founder and president of NGO Moni- well as some radical Israeli NGOs generously funded by tor and Professor Emeritus at Bar Ilan University. The article first European governments to act as political sub-contractors, appeared in the Jerusalem Post. © Gerald Steinberg, reprinted continue to market the “apartheid” slogan, including by permission, all rights reserved. a recent campaign and report that used the term 200 times, and received widespread media coverage, with no justification. Now, they have combined under the false banners of CONDEMNING intersectionality and solidarity, adding the term “Jewish supremacy” to the poisonous agenda. Antisemitic attacks ANTISEMITISM IS NO are at the highest levels since the end of the Holocaust. LONGER ALLOWED And in parallel, the NGO network is pushing a well- funded propaganda campaign to dismantle the IHRA working definition, disguised as an alternative “Jerusalem by Peter C. Herman definition” without the Israel-related examples, precisely because it is the most effective mechanism for defeating t seems you can’t condemn antisemitism anymore. On the Durban strategy. IMay 26, the Chancellor and the Provost of Rutgers As if the current plague of antisemitism is insufficient, University in New Jersey issued a statement condemning the UN Human Rights Council is planning a conference the precipitous rise in antisemitic incidents in the US: to revive and “celebrate” Durban, to be held in September “We are saddened by and greatly concerned about the 2021. In 2009, the major democracies stayed away from sharp rise in hostile sentiments and antisemitic violence Durban 2 in Geneva, and under the leadership of NGO in the United States. Recent incidents of hate directed Monitor and like-minded groups, the NGO Forum was toward Jewish members of our community again remind cancelled. us of what history has to teach us.” Durban 3 in 2011 was also a non-event, but now, the Given the sudden rise in antisemitic rhetoric (the anti-Israel majority of the UN Human Rights Council, Anti-Defamation League (ADL) tracked more than 17,000

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AIR – August 2021 tweets saying “Hitler was right,” or some variation thereof, antisemitic incidents, ranging from swastikas inscribed on between May 7-14) and antisemitic attacks both in the buildings to the repeated vandalising of the local Chabad United States and abroad, you would think that the state- House, by organising a task force to address antisemitism. ment would be unexceptional, even welcome – especially I’m on this task force.

COVER STORIES since many universities and colleges issues similar state- We soon learned that an outside group of faculty, led by ments condemning anti-Black and anti-Asian violence. a Palestinian professor, was unhappy with the task force’s But no. A day later, the Chancellor and Provost issued membership (predominantly Jews) and focus (exclusively “An Apology,” because “the message failed to communicate antisemitism). So they asked the university’s president to support for our Palestinian community members.” appoint another member they had chosen: an outspoken Then, they replaced the original statement with this opponent of Israel who blamed an earlier attack on Chabad one: “Neither hatred nor bigotry has a place at Rutgers, nor on Israel’s actions against Hamas and claimed that the should they have a place anywhere in the world. At Rutgers, university’s partnership with the ADL to fight antisemitism we believe that antisemitism, anti-Hinduism, Islamophobia signalled indifference toward Arabs. and all forms of racism, intolerance and xenophobia are unacceptable wherever and whenever they occur.” y now, it’s common knowledge that antisemitism is Odd. Why does a statement condemning antisemitism Bnot taken very seriously on the left. At first, this was need to be broadened to include other forms of racism and blamed on Jews being “white” and therefore privileged. bias? But in the wake of the war between Hamas and Israel, Then it happened again. we see a new twist. Now, when there’s an antisemitic On June 10, the Society of Children’s Book Writers and incident, Diaspora Jews are blamed, not the person who Illustrators (SCBWI) published its own fervent condemna- hates Jews. tion of antisemitism: “The SCBWI unequivocally recog- We see this perfectly illustrated with my university nizes that the world’s 14.7 million Jewish people (less than colleague, who wrote on the College of Arts and Letters 0.018% of the population) have the right to life, safety, and listserv that the attack on Chabad House was Israel’s fault freedom from scapegoating and fear.” because Israel responded to Hamas’ rockets: “It is highly Then things went sour. disturbing that the message [condemning the Chabad House First, the Executive Director, Lin Wood, abjectly apolo- vandals] that was just sent out to the whole campus was sent gised for the statement on the grounds that saying anti- without some contextualization about the current situation semitism is bad and that Jews have the right to live in peace in Jerusalem and the 80+ jets that have just bombarded hurts Palestinians: “I would like to apologize to everyone Gaza, killing 20 people, including 9 children, and toppling a in the Palestinian community who felt unrepresented, 13-story (sic) building that covered a whole block.” silenced, or marginalized. SCBWI acknowledges the pain Never mind the 4,000-plus unguided rockets Hamas our actions have caused to our Muslim and Palestinian launched with precise intent and hope that they would kill members and hope that we can heal from this moment.” Israeli civilians. Then, the person responsible for the original statement, Antisemitism, in other words, cannot be condemned Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer April Powers, who hap- by itself, as can other forms of bias. Nobody, for example, pens to be both black and Jewish, resigned, but not before sought to “contextualise” the recent murders of Asian delivering her own apology for neglecting “to address the women in Atlanta by referencing the Chinese Govern- rise in Islamophobia, and [I] deeply regret that omission.” ment’s treatment of the Uighurs. In a subsequent interview, Powers said that her Judaism In current woke discourse, you can condemn attacks on rendered her “inherently suspect.” Jews only if you condemn attacks on Arabs and Palestin- “You’re Jewish,” her critics said, so “you can’t be in a ians as well. Not only is Jew-hatred blamed on the victim, role like this.” Inclusion and equity, it seems, means exclu- but having the temerity to condemn hatred against Jews sion and inequity for Jews. may cost you your job. And before you leave, you’ll have to This is just bizarre. How does recognising that Jews write a Maoist self-criticism. have the right to live in peace, that Jews have the right to We know where this ends, and it’s not good. eat in a restaurant without being attacked, as happened recently in Los Angeles, harm anybody else? Peter C. Herman is a Professor of English Literature at San Diego Would anybody say that protesting anti-Black violence State University. His books include Unspeakable: Literature neglects the rise in, say, anti-Asian violence? Why is anti- and Terrorism from the Gunpowder Plot to 9/11, and semitism singled out for this sort of treatment? Critical Contexts: Terrorism and Literature. This piece These two incidents made national news in the US, but originally appeared in the Jewish Journal of Los Angeles. © this also occurs below the national radar. My institution, Jewish Journal (www.jewishjournal.com), reprinted by permis- 18 San Diego State University, responded to a recent spate of sion, all rights reserved.

AIR – August 2021 NAME OF SECTION COVER STORIES

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AIR – August 2021 Presidents without Precedent NAME OF SECTION COVER STORIES From Rivlin to Herzog in Israel

by Amotz Asa-El

acing Israel’s entire legislature and cabinet, as well Fas millions of television viewers, a characteristically Known for being sympathetic and affable, Rivlin visited more than humble President Reuven Rivlin turned to his grand- 250 bereaved families (Credit: Ashernet) children at the end of his farewell address, saying, “I am returning.” The speech came to be known as “The Tribes Speech”, As he handed over the presidency of Israel to Isaac Her- and it became particularly relevant in the last weeks of zog, there was no mistaking the sense of relief with which Rivlin’s term, as Israel faced the worst ethnic violence in the 82-year-old former speaker of the Knesset ended not its history during the Hamas-Israel war in May. It was a only his seven-year term as Israel’s First Citizen, but a 43- bitter finale for a term of office in which the President year political career. stubbornly embodied what united Israelis, while others Rivlin presided over what was by far the most turbulent tried to divide them. presidential term in Israel’s history. As if the social tension and political acrimony he faced Constitutionally, as Israel went to elections five times were not enough, in 2020 Rivlin also grappled with per- during his presidency, Rivlin was repeatedly tasked with sonal loss, as his wife of nearly half a century, Nechama, appointing someone to seek a parliamentary majority to died of lung disease at 73. become prime minister. Twice he also had to select a second In his farewell address, with his voice trembling, Rivlin nominee, because the first had failed to form a government. said that he misses her every day, thus eliciting the genuine Eager to help stabilise the system, sympathy of a strained society which “Rivlin presided over what was in April 2020 Rivlin was instrumental found in its tenth President a national in creating the broad unity govern- by far the most turbulent presi- unifier – something that the politi- ment that successfully fought the dential term in Israel’s history” cians he dealt with consistently failed COVID pandemic. to produce. Socially, Rivlin’s task was to make The 11th President’s task will be Israel’s disparate, and often conflicted, sectors feel he was no less daunting, and maybe more so. everyone’s president, and even more improbably, that they Having just turned 60, Herzog is in his political prime, were all members of one society. and eager to make the most of it. Both emotionally and intellectually, he rose to the Like Rivlin, whose father was a Hebrew University challenge. professor of Muslim civilisation, Herzog has an enviable An affable, humorous, and outgoing conversationalist, pedigree. The son of Chaim Herzog, Israel’s sixth presi- Rivlin visited more than 900 cities, villages, businesses, dent, he is a product of Israel’s elite establishment. schools, and other varied social institutions across the When the new President was born, his father was a country. He also visited the homes of 190 fallen soldiers general, head of Military Intelligence. When he was in his and 62 victims of terrorist attacks. teens, his father was ambassador to the United Nations. A liberal nationalist who followed in the footsteps of In the interstices between these roles, Chaim Herzog was Menachem Begin, Rivlin fought for equality for Israel’s Arab a partner in one of Tel Aviv’s leading law firms, which the citizens, and thus became a champion of the Left despite younger Herzog would later join. never compromising his faith in territorial maximalism. Going back further, the grandfather after whom Isaac In a widely quoted speech delivered early in his term, Herzog is named was Israel’s first chief rabbi. Further- he told the annual Herzliya Conference on national secu- more, Herzog’s uncle was Abba Eban, Golda Meir’s fabled rity that Israeli society comprises four tribes: the secular, foreign minister. Eban’s wife, Suzie, was the sister of Her- religious, ultra-Orthodox and Arab populations. The task zog’s mother, Aura. of Israeli leaders, he said, is to make these groups harmon- Such an elite background might have hurt another 20 ise rather than confront each other. person’s presidential bid. The ultra-Orthodox Shas party,

AIR – August 2021 for instance, which seeks traditional working class votes, unprecedentedly diverse “government of change”. might raise objections to such an aristocratic pedigree. Whether the new Government will last, and thus Even more problematic might have been Herzog’s leading herald a new era, remains to be seen, but if it does, Herzog role in the Labor Party, which he headed while running for should fit smoothly within the new zeitgeist it is trying to the premiership against Binyamin Netanyahu last decade. inspire. NAME OF SECTION COVER STORIES That history might have made him unacceptable to Likud. Led jointly by Bennett and centrist Foreign Minister Yet no such opposition manifested itself. Yair Lapid, in contrast to Netanyahu’s government by cha- Israeli presidents are elected by the Knesset’s 120 risma, the pair’s experiment in collective leadership and members in a secret ballot. Herzog faced Miriam Peretz, governing via consensus embodies what Herzog’s career an educator and social activist who lost two of her six has been largely about. children while they were fighting in the IDF, one in Gaza, As Leader of the Opposition, Herzog harnessed Arab the other in Lebanon. She is widely admired in Israel as and ultra-Orthodox parties to promote social causes a paragon of resilience, compassion and patriotism, yet jointly with Labor, thus displaying an inclination and ability Herzog defeated Peretz by a vote of 87 to 26, the largest to build coalitions. margin ever in an Israeli presidential vote. A similar pattern surfaced when Herzog won the Jew- While part of this gap was due to Peretz’s lack of politi- ish Agency’s chairmanship, enjoying the support of its cal experience, Herzog’s decisive victory also reflected his board of governors despite representing the opposition. reputation as serious and sensible, as well as his record as a This was the first time since 1948 that this time-honoured tactful politician who, during two decades in public office, organisation installed a chairperson who was not identified made few significant enemies. with Israel’s ruling party. Herzog can thus be expected to work well with the new Government, whose key figures are all his personal friends. Then again, his presidency’s big test may involve not the coalition, but the opposition. Once Netanyahu’s ongoing corruption trial concludes, a constitutional crisis, accompanied by social division, may follow. If Netanyahu is convicted, Herzog will have to combine his political inventiveness and his lawyerly skills – possibly devising some kind of mechanism involving a pardon in return for a departure from public office. In less dramatic times, Herzog will likely be very active in the international arena, a role for which he has prepared since his high-school days as an ambassador’s son in New New Israeli President Isaac Herzog: Known as serious, sensible and a York. He has begun playing this role already, holding a long tactful politician (Credit: Alexandros Michailidis/ Shutterstock) phone conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on July 12. erzog entered the political fray in 1999 as Ehud These, then, are the tasks awaiting Herzog – who, HBarak’s cabinet secretary, an unelected position, after unlike his predecessor, may potentially want to use his which he was elected to the Knesset where he served as presidential term as a springboard for another shot at the a lawmaker for 15 years. During those years, he served premiership. in the Sharon, Olmert, and Netanyahu governments, Whether that will be realistic will depend on the events as Minister of Housing, Welfare, Tourism and Diaspora Affairs. With compliments from Herzog’s record in these seemingly boring ministries showed him to be a compassionate man who worked diligently for disadvantaged groups, like Holocaust survi- vors, abused women and children at risk. These ministerial achievements paved the way for his election as Labor party head, Leader of the Opposition, and later Chairman of the Jewish Agency. By a curious coincidence, Herzog became President just after Netanyahu’s 12-year premiership ended on June 13. Netanyahu was succeeded in that role by Naftali Bennett of the right-wing Yamina (“rightward”) party, heading up an 21

AIR – August 2021 of the coming seven years. Until then, the 11th President and his wife Michal, a lawyer he met when they served in the same IDF intelligence unit, will try to make the most of life in the handsome presidential house in the upmarket

COVERNAME OF SECTION STORIES Talbiya neighbourhood of Jerusalem. Getting together on weekends with their three sons, aged 22 to 31, they will likely recall with nostalgia past Shabbat meals in the same house back in their twenties – when Isaac’s father Chaim lived there as president.

THE SLOW DEATH OF Lebanon today: A failed and collapsing state (Credit: Karim Naamani/ LEBANON Shutterstock) reaching a point of no return, with the real possibility of by Jonathan Spyer widespread hunger. Lebanon is, today, by all measures a failed and collapsing state. ebanon is currently in the grip of the worst economic How has the country reached this point? Less than two Lcrisis in its history. There are daily shortages of fuel decades ago, Lebanon was revamping its image as a centre and electricity, a chronic lack of medical supplies, and an of commerce and tourism on the Mediterranean coast. The absence of essential medicines in hospitals. Some 77% “March 14” Movement, named after the popular mobilisation of Lebanese households are unable to purchase sufficient which forced a Syrian withdrawal in 2005, was riding high. It food. The Lebanese pound has lost 90% of its value over was presented as one of the few successes of what was then the last two years. Lebanese citizens, meanwhile, are pre- the US Administration’s strategy of regional democratisation. I vented from withdrawing more than US$100 per week, visited the country in that period, in 2007. A palpable long- as foreign currency reserves grow thin. The situation is ing for normality could then be discerned among younger Lebanese. The civil war was already a receding memory. What remained of it, among Sunnis and Christians at least, was a kind of dread of the possibility that political violence might return. The Israeli occupation in the south had ended in May 2000. Normality seemed within reach. What went wrong? What went wrong was discernible also back then. It was evident that there were two pow- ers in Lebanon. The first, as represented by the March 14 Movement, was ostensibly forward-looking, oriented toward the West, toward commerce and toward normality. The other power was that of Iran, via its oldest franchise, the Lebanese Hezbollah movement. This interest had its own military power that outmatched that of the state and dwarfed the other irregular military presences in the country. It had its own economy, too, its own sources of income, its own smuggling routes. The project of the Iranian element was that the two Lebanons should continue to exist indefinitely. The former was to provide a convenient carapace of normality and legitimacy beneath which the latter could continue its al- lotted tasks in Teheran’s long war against Israel. Supporters of the March 14 project had a tendency to avoid the discussion of hard-power issues. This in retro- spect was to prove fatal. Any chance that the Lebanon of March 14 might mount a defence in arms of its vision of the country ended in the 22 events of May and June 2008. In a brief conflict on the

AIR – August 2021 streets of Beirut, the forces of Amal (a militia allied with devaluation, a shadow economy benefiting only itself, and a Hezbollah) and Hezbollah contemptuously brushed aside paralysed political system – are all directly traceable to the the haphazard military mobilisations of the pro-March 14 distorting effect that the presence of the pervasive Iranian Sunni and Druze forces. project on Lebanese soil has brought.

From this point on, the die was cast. It was clear that From this point of view, the current situation stands as a COVER STORIES NAME OF SECTION there would be no further attempt at real resistance to the stark warning to all countries faced with infiltration by the Iranian project in Lebanon. What there would be instead Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its various would be obfuscation and denial. The Iranian approach fit- militia franchises. These are good at building paramilitary ted perfectly the desire of the Lebanese to ignore reality. muscle and converting it into political power. They have no knowledge of or interest in economics. As a result, the n the years subsequent to 2008, events followed a net outcome of their taking of de facto power in a country Idownward spiral. The Syrian civil war brought some will be that country’s eventual ruin and impoverishment. 1.8 million refugees to Lebanon, further straining the Lebanon is now the case study for this process. country’s fragile infrastructure. The war dealt a crippling From Israel’s point of view, there is little to be done blow to the tourism sector, which had accounted for but to continue to guard the borders. There is no reason to around 7.5% of Lebanon’s GDP. Growing Saudi and US suppose that the current chaos in Lebanon will incline the discontent at the reality of Iranian power in the country Iranians and their proxies toward military adventures in came to a head in 2015-2016. In early 2016, Riyadh an- the south. nounced the withdrawal of its deposits from the Central Regarding any international response, international aid Bank of Lebanon. This followed the cancellation of US$4 should be made contingent on the disarming of the Iranian billion of aid to the Lebanese armed and security forces. proxy, and the thorough reform of the political system. The US “Hezbollah International Financing Prevention Any other remedy runs the danger of offering support to Act” of 2015 hit hard at the financial services sector, an- Lebanon’s current Iran-created dysfunctionality. other key element in the Lebanese economy. Saudi Arabia, The key point: Lebanon was the first Arab state to Bahrain, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates issued advi- undergo internal collapse, and consequently the first to sories against travel to Lebanon at that time. This ended the receive the intentions of the IRGC’s brand of political-mil- country’s traditional role as a permissive playground for itary takeover. With allowance for local variations, similar visitors seeking a congenial respite from Gulf restrictions. Iranian efforts are now underway in Iraq, Syria and Yemen. At this stage, Lebanon was seeking to manage a public The significance of the current events extends far debt of US$69 billion, totalling 150% of GDP. But as the beyond Lebanon’s borders. Iran is responsible for the slow official economy foundered, the parallel Iran/Hezbollah death of Lebanon. shadow economy prospered. Not, however, in such a way that the average citizen benefited. Jonathan Spyer is a Ginsburg/Milstein Writing Fellow at the The porous or Hezbollah-supervised borders between Middle East Forum and director of the Middle East Center for Re- Lebanon and Syria allowed for smuggling of oil imports porting and Analysis. This article first appeared in the Jerusalem and their resale in Syria, to the benefit of Hezbollah. Post (www.jpost.com). © Jonathan Spyer, reprinted by permission, Captagon amphetamine pills, manufactured in Syria, and all rights reserved. cannabis were smuggled the other way, finding their desti- nation in European cities or in the Gulf via Hezbollah-su- pervised routes. Needless to say, none of the profits from this burgeoning sector went to service the national debt, THE PERILS OF THE or to benefit the crumbling public infrastructure. “PALESTINIAN SPRING” In March 2020, against the background of countrywide, multi-sectarian protests against corruption, poor public ser- vice, youth unemployment and mismanagement, Lebanon by Mark Lavie defaulted for the first time on its debt payments. A reform plan was approved by the International Monetary Fund, but nti-government demonstrations sweep through the following the Government’s resignation after the Beirut Port Acities. The regime responds with violence, beating explosion in August 2020, negotiations became stalled. The protesters, arresting hundreds. Those actions trigger Lebanese economy contracted by 20% in 2020. more protests and more arrests. This is the background to the current grave crisis in We’re talking about the West Bank in 2021 – but on a Lebanon. All the elements – US sanctions, Saudi and in- larger scale, it could have been Egypt in 2011. That’s why ternational withdrawal of aid and investment, subsequent some observers are calling the current wave of demonstra- debt default and loss of confidence, resulting currency tions in the West Bank the “Palestinian Spring.” 23

AIR – August 2021 Palestinians better hope people because of its ex- they’re wrong. Israel, too. cesses and abuses. Much the I watched in Cairo as same way, Mubarak’s regime Egypt’s Arab Spring unfolded lost the backing of Egyp-

COVERNAME OF SECTION STORIES and then unravelled. For tians because of its heavy- their efforts, the young pro- handed repression and overt testers got, first, a Muslim corruption. Brotherhood government, It is a coincidence that and then a new, repressive Hamas is an arm of the military regime in the space Muslim Brotherhood in the of two short years. Palestinian territories, but it That’s all it took for the is no coincidence that Hamas situation in Egypt to return is organised in the same way Palestinian protesters with signs paying tribute to slain dissident to square one – from one Nizar Banat (Credit: Anas-Mohammed/ Shutterstock) as the Brotherhood. military-backed dictator, Hamas presents itself as a Hosni Mubarak, to another, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. corruption-free, efficient, caring alternative to the high- It took me a whole book to explain what went wrong handed, callous Abbas regime. Fourteen years of brutal (Broken Spring, Gefen, 2014), but the parallels with the Hamas rule in Gaza should have put a spike in that image, Palestinians are striking. So are the contrasts. but polls indicate that Hamas has considerable support Like Mubarak, who ruled Egypt for nearly 30 years among West Bank Palestinians and, just as Abbas fears, through a string of rigged elections, Palestinian President Hamas would probably win elections for president and Mahmoud Abbas is now in the 17th year of his four-year parliament. term. He has repeatedly cancelled elections, fearing, prob- Now the stories begin to diverge. ably rightly, that his main rival Hamas would sweep into In Egypt, remnants of the Mubarak regime in the power. He most recently called off elections set for May, courts and civil service stymied the Brotherhood Govern- causing considerable unrest. ment every step of the way. The Palestinian uprising, if that’s what it turns out to A year of chaos spurred the people out into the streets be, started with the brutal murder of activist Nizar Banat, again for a second revolution, deposing the elected Broth- who openly criticised the Abbas regime for its abuses and erhood Government. So, they got the military back, led by corruption. He was killed in a late-night raid near Hebron “retired” chief of staff Sisi. He is still in power. in the southern West Bank on June 23. Reliable reports say In stark contrast, if Hamas takes over the West Bank it about 20 Palestinian Authority police stormed his home will be there to stay. There will be no military to “save the and beat him to death. day.” Protests erupted over the arrest and summary execution Hamas will eliminate Fatah and its forces in the West of the activist. Clearly, though, this was just the trigger. Bank as it did when it overran Gaza in 2007, throwing The popularity of Abbas and his regime has been drop- Fatah operatives off the roofs of high-rise buildings for ping steadily for years, as his corruption-riven presidential starters. term drags on and on with little to show in improving the If the demonstrators think they have earned the right to lives of his people, neither making peace with Israel nor, continue to criticise the regime, they will find themselves alternatively, defeating Israel. behind bars or worse, just as they did in Egypt. Here is the most significant similarity with Egypt of And of course, as in Gaza, Hamas will divert resources 2011: The only well-organised alternative to Abbas and his and supplies away from the people to support its own plat- reeling Fatah movement is Hamas. form, which contains only one plank – fighting Israel. In Egypt, the revolutionaries split into more than a That policy would not upset too many Palestinians, as dozen political parties after Mubarak was overthrown, Fatah has made a science of blaming Israel for everything continuing their demonstrations in downtown Cairo that’s wrong in its own backyard. After more than two against the temporary military regime that replaced him. decades of this, many Palestinians believe it. Meanwhile the Muslim Brotherhood took to the streets They will cheer as Hamas fires rockets into Israel from more effectively, mobilising its supporters in advance of the West Bank, and cry miserably for the cameras when Is- the presidential and parliamentary elections that were to rael retaliates, trained as they are to wallow in their suffer- follow. They won both. ing in order to pluck at the heartstrings of their supporters In the West Bank, the ruling Fatah movement led by around the world. Abbas is breaking into factions, squabbling about candi- That will leave Israel with several choices, none of them 24 dates and personal fiefdoms, and losing the support of the good:

AIR – August 2021 • Absorb the attacks with limited retaliation, as it does Other simulations include firing anti-tank missiles at Israeli with Gaza targets. • Hunt down and kill the Hamas leaders responsible for The goal of these camps is clear: indoctrinate young, the attacks vulnerable children with Hamas’ values to encourage them

• Launch an invasion to recapture control of the West to join Hamas’ military forces and sacrifice their lives for NAME OF SECTION Bank, and deal daily with bloody attacks and “resis- Hamas’ cause. tance” – and international condemnation In an interview with Al-Monitor, Hamas spokesman Those would be the results of a successful “Palestinian Hazen Qassem emphasised that the camps are intended Spring” uprising that overthrows Mahmoud Abbas and his to inculcate national values in the youth and enhance Fatah. principles such as courage, hope, pride and belonging to As the adage goes – be careful what you wish for. Jerusalem. Qassem underscored the fact that these camps demonstrate how Hamas is constantly preparing for the Mark Lavie worked as an Associated Press correspondent in the battle of liberation. Middle East for 15 years, concluding in 2014. © Ynet.com, As a result of the recent escalation, the Vanguards of reprinted by permission, all rights reserved. Liberation camps experienced a heavy turnout this season, evidence of the growing influence of Hamas’ rhetoric in the area, especially among children. As Hamas has struggled to compete with the military GAZA’S TERROR CAMPS capabilities of Israel, it recognises the need for military ex- FOR KIDS pansion. Thus, it has turned to the most vulnerable popula- tion to fulfill this need: children. To entice them into participating in these camps, by Amelia Navins Hamas masks military training as a “summer camp experi- ence,” though these children will experience something far s this year’s summer camp season begins in the from a traditional camp experience. The intent to recruit Anorthern hemisphere, children around the world find young children into Hamas and encourage them to martyr themselves playing games, doing arts and crafts, partici- themselves is evidenced by personal testimonies of camp pating in sporting matches and swimming in pools and participants, such as Mohammed, 14. He told Al-Monitor lakes. For children in the Gaza Strip, however, summer that he joined the camp to “defend my land against Israeli camp looks very different. attacks and subsequently to join the ranks of al-Qassam Some 50,000 children in Gaza participate in camps Brigades [Hamas’ armed wing].” run by armed groups like Hamas and Palestinian Islamic The financial consequences of the May war for Hamas Jihad, which aim to instil radical Islamic values and provide have not gotten in the way of the opening and operation military training. Promotional videos and advertisements of these camps. All of the trainers at the camps are Hamas entice young children into registering for such camps, volunteers, and the exercises take place at the military culminating in the conscription of children into terrorist bases of the al-Qassam Brigades. armed forces. Hamas’ indoctrination of children is cruel and in- On June 26, 2021, the Vanguards of Liberation camp humane, stripping them of their childhood and naïveté. was officially launched with a press conference given by Moreover, it violates international humanitarian law. camp spokesman Abu Bilal, who designated this year’s The 2007 Paris “Principles and Guidelines on Children camps the “Sword of Jerusalem,” the name given by Hamas Associated with Armed Forces or Armed Groups” define a to the 11 days of fighting with Israel in May. Emphasising this point, Bilal proclaimed, “It is a generation that carries this sword to strike the enemy and liberate Jerusalem.” In place of traditional camp T-shirts, participants wear Hamas uniforms, and rather than learning camp songs, they are taught drills to prepare them for armed conflict with Israel. These exercises include methods of kidnapping Israeli soldiers, how to assemble, load and fire weapons, and other physical training. This year, new technology was added for the campers’ stimulation: Participants use com- puter simulators to practise shooting Israeli soldiers and police officers at the Temple Mount and al-Aqsa Mosque. 25

AIR – August 2021 “child soldier” as any person below the age of 18 who has the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. © Jerusalem Centre for been recruited or used by an armed group in any capacity, Public Affairs (www.jcpa.org), reprinted by permission, all rights not just a child who has taken direct action in hostilities. reserved. By this internationally accepted definition, Palestinian

NAME OF SECTION BIBLIO FILE children in Hamas’ summer camps, and those brainwashed by armed groups through other media, all fit into the cat- egory of “child soldiers.” Both the use of child soldiers and the indoctrination of ISRAEL’S HOPES FOR youth by Hamas violate international human rights laws. INDONESIA The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court stipulates: • Article 8(b)(xxvi) considers the conscription or enlis- by Giora Eliraz ting of children into the armed forces a war crime. The 1989 United Nations Convention on the Rights of he story of Israel-Indonesia relations is an ongoing the Child includes: Tsaga. For decades, Indonesia has adhered strictly to a • Articles 28 and 29, which refer to the right of the child position that stipulates establishing diplomatic relation to an education. with Israel is dependent on resolving the Israeli-Palestin- • Article 36, which protects the child against all forms of ian conflict via a two-state solution along the pre-1967 exploitation. borders with east Jerusalem as the capital of a Palestin- • Article 38(2), which prohibits children under the age of ian independent state. In other words, Palestinian state 15 from directly engaging in hostilities. first, diplomatic relations with Israel second. Indonesia The 2000 Optional Protocol on the Involvement of has even framed this position into a formative national Children in Armed Conflict “exists to strive for the promo- commitment to oppose “colonialism” that is embodied in tion and protection of the rights of the child.” the preamble to the national constitution. This govern- • Article 1 prohibits the conscription of children under ment position seems to have support from across society, 18 into the armed forces. underlined by strong sentiments of Islamic solidarity Various international campaigns, such as UNICEF’s within the dominant Muslim majority, who generally see “Children, Not Soldiers” and the “Coalition to Save Pales- the Palestinian struggle as a pan-Islamic issue. tinian Child Soldiers”, were created to campaign against Soon after his election in 1999, the late Abdurrah- the use of child soldiers in conflict. man Wahid, the first democratically-elected president of From a young age, Palestinian children are indoctri- Indonesia, tried to substantially change Jakarta’s policy to- nated by their leadership. Young children are impression- wards Israel, planning to move towards official diplomatic able; their exposure to violence and military campaigns at relations by first establishing direct trade ties. However a young age leaves many children fighting for a cause that Wahid’s plan met with robust opposition within Indonesia they fail to understand. Hamas views its civilians as dispos- and his government was forced to abandon it. Since then able. This clearly extends to Palestinian children. the relations between Israel and Indonesia have continued Child soldiers are not only the perpetrators of acts of to languish. Yet there have been some complexities that terror against the State of Israel but are victims of serious raise questions about the possibility of future change. human-rights violations committed by Hamas. Indonesia still regularly denies having any interactions with Israel that might be interpreted as official contact. Amelia Navins is a student at the Ford School of Public Policy at In addition, in the global arena, Indonesia demonstrates a constant and strong commitment to the Palestinian cause and plays a consistent leading role in diverse international forums in promoting and defending that cause. Yet, despite this, Israel has never become discouraged; its officials have repeatedly expressed a strong interest in having diplomatic relations with Indonesia, while stressing the potential benefits for Indonesia, Two decades after Wahid’s unsuccessful efforts to ad- vance Indonesia-Israel relations, the subject made headlines again for a short while last year. It was largely triggered by the American initiative in the final year of Donald Trump’s presidency to attempt to achieve normalised relations be- 26 tween Israel and Sunni Arab states, which led to normalisa-

AIR – August 2021 tion agreements with four such states, the UAE, Bahrain, intentionally launching weapons from civilian areas in Sudan and Morocco. Gaza and aiming them at Israeli civilians, whereas Israeli Probably based mainly on conjecture and wishful think- forces sought to avoid “collateral damage” by warning ing, the name of Indonesia was raised as possibly being part occupants to vacate Gaza buildings that were being tar- of this normalisation trend. Indonesia is, after all, a signifi- geted. He urged that the only way for any party to have NAME OF SECTION BIBLIO FILE cant Sunni Muslim majority, non-Arab country that shares meaningful influence over what happens in the Middle with United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco a deep East is by establishing relations with Israel: “We are will- interest in promoting moderate Islamic values to counter ing to talk, we are willing to meet, and the door is open religious extremists, so this sounded superficially plausible. as far as we are concerned. I don’t think it’s so difficult to Media reports on alleged diplomatic efforts by the find us.” Trump Administration to persuade Yet the reality remains that national Indonesia to recognise Israel and ideology and history, foreign policy establish ties fed expectations of a calculations and domestic consider- change in Indonesian policy. How- ations, in particular a deep, strong ever, Jakarta quickly denied any such commitment to the Palestinian cause plans, and reaffirmed its traditional rooted in Islamic solidarity, prevail emphasis on the need for the Pales- within the dominant Muslim majority tinian people to gain independence in all three countries. It thus remains under a two-state solution. The Israel has good reasons to keep trying to develop hard to see a near-term change in the Indonesian Government was ex- ties with Indonesia (Credit: Shutterstock) rigid Indonesian stance on establish- plicit that it would avoid taking any ing diplomatic relations with Israel, steps to normalise relations with Israel until a permanent especially since concrete political initiatives towards solving and comprehensive peace between the Palestinians and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict based on a two-state solution the Israel is achieved. It was also argued, as usual, that its currently look unlikely. position is consistent with the preamble to the Indonesian Yet Israel has good reason to keep trying. From its earli- Constitution. est years of statehood, the small Jewish state has sought to Furthermore, in response to the escalation in May mitigate the effects of the hostile regional neighbours it 2021 in east Jerusalem and the fighting between Israel and faced by looking for diplomatic inroads and friendly rela- Hamas, the leaders of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei, tions beyond the Arab world, including by finding ways the three Muslim-majority Association of Southeast Asian into the Muslim world via countries such as Turkey and Nations (ASEAN) members, issued a statement on “the pre-revolutionary Iran. Escalation of Violence by Israelis in the Occupied Palestin- Indonesia, as the world’s largest Muslim-majority state, ian Territory.” In the statement, issued following an emer- has a particular significance, and also shares much in com- gency meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation mon with Israel nowadays – as a country that highly aspires (OIC) convened by Saudi Arabia, the three leaders strongly to rapid economic growth, development and technological condemned among other things alleged “repeated blatant modernisation, and a democratic polity with a strong com- violations and aggressions, carried out by the Israelis, mitment to the struggle against terrorism and religious targeting civilians throughout the Occupied Palestinian extremism. Territory…” The three leaders also requested the United In 1979, Israel signed a peace treaty with Egypt, which Nations General Assembly convene an emergency session for decades it had regarded as its greatest enemy. Since for putting an end “to the atrocities carried out against the then, several other significant moderate Sunni Arab na- Palestinian people.” tions followed this historical breakthrough, beginning with Jordan in 1994 and followed by the four Abraham Accords et despite this, a few weeks later, in June, the Israeli nations last year. Given this achievement and the histori- YAmbassador to Singapore, Sagi Karni, whose embassy cal trendline it represents, there remains every reason for also handles developments related to Indonesia, Malaysia Israel to continue to hope and work towards an eventual and Brunei, expressed Israel’s hope to work towards es- breakthrough in its relations with Sunni Muslim majority tablishing ties with these three Muslim majority nations. countries in Southeast Asia, especially Indonesia. At the same time he strongly rejected the accusations against Israel, stressing that the criticism from the three Dr. Giora Eliraz is an Associate Fellow in the Truman Institute at nations’ leaders was “not honest” and ignored the true Hebrew University and a Research Fellow at the International nature of the conflict, which was not between Israel and Institute for Counter-Terrorism (ICT) at the Inter-Disciplinary the Palestinian people but between Israel and Hamas, an Centre (IDC) in Herzliya, as well as at the Forum for Regional antisemitic organisation. He noted that Hamas had been Thinking (FORTH). 27

AIR – August 2021 abroad, and participation of various government bodies and ministries – from defence to intelligence and customs.

BIBLIO FILE NAME OF SECTION Factories were constructed across Iran for producing fissile materials. The Al-Ghadir plant was built in the early Too late on Iran nukes? 2000s to enrich enough uranium to military grade for one or two nuclear weapons per year. Testing, research and Iran’s Perilous Pursuit of Nuclear Weapons development of key elements of the by David Albright and Sarah Burkhard project were conducted in other loca- Institute for Science and International Security Press, 2021, tions, such as Parchin, where high ex- 502 pp., $93.90/$7.99 e-book plosives for the warhead were tested. Eventually, Albright and Burkhard note, Teheran developed “in house by Ran Porat capability to understand and design a miniaturized nuclear warhead”, and his new book by experts David Khomeini in April 1984. Quoting to analyse and test it. By 2003, the TAlbright – a former senior weap- an internal IAEA report, Albright Iranian warhead prototype design was ons inspector in Iraq – and Sarah and Burkhard reveal that, following small enough to fit the nose cone of Burkhard from the Institute for Sci- Khomeini’s decision, then President the re-entry vehicle of Iran’s Shahab-3 ence and International Security, is an of Iran Ali Khamenei (who is now the ballistic missiles. important eye-opener. Supreme Leader), told the regime’s Albright and Burkhard were top echelon that acquiring atomic Fact three: The “peaceful” civilian granted unprecedented access to bombs was: nuclear program IS the weapons pro- documents from Iran’s secret nuclear “The only way to secure the very gram, rebranded archive, seized by Israel from Teheran essence of the Islamic Revolution from Teheran had to change its strategy in early 2018. They also talked to Is- the schemes of its enemies… A nuclear after being caught in 2002, when raeli officials and others familiar with arsenal would serve Iran as a deterrent opposition groups exposed the secret the archive. in the hands of God’s soldiers” uranium enrichment plant at Natanz. This book is a collection of reports Khamenei’s words rebut Iranian Archive documents show that published on their Institute’s website, claims that a never-published fatwa Amad was not dismantled in 2003, with added necessary context and (religious decree) by Khamenei has but instead rebranded. The already conclusions. It is not an easy read, forbidden building nuclear weapons existing weapons-related sites were loaded with technical terms and as un-Islamic, supposedly proving the put under the authority of the ‘civil- details – but the result is astounding. peaceful nature of the Iranian nuclear ian’ Atomic Energy Organisation of Several important facts stand out after program. Iran (AEOI), and the whole pro- reading it: gram marketed as a ‘peaceful’ one Fact two: Iran knows how to produce a for energy and scientific purposes. Fact one: Khomeini gave the order home-made bomb The regime cynically claimed that The regime in Teheran fears inter- From the late 1990s Iran launched the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty nal dissent and seeks immunity from a massive effort to acquire the bomb (NPT), which was bluntly violated by external threats. These fears are not in its Amad supra-organisational plan the Amad plan, gave Iran an “undis- irrational, based on the trauma of past – a multi-agency government-sanc- puted” right to nuclear energy for foreign interventions from Russia, the tioned project to produce at least five peaceful purposes. US and UK (such as the overthrow of atomic bombs by 2003. For instance, after the Al-Ghadir Prime Minister Mohammad Mossa- The amount of resources devoted plant was uncovered in September degh in 1953) and the war with Iraq to this plan, to keep it going and 2009, it was renamed Fordow and is (1980-88). secret, was staggering. This includes now run by the AEOI. The decision to “reactivate the assistance from foreign experts in- Part of the price of making its nu- nuclear program” was taken by the cluding Russians, Pakistan’s nuclear clear program public, explain Albright leader of the Islamic Revolution, Su- proliferator AQ Khan and others, and Burkhard, was that “sites would 28 preme Leader Sayyid Ruhollah Musavi materials and equipment procured be subjected to International Atomic

AIR – August 2021 Energy Agency (IAEA) monitoring or Another carrot was effectively and its foreign exchange reserves fell inspections to defuse international con- forcing the IAEA to stop investigat- from US$122 billion in 2018 to a mere demnation.” A whole culture of fraud ing “Possible Military Dimensions” US$4 billion by the end of 2020. regarding this monitoring followed. (PMD) of Iran’s program after an Teheran responded by gradually

The archive contains carefully organ- inconclusive and unconvincing “final” and carefully escalating its JCPOA NAME OF SECTION BIBLIO FILE ised files on methods for deceiving report on PMD in early 2016. This breaches, slowly restarting the fissile IAEA inspectors, with records up until meant Teheran enjoyed impunity for materials arm of Amad. It did not 2006. past sins and was effectively able to however ‘race’ for the bomb, deterred It should be noted that Iran’s continue concealed warhead develop- by the possibility that Trump would nuclear program is not viable as a ment activities without scrutiny. be re-elected in 2020 and the pres- ‘civilian’ one. The “commercial Teheran nonetheless violated the sure on Iran would increase. centrifuge program is a failure; any JCPOA from day one. Keeping the When Joe Biden was elected Presi- other country would have cancelled archive which documented Amad – dent in 2020, he fulfilled a campaign it by now if it were judged solely on the recipe book for cooking up an promise and quickly launched (indi- economic, civilian grounds”, explain atomic bomb – without revealing it to rect) negotiations on a US re-entry to Albright and Burkhard. the IAEA was the gravest the JCPOA. breach. The ayatollahs repaid Biden for his Fact four: The JCPOA Meanwhile, work on eagerness to engage with a vastly ac- enabled Amad to continue refining a nuclear war- celerated rate of JCPOA breaches. To address the Iranian head also continued after Armed with a renewed sense of threat, then-US President 2003, clandestinely and confidence after surviving Trump’s Barack Obama chose en- under academic cover. campaign, the regime has now effec- gagement. Together with Former Amad project tively abandoned any pretence that it the EU, China and Russia head Mohsen Fakhrizadeh seeks civilian nuclear capabilities. In- he devised the 2015 was in charge of this ef- stead, many Iranian steps can only be nuclear deal, termed the fort until he was killed in explained in connection with bomb- “Joint Comprehensive From Iran’s Nuclear Archive: late 2020. making, such as the production of Plan of Action” (JCPOA). Schematics of a nuclear In addition, Teheran enriched uranium metal, usable only The agreement was a warhead in a Shahab-3 re- continued its develop- for the core of a nuclear weapon, and trade-off: Iran’s nuclear entry vehicle, May 17, 2019 ment of the means to enriching uranium to 60% – almost (Source: ISIS report) program was given a deploy weapons of mass military grade. Teheran also aggres- stamp of approval in ex- destruction on ballistic sively undermined supervision of its change for temporary limitations on missiles. The JCPOA ignored this as- program by increasing harassment of fissile material production capabili- pect of Amad and implicitly accepted IAEA inspectors and removing elec- ties, as well as invasive monitoring. Teheran’s narrative that these missiles tronic monitoring devices from sites. The aim of the JCPOA was to were part of country’s legitimate Today, Iran is only a whisker away appease Supreme Leader Khamenei defence strategy. However, Iran is the from achieving the strategically crucial so he would be convinced not to only nation in history to develop a status of nuclear threshold state. The order a breakout towards the bomb, 2,000 km-plus range missile without archive documents, as analysed by at least in the short term. This was a first developing a declared nuclear Albright and Burkhard, tell the story sweet deal for the ayatollahs – they weapons capability – exposing the of how Teheran got there, and how the received increased regime sustain- real aim of Teheran’s missile program. international community fumbled its ability through an easing of sanctions efforts to stop one of the world’s most which released billions of dollars into Conclusion: Engagement failed dangerous regimes. Teheran’s coffers. That money was Findings from the archive seized quickly funnelled to Iran’s terrorist by Israel were an important factor Dr. Ran Porat is an AIJAC Research Associ- proxies across the region, oppres- leading to then-US President Donald ate. He is also a Research Associate at the sion of the Iranian people, corrup- Trump’s decision to leave the JCPOA Australian Centre for Jewish Civilisation tion, and criminal activities. A special in May 2018. at Monash University, a Research Fellow sweetener within the JCPOA was Trump then initiated a “maximum at the International Institute for Counter- the sunset clauses, which gradually pressure” policy on Teheran by reinstat- Terrorism at the Interdisciplinary Centre in remove almost all limitations on Iran’s ing pre-JCPOA sanctions and imposing Herzliya and a Research Associate at the nuclear enrichment activities begin- new ones. The impact was dramatic Future Directions International Research ning in 2025. – Iran’s economy shrank considerably Institute, Western Australia. 29

AIR – August 2021 building bridges to Israeli innovation, the ‘Start-Up Nation’ is home to 390 companies within the AgriFood-Tech ESSAY industry, 29 of which it categorises

NAME OF SECTION ESSAY as “established” and nine as “public.” Israel is also home to a number of multinational corporations with R&D operations in Israel such as Feeding the Future Bayer – one of the largest pharma- ceutical and life sciences companies Australia, Israel and the AgTech revolution in the world. Israel’s AgTech success has been encouraged through its supportive by Zachary Milewicz ecosystem, comprised of academic institutions, incubators and accel- erators, venture capital firms, and he global population is expected The promising future of AgTech government support. For example, Tto reach nearly ten billion by is also reflected in the global atten- the Israeli Innovation Authority (IAA) 2050, up from its current total of tion and funding it has received in the is a publicly-funded agency that works approximately 7.8 billion. With this investment world. In 2012, AgTech with incubators to provide grants to rise comes a growing demand to received investments of A$205m; by startups, including AgTech pilots. produce more food – a task easier 2018, this had grown exponentially to One of the best known Israeli Ag- said than done. Meeting this demand A$7.1bn. Tech companies is Netafim, a manu- requires an increase in agricultural Australia and Israel are both coun- facturer of irrigation equipment. This output and productivity, while main- tries with the potential to play major world leader in drip irrigation was taining sustainability. roles in the coming AgTech revolu- valued at US$1.9 billion (A$2.46b) Fortunately, there is hope this tion. This is all the more true if the several years ago, but Netafim is far can be achieved. At the forefront of two countries cooperate – especially from the only success story. this global food challenge is an up via a proposed free trade agreement Taranis, a precision agriculture and coming industry essential to the between Australia and Israel cur- intelligence platform, was founded future of agriculture: AgTech (also rently being seriously contemplated in in 2015 and has raised over US$60 referred to as agricultural technology, Canberra. million in funding. The company helps agrotechnology and agritech among growers and crop consultants by us- other variations). ISRAEL ing drones to capture high-resolution AgTech is defined as “the use of Israel is a global leader in the images of fields (at “leaf-level preci- technology in agriculture, horticul- AgTech industry. This is no surprise, sion”) and artificial intelligence (AI) ture, and aquaculture with the aim given the country is known by many to detect a variety of risks (including of improving yield, efficiency and for inventing drip irrigation and ex- diseases, insects, weeds, and nutrient profitability for farm managers and tended-life cherry tomatoes, as well deficiencies). It has expanded to the growers.” It encompasses several sec- as “making the desert bloom.” From US, Brazil, Russia, Bulgaria, Australia, tors, using technology ranging from 1948 through 2010, Israeli farmland New Zealand, and Indonesia. advanced machinery (e.g. drones, increased from 165,000 hectares to Also founded in 2015, CropX robots) and internet of things data- 435,000 hectares, while agricultural “sells cloud-based software which collecting sensors to intelligent soft- production increased sixteenfold. aims to boost crop yields by focusing ware analysis (for plants and soils) and In the country’s early days, faced on saving water and energy.” Its self- water management systems. with conditions not naturally favour- installable sensors are placed in soil Many of these capabilities were not able to farming and scarce water and, using real-time data, its AI-based around 30 years ago, but in the next 30, resources, Israelis had little choice analytics provide actionable insights, they will become increasingly indispens- but to innovate. Similar stories ap- resulting in 30% water savings and able. The global AgTech market is esti- ply across Israeli industries and the 10% crop-yield enhancement. It has mated at A$681 billion and is expected country is today the world leader in expanded its market to include the to grow to A$995 billion in the next number of start-ups per capita. US, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, three years; an annual growth rate of According to “Start-Up Nation and the United Arab Emirates. 30 8%, according to one recent estimate. Central”, a nonprofit focused on

AIR – August 2021 AUSTRALIA key factors, including: “Research country is the perfect place to pilot Agriculture is a vital part of excellence,” “Strong government sup- its innovations while preparing for a Australia – not just to its economy port,” and “An ideal test market.” global launch. Several companies have but to its national identity (research In terms of research, Australia is done exactly that. conducted in 2012 found 69% of home to 43 universities, six of which Edete is an Israeli startup that ESSAYNAME OF SECTION Aussies believe agriculture “plays a are among the top 100 universities in offers artificial pollination solutions; significant role in what it means to be the world and 24 of which are rated its technology collects, stores, and Australian”). world-class and above for agriculture. distributes pollen, helping increase Agriculture accounts for 55% of These universities are producing cut- production yields – a particularly Australian land use and contributes ting-edge agricultural research, but pressing issue given 75% of crops rely 3% to GDP – but taking into account commercialisation often falls short. on pollination even as bee populations value adding such as processing and Australia is home to six different are declining. retail, that contribution rises to 12%. climatic growing conditions and a di- Edete’s technology has been Australia exports over two-thirds versity of soil, making it an ideal test applied to almonds, and its insect- of its agricultural production and market. Austrade pollination meth- ranks as the world’s 12th largest states, “The na- odology can be exporter of agricultural products. tion’s high-quality used across other The industry has an expected value raw materials plants too, ranging of A$71.2 billion this year. However, and ingredients, from apples and many have higher aspirations for infrastructure cherries to pears the industry’s future. The National and multicultural and plums. So far, Farmers’ Federation (NFF) has set an population allow the company has agricultural production goal of A$100 organisations to developed pollen Artificial pollinators from Israeli AgTech com- billion by 2030, and much work has trial and develop pany Edete: Coming to Australia’s almond banks in Israel and gone into making this objective a real- solutions rel- orchards next year (Photo courtesy of Edete) Australia, and it ity, particularly by the NFF and the evant to multiple is also expanding Australian Government. This year’s markets.” into the US. Unfortunately, due to estimate is up from the A$59 billion As outlined in a report on “re- COVID, it has had delays in Australia; in 2017, but there is still a long way alising the potential of AgTech for however, when it resumes efforts – to go. Australia” produced by StartupAUS, hopefully next year – its technology The Department of Agriculture KPMG, the Queensland Government, could well be especially impactful. noted in a recent report that achiev- and the Commonwealth Bank, boost- The almond market, estimated at ing this goal “will require a significant ing AgTech would create significant US$7 billion, suffers the most from increase in productivity, increased opportunities for Australia, including the pollination problem. Australia is market access and diversification.” in terms of: more sustainable use of one of the world’s top almond grow- The key to all this? AgTech. It resources, new exports, improved ers. For this reason, Edete has cho- has the potential to “boost the value productivity, new investments, in- sen to focus its initial efforts there, of [Australian] production by $20.3 creased revenue, and jobs created. according to Keren Mimran, Edete billion” according to analysis by the But Australia does not need to co-founder and Vice President for Australian Farm Institute. do this alone. Collaborating with Business Development and Marketing. As previously noted, AgTech is un- other countries, such as Israel, can Edete is also in the midst of secur- dergoing significant growth across the potentially speed up this essential ing funding for its Series A round. It world, but, as the Australian AgriTech transformation. has already attracted the backing of Association put it, “Sadly, Australia has major investment companies in both not yet managed to attract a signifi- COLLABORATION Israel and the US, and Mimran says cant proportion of this investment” OPPORTUNITIES it’s also in discussions with Australian – only US$29 million of the US$16.9 A joint effort involving Australia companies. billion invested globally in 2018. This and Israel could elevate the two as Mimran also commented on statistic is unfortunate given how AgTech powerhouses, each offering the potential for another type of well-positioned the country appears unique benefits – Australia as an agri- Australia-Israel collaboration beyond to be at the forefront of AgTech. cultural production hotbed and Israel testing and funding: research. Edete The Australian Trade and Invest- as a hi-tech “Startup Nation.” was recently approached by a lead- ment Commission (Austrade) breaks As mentioned, Australia is an ideal ing researcher in Australia studying down “Why Australia?” into several test market. For Israel, this means the artificial pollination and while nothing 31

AIR – August 2021 is under way yet due to COVID, there One prominent example of such In 2019, through the evokeAG is a strong possibility of joint research increased cooperation and collabora- Pitch Tent competition, FarmLab efforts in the near future. tion came about recently through the won the Austrade Bridge Hub Special Another Israeli AgTech company efforts of the Blue River Group, an Prize. This included a 10-day trip to

ESSAY following a similar trajectory to Edete Australian impact investment services Israel for FarmLab founder and CEO is the previously described CropX – firm. Blue River Group established Sam Duncan. focused on soil analytics using sen- BridgeHub three years ago as an Agri- Duncan says this trip opened his sors. CropX also views Australia as an food Tech innovation centre. Its work eyes. Before it, he says, “I’d heard attractive market. has included operating an Australian about Israel on the periphery, and I Matan Rahav, Director of Business ‘Landing Pad,’ which, in the words of knew a little bit about it.” Now, he Development at CropX, commented co-CEO and co-founder Craig Shap- comments extremely positively about exhaustively on the reasons for Aus- iro, helps with “bringing what he observed, and tralia’s attractiveness for Israel AgTech technologies from over- “A joint effort notes one cultural chal- companies: it being an “an agricultural seas to trial and testbed involving Australia lenge perhaps standing country,” recent technological ad- to build their exposure and Israel could in Australia’s way: “tall vances that go hand in hand with local and opportunities in elevate the two poppy syndrome”. receptiveness, seasons opposite to Australia.” Overcoming this as AgTech power- the US, English-speaking and cultur- Much of this tech- attitude could greatly ally approachable for business, and an nology originates from houses, each offer- benefit Australian Ag- established need for careful irrigation Israel, where Bridge- ing unique benefits Tech startups, FarmLab management. Hub established its first – Australia as an included, he says. Collaboration opportunities go the global office. agricultural pro- Duncan has stayed in other way too. Israel’s innovation suc- Shapiro also com- touch with connections cess offers policy strategies that could mented on the opportu- duction hotbed and he formed in Israel, par- be adopted in Australia to help grow nities offered by Israel’s Israel as a hi-tech ticularly entrepreneurs the local AgTech scene. innovation ecosystem: ‘Startup Nation.’” focused on analytics and Ben van Delden is a partner at to collaborate but also databases. With these KPMG Australia and its head of to learn from and replicate elements “potential partners over there,” Duncan AgTech. In 2017, van Delden took of what Israel does. notes, there is major scaling potential part in an Australian Agri-Food Trade Like van Delden, Shapiro draws for FarmLab to enter the US market Mission to Israel run by the Australia- attention to the fact that Australia has through this “combined effort.” Israel Chamber of Commerce, and been poor at “converting really good But besides challenges to collabo- observed first-hand the Israeli ap- research” into commercial products ration such as the cultural one pointed proach to agricultural innovation. – an area in which Israel has excelled. to by Duncan, there are also logistical Since then, he’s been at the fore- He further notes “that was the begin- hurdles. The two countries are at near front of helping Australia adapt some ning of our process of trying to look opposite ends of the globe, and with of these lessons. One of many things for a way to build that connectivity this, comes lengthy flights. Moreover, van Delden emphasises is a need between Australian and Israel but also other travel restrictions also make for commercialisation of research. the whole globe, because we need to things more difficult. Even with the He says of the more than $3 billion – here in Australia – be more globally possibility of direct flights in the Australia invests into research, “too connected.” future as we emerge from COVID, as much of that just stays in the local lab. One of BridgeHub’s primary goals Shapiro put it, “flights are one thing, As I discovered, that doesn’t translate is to “try and commercialise research but ...if you can’t have free-flowing into the hands of industry for appli- from Australia and take it global” – movement because of visa restric- cation and commercialising.” Mean- what it calls “launchpad activities.” tions, then they’re not really worth while, universities in Israel prioritise One Australian startup that has too much in a business sense.” commercialisation, have extensive benefitted from the efforts of Bridge- This is one of several impediments technology transfer offices, and retain Hub is FarmLab – which produces to collaboration that a proposed entrepreneurs as professors. One of “agronomy and project management Australia-Israel FTA could directly van Delden’s recommendations is software”, and offers a “platform to resolve. more such cooperation and collabo- help agronomists, consultants and Another opportunity for col- ration between Australia and Israel, farmers better map, sample and anal- laboration exists around carbon including research exchanges between yse soil using the latest in soil science emissions,Van Delden says of Australia. 32 the top universities in each country. and digital soil mapping techniques.” One product offered by FarmLab is

AIR – August 2021 a soil carbon offset report. Given its countries under which they grant Australia has already seen the value huge landmass and relatively small each other preferential market ac- of such agreements, demonstrated by population, Duncan believes Australia cess,” these days, FTAs often encom- the 15 it currently has in place with has “not just an opportunity, but a… pass more than just tax and tariff 26 countries. duty to provide carbon offsets” – proj- agreements. Modern FTAs go as far as AgTech’s counterpart, agricul- ESSAY ects that remove greenhouse gases including stipulations regarding visas ture, is likely to be the most compli- from the atmosphere in order to com- and intellectual property protection, cated sector to negotiate, as is often pensate for emissions made elsewhere. two areas that could play an impor- the case. FTAs carry a great deal of He refers to the trade in carbon tant role in strengthening future Ag- importance in that industry, especially offsets as a “big opportunity…over Tech ties between the two countries. in Australia where the majority of the next five, ten years.” While it’s still As stated by DFAT, Australia’s agricultural production is exported. being developed, he calls attention FTAs provide: “better Australian The NFF notes that “More than to the benefit that some sort of trade access to important markets, an 80% of Australia’s farm exports go agreement could have related to this improved competitive position for to countries which have signed FTAs area. Early collaboration could have Australian exports, more prospects with Australia.” huge benefits on climate change glob- for increased two-way investment, In Israel, in contrast to most ally, he says. reduced import costs for Australian imports, high tariffs are imposed on Opening more doors between businesses and consumers alike, new a range of agricultural goods coming the countries has the potential to get or better access to markets for ser- into the country. If this can be allevi- more Israeli companies (like Edete) vices exports, guarantees of existing ated, there is a significant opportunity testing and expanding in Australia, services access in some areas, reduced for Australia. As noted in an article more Australia entrepreneurs (like regulatory barriers in different ser- published by the Australian freight Sam Duncan) excited about forging vice sectors, improving mobility for company TGL (“Australia Exploring ties, and more ways to sustainably business travel, and enhanced protec- the Benefits of Free Trade Agree- move into the future. But all of this tions and certainty for investors.” ment with Israel”, May 4), “without hinges on removing as many barriers This possible FTA is very much in a free trade agreement between the as possible to doing business. its early stages; negotiations are yet to two countries, Australia’s export of begin, and once they do, they could agricultural goods has little chance of FREE TRADE AGREEMENT take a long time. competing in the [Israeli] market due Since February of this year, Aus- For its feasibility study, DFAT to Israel’s established agreements with tralia’s Department of Foreign Affairs received 28 non-confidential sub- USA, Canada and the EU.” and Trade has been conducting a fea- missions from businesses, groups There is less opportunity for Is- sibility study on strengthening trade and individuals, which are published raeli agricultural exports to Australia and investment with Israel, with a online – including one by AIJAC. to grow, given that over 90% of the view to possibly seeking an Australia- Numerous submissions pointed to an food consumed in Australia is pro- Israel free trade agreement (FTA). agreement’s tremendous potential duced here. This potential FTA is not the benefits, spanning numerous different Yet regardless of how the agricul- first attempt to strengthen trade ties industries. ture clauses pans out in any FTA, Ag- between the two countries. In 2017, An FTA would further open doors Tech’s benefits from an FTA are clear they signed a Technological Innovation to the collaboration opportunities and strong. Given how important this Cooperation Agreement, and in 2019, previously described – particularly industry sector is likely to be in the a Double Taxation Agreement. That related to development, commerciali- future, and the opportunities it will same year, the Australian Government sation, and scaling – and thus help almost certainly create, the benefits to also opened an Australian Trade and promote the future growth of AgTech AgTech alone make a strong case for Defence Office in Jerusalem, and a more broadly. an Australia-Israel FTA. few years prior – in 2016 – Austrade established the Australian Landing Pad With Compliments in Tel Aviv. But there’s still room for further encouragement of bilateral trade and SOUTHERN investment – and an FTA would en- able exactly that. STEEL GROUP Pty Limited While traditionally defined as “An Telephone: (02) 9792 2099 agreement between two or more www.southernsteelgroup.com.au 33

AIR – August 2021 Trackmaster is proud to sponsor the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council. NAME OF SECTION

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34

AIR – August 2021 THE MONTH IN MEDIA QUOTEDNOTEDNAME OF SECTION AND

SHARP ALBO damage” from “Australian-Palestinians genocide, racism, antisemitism, and Federal Labor leader Anthony Al- and their supporters” in western persecution of Palestinians who iden- banese’s repudiation of former Labor Sydney who would refuse to help out tify as LGBTQI. foreign minister Bob Carr’s push for during election campaigns unless he the ALP to embrace a boycott of Israel was more anti-Israel. won praise from Nine newspapers’ The article made a clumsy attempt BARNS-STORMING foreign affairs and national security to shame Albanese into smearing In the Hobart Mercury (July 19) correspondent Anthony Galloway Israel as an apartheid state, using the columnist Greg Barns also slammed (July 16). interesting tactic of asking why the Anthony Albanese for his opposition Galloway wrote Albanese “has a Labor leader thinks he knows better to boycotts against Israel and refusal long history of standing up against the than South African Archbishop Des- to label Israel an apartheid state. more extreme elements of his party’s mond Tutu. To justify his criticism, Barns Left, including campaigning against Khalik couldn’t enlist South African pointed to a Human Rights Watch the former Marrickville council’s leader Nelson Mandela, the foremost report from earlier this year that he boycott of Israel over a decade ago.” expert on apartheid, to her cause said “detailed an impeccably correct He wrote Albanese’s acknowledge- because he refused to ever make the legal analysis” proving that Israel’s ment of the prevalence of antisemi- comparison. In fact, Mandela held a “policies and practices… towards Pal- tism on the extreme Left was impor- number of positions that would likely estinians in the occupied territories” is tant and that he had “avoided the trap enrage Khalik, such as supporting a apartheid. of adopting false equivalency.” two-state peace and saying during A published response in the Mer- Albanese, he wrote, had called out a 1999 visit to Israel that “I cannot cury (July 21) by AIJAC’s Jamie Hyams “wrongdoing on both sides,” citing conceive of Israel withdrawing (from debunked many of Barns’ criticisms. his criticism of the ‘‘indiscriminate’’ the territories) if Arab states do not Hyams noted that “all Israeli citi- firing of rockets by Hamas and other recognise Israel within secure borders.” zens have equal rights, regardless of militant groups into Israel as ‘‘coun- Khalik also condemned Israel for ethnicity, origin or religion. Israel’s terproductive’’ but was careful to add charging Palestinian Khalida Jar- Arab community is well represented that Israel should be criticised for rar with “encouraging terrorism in the parliament, the army, the judi- ‘‘responding aggressively”. and being a member of an illegal ciary and all professions. Now, there’s Actually, that was an example of organisation.” an Arab party in Israel’s broad gov- false equivalence. The “illegal organisation” of which erning coalition, there are two Arab Israel does not arbitrarily “respond Khalida Jarrar is a senior official is cabinet ministers as well as a deputy aggressively”. It carries out military the Popular Front for the Liberation minister, and a member of the Arabic- operations against valid military tar- of Palestine (PFLP) – proscribed as a speaking Druze community heads the gets when Hamas and other Islamist terror group by the United States, Ja- country’s coronavirus response.” groups based in Gaza fire rockets pan, Canada and the European Union. As for the Palestinians, Hyams at its cities – as any country would. Her most recent arrest followed a said, “all Palestinians in Gaza and the Moreover, a failure to do so only em- PFLP terror attack in the West Bank vast majority in the West Bank have boldens Hamas to continue instigating in 2019 which killed a 17-year old their day to day lives governed by violence that clearly violates the laws girl. Hamas and the Palestinian Authority of war. Much of the article was couched respectively, under their own laws, in the “woke” language favoured by in accordance with the 1994-5 Oslo progressives. The irony is that Kha- Accords.” WILD WEST lik and so many others like her are Noting that the Palestinian Author- On July 19, the Sydney Morning progressive on everything but Pal- ity had rejected offers of a state in Herald published a response to Gal- estine, refusing to condemn Hamas 2000, 2001 and 2008 and had boycot- loway from pro-Palestinian activist and Fatah for their lack of democracy ted peace talks since 2014, Hyams Jennine Khalik who warned that and appalling human rights records, said, “If Barns and others really want Anthony Albanese risks “electoral including deaths in custody, calls for Palestinian justice, they should urge 35

AIR – August 2021 the Palestinian leadership to genu- tatives in the US, who claim to be most negative connotations… In an age in inely engage with Israel and work for passionately concerned with human which white privilege is depicted as a a two-state peace that would benefit rights, have nothing to say about Raisi” cultural crime, Jews are often repre- all Palestinians and Israelis,” instead of who “oversaw the execution of thou- sented as a unique, hyper-white com-

NOTED AND QUOTEDNOTED AND pushing for boycotts that only encour- sands of innocent Iranians in 1988.” munity who have far more privileges age Palestinian intransigence. In contrast to the silence on Iran to check than others. Often this reac- is their hate for Israel, which “often tion against ‘Jewish privilege’ meshes morphs into anti-Semitism,” he said. with hostility to Israel to produce a SQUADRONS OF HATRED Echoing Sheridan, commentator unique 21st-century species of anti- Australian Foreign Editor Greg Frank Furedi said what was “disturbing” Semitism,” Australian (July 10). Sheridan condemned the “lack of about the rise in antisemitism was that reaction” from the left as Iran in- “a significant section of society, particu- stalled “mass murderer and extreme larly the woke left, appears to pretend it BUTCHERED hardliner, Ebrahim Raisi, as its new is not happening or seem indifferent to On June 30, ABC TV and radio president” (June 26). manifestations of anti-Jewish hatred.” news programs were broadcasting Sheridan said, “those campaigners He suggested this “is because the many different iterations of a report around the world, but especially the so- prevailing culture of identity poli- by acting Middle East correspondent called Squad of congressional represen- tics associates Jewish identity with Nick Dole about Israeli authorities

told the committee that there is no plausible intellectual case to distinguish between the ESO and the rest of Hizballah, who he described as a ‘singular, unitary organisation’. As he noted, it is a distinction that Hizballah itself explicitly rejects…Twenty- Kevin Andrews (Lib., Menzies) – June 24 – “I was delighted two countries and two regional organisations list them in their this week, as the chair of the Australia-UAE Parliamentary entirety…” Friendship Group, along with the chair of the Australia-Israel Shadow Minister for Home Affairs Senator Kristina Keneally Parliamentary Friendship Group, Senator Abetz, to attend an (ALP, NSW) – June 22 – “…it’s appropriate that the Senate and MOU signing ceremony between Israel and the UAE. This arises the public take note that the report that is being tabled today from the Abraham Accords… That has led to, and is leading to, is bipartisan and unanimously supported by the Parliamentary greater trade and travel between those countries. This is a mani- Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security.” festation of those international accords being played out here in Shadow Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus (ALP, Isaacs) – June Australia, so it was a great pleasure to be there.” 23 – “Let’s be clear about who and what Hizballah is. I have Senator Eric Abetz (Lib., Tas.) – June 23 – “Palestinian visited the Asociacion Mutual Israelita Argentina, a Jewish com- activist, Sara Saleh, joined the board of GetUp… Saleh had munity centre in Buenos Aires. In 1994 a van loaded with explo- endorsed many of the racist Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions ac- sives was driven into the building by a suicide bomber, killing 85 tions against Israel… At a speech to an Australians for Palestine people and injuring hundreds more. All of the evidence points symposium… Saleh proclaimed, ‘We must force Israel into a to Iran and Hizballah… I find it difficult to understand why it perennial state of existential anxiety.’ Really? This is truly unac- should matter what part of Hizballah carried out this devastating ceptable, horrible, racist… Israel is the only true democratic attack...” country in the Middle East. She has stood with us. We have Julian Leeser (Lib., Berowra) – June 23 – “The effect of stood with her. Against all the odds, Israel recently celebrated its only partially listing Hizballah is that if the defence pleads that 73rd anniversary of independence.” a terror suspect is involved with other parts of the organisa- The following speakers are members of the Parliamentary tion but not the listed part, it may hamper the authorities in Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, addressing the protecting the broader community from acts of terrorism… a Committee’s recently released “Report on the review of the rel- compartmentalised Hizballah is a fiction… Australia is now the isting of Hizballah’s External Security Organisation as a terrorist only country which lists only the Hizballah External Security organisation under the Criminal Code:” Organisation… ASIO… Director-General of Security, Mike Committee Chair Senator James Paterson (Lib., Vic.) – June Burgess… observed, ‘I agree with your view on how unhelpful 22 – “We recommend that the government consider listing the partial listing is for law enforcement.’” Hizballah in its entirety as a terrorist organisation. We do so Anthony Byrne (ALP, Holt) – June 23 – “I think it’s very im- based on the expert evidence received by the committee that portant… to note that we were the only Five Eyes partner that the distinction that we currently draw between Hizballah ESO didn’t list the military wing or Hizballah in its entirety in terms and the rest of Hizballah is arbitrary. of a terrorist organisation, and I don’t think that occurring ben- 36 “Dr Matthew Levitt, a world-renowned expert on Hizballah, efited Australia or Australia’s national interest.”

AIR – August 2021 demolishing a Palestinian butcher’s “mourners chanted ‘overthrow the shop in Jerusalem’s Silwan neighbour- regime,’ as they marched [Banat’s] MISSING THE SHOT hood that had been built without a body through the streets of Hebron,” An earlier online ABC article (July planning permit. and said that before his death, Banat 4) by Nick Dole and Phil Hemingway,

Dole said human rights groups had called on the West to stop giving published before the South Korea QUOTEDNOTED AND claim Israel “uses planning laws to aid to the corrupt Abbas. The report deal, looked at the high vaccination expand its presence in east Jerusalem also noted that Abbas has ruled by fiat levels in Israel and the low rates for which Palestinians hope to make their since 2009 and cancelled elections Palestinians living in the PA ruled future capital.” earlier this year that he was almost areas. On the ABC radio program “AM”, certain to lose. A follow-up story ap- The PA’s decision to reject one Dole’s report included Human Rights peared on June 28. million vaccines from Israel was Watch spokesperson Omar Shakir Apparently, if news doesn’t fit discussed and the piece included saying Israel seeks to evict Palestinians the narrative of Israelis as bullies and some factually challenged claims by and transfer the properties to Jew- Palestinians as victims, then the ABC Palestinian officials, including that the ish Israelis which “reflects the Israeli doesn’t feel the need to cover it. expiration dates for the doses were Government’s policy of apartheid “days only”, that Israel’s offer was against Palestinians.” (Never mind that more about extending the life of its in this Silwan case there is no Jewish PALESTINIAN own vaccine supply and that Israelis ownership claim involved – the land ANTI-VAXXERS only “do what’s good for their health.” in question has been set aside to be a ABC viewers also missed out on The only rebuttal was an Israeli of- park). important nuances in reports that ficial saying the Palestinians knew the In one of the TV reports, Dole South Korea had accepted 700,000 expiration dates when they agreed to implied the ongoing lack of peace COVID-19 vaccines from Israel out the deal. was due to Israeli actions, saying that of a supply of one million that had The article did correctly note “with more demolitions likely, peace initially been earmarked for Palestin- Israel’s position that, under the Oslo and cooperation will be harder to ians but which the PA subsequently Accords, the PA is legally responsible achieve.” rejected. for providing health care – including, None of the reports included any On July 7, the introduction to an explicitly, vaccines – to Palestinians Israeli spokespeople, only Dole saying ABC TV “7pm News” report in Victoria under its jurisdiction. Israel rejects the claims. stated that “in the world’s first vaccine However, it also included the claim swap, Israel has sent 700,000 Pfizer that “human rights groups argue that doses to South Korea that’s facing a under the Geneva Conventions, as NO ISRAELI JEWS, NO fourth wave of the pandemic. Seoul an occupying force, Israel still has an NEWS? will have to send the same number of obligation to ensure Palestinians get Despite the ABC’s Nick Dole find- shots back to Israel later in the year.” equitable access to vaccines.” ing time to file multiple stories about Seoul correspondent Carrington In fact, the Geneva Convention a single shop’s demolition as the result Clarke’s report spoke of “the arrival states that “the Occupying Power” of construction without a planning of very precious cargo in South Korea. should work to control epidemics permit on land the occupant didn’t 700,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine “with the cooperation of national and own, as far as AIR can tell, none of the from Israel. They were supposed to be local authorities’ health services.” ABC’s flagship TV and radio programs traded with the Palestinian Author- In 1958, the International Com- covered the massive Palestinian pro- ity but the deal fell through because mittee of the Red Cross said this tests that erupted that same week in some of the doses were too close to means “that there can be no question the West Bank. the expiration date.” of making the Occupying Power alone The protests were triggered by In fact, out of the one million responsible for the whole burden of accusations that Palestinian President doses, only about 90,000 fell into the organizing hospitals and health ser- Mahmoud Abbas’ security forces beat category of “about to expire” and even vices and taking measures to control high-profile Palestinian Authority then, with a two-week grace period, epidemics. The task is above all one (PA) critic Nizar Banat to death, and they were still viable. They were for the competent services of the oc- were serious enough to potentially clearly rejected because of a Pales- cupied country itself.” threaten Abbas’ rule. tinian anti-normalisation backlash, Throughout the pandemic, Israel In contrast to the ABC, SBS TV with the expiration dates given as an has indeed offered its expertise and “World News” broadcast two reports. excuse. facilitated the transfer of aid and A June 26 story noted that medical equipment to Hamas-run 37

AIR – August 2021 Gaza and the PA on the West Bank, as Again, it was the launching of the Whilst calling Meir “remarkable” required by the Convention. incendiary balloons from Gaza into for becoming Israel’s first female Israel that broke the ceasefire, not the prime minister, nonetheless Dr Silver- Israeli airstrikes. stein absurdly said she is “perhaps best

NOTED AND QUOTEDNOTED AND EXPLOSIVE HEADLINES known for her attempts to project A headline on an AP-sourced re- responsibility for Israeli violence onto port run on the ABC’s website (June ACCURACY IS ACADEMIC Palestinians” and saw “Palestinians 17) misleadingly claimed “Israeli On July 17, ABC Radio National simply as an enemy to be defeated.” air strikes target Gaza, Palestinians “Saturday Extra” promoted a biased In another stunning example of respond with fire-carrying balloons as “essay” on the ABC website looking at mischaracterising primary sources to unrest continues.” Israel’s fourth prime minister, Golda further a political agenda, Dr Silverstein In fact, Israeli air strikes were Meir. It was written by Melbourne cherry picked from a lengthy article launched after, not before, incendiary University historian and anti-Zionist Meir penned in 1973 for Foreign Affairs. balloons were sent across from Gaza, activist Dr Jordana Silverstein, who According to Dr Silverstein, in the and in response to them. was a signatory to the Orwellian article, “Meir rehearsed common settler- Headlines used by the BBC (“Israel “dobetteronpalestine” petition in May colonial false claims of an empty land strikes in Gaza after fire balloons that called on the media to prioritise – or terra nullius, to use language familiar launched”) and Reuters (“Israel strikes the Palestinian narrative. to Australians” settled by Jews who had Hamas sites over fire balloons, chal- Silverstein’s article was simultane- transformed “a barren and denuded land lenging truce”) both reported the ously published on “The Conversa- into fertile fields, flourishing settlements sequence of events in the right order. tion” website. and new patterns of society.” Moreover, the ABC report’s intro- While the Conversation’s home- In fact, anyone who reads Meir’s duction stated that “Israel says its mili- page motto is “Academic rigour, full article will know that she said the tary struck militant sites in the Gaza journalistic flair”, neither virtue was exact opposite to what Dr Silverstein Strip early on Wednesday (local time), evident in the article, and Silverstein’s alleged and there is no claim in it that with Palestinians responding by send- role in anti-Israel organisations was even approximates terra nullius. ing a series of fire-carrying balloons not disclosed. Meir wrote that “When I came to back across the border for a second Many of the very sources that Dr Palestine in 1921 my pioneer generation straight day,” which only heightened Silverstein purportedly relied on was neither morally obtuse nor unin- the misdirection in the headline to actually undermined the claims she formed. We knew there were Arabs in heavily suggest Israel broke the cease- made about Meir, while the links Palestine, just as we knew from our own fire first and Hamas responded. provided on the ABC version of the experience that our labor in malaria- The ABC did subsequently change article were often totally off topic. ridden kibbutzim transformed uninhab- the headline to read “Israeli air strikes According to Dr Silverstein, in itable swamps into habitable soil. Far target Gaza, Palestinians respond with April 1971, Meir met with leaders from ignoring the local population, we more fire-carrying balloons as unrest from Israel’s Black Panther movement were sustained by the sincere conviction continues.” that sought to improve the opportuni- that our toil created more and better ties for Jews who came to Israel from living space for both Arab and Jew. In Middle Eastern countries, and then this belief we were proven right.” KARVELAS GOES IN “famously told the press the Black And far from proving that Meir REVERSE Panthers were ‘not nice’ people.” wanted to “defeat” the Palestinians, On June 16, Radio National “Drive” In fact, according to the link pro- Meir wrote, “Is the conflict then ir- also muddied the sequence of events. vided on the version run by the Con- reconcilable?... Between the Mediter- Host Patricia Karvelas’ interview versation, the comment was made “one ranean and Iraq – the original area of with journalist Sarah Coates about the month later” after “6,000 Black Panthers Mandatory Palestine – there is room rockets was prefaced with the sound of and their supporters held a massive for both a Jewish and an Arab state. explosions, followed by Karvelas stating, demonstration in Jerusalem.” Following The name of the Arab state and its “that’s the latest airstrike over Gaza. An the clash between demonstrators and internal constitution and order are its attack that saw the ceasefire between police, Meir was quoted as saying the responsibility and concern.” Israel and Hamas broken after less than Panthers “are not nice people.” Meir explained that peace can only a month. Israeli military have said its air- In other words, Meir wasn’t talk- arise in a framework where Israel’s craft struck Hamas military compounds ing about the leaders she met in her right to exist was not in question, after flammable balloons were launched office in April but the behaviour of which is still as relevant today as it 38 from the Gaza Strip overnight.” unruly demonstrators weeks later. was in 1973.

AIR – August 2021 Allon Lee MEDIA MICROSCOPE CAN’T COMPLAIN The next day, former ABC editorial director Alan An AIJAC press release calling for the ABC to adopt a Sunderland defended the ABC system in the two papers, genuinely independent complaints system resonated across saying there is an independent body run by the Australian the media after Age and Sydney Morning Herald media page Communications and Media Authority where aggrieved editor Zoe Samios picked it up for the newspapers’ July 5 complainants can appeal A&CA’s findings. edition. But as Hyams had pointed out, “in 2019-20 [ACMA] finalised only two investigations The ABC has a complaints “An AIJAC press release calling for the system, which the public broad- into ABC complaints.” caster boasts is independent, but ABC to adopt a genuinely independent On Sky News “The Bolt in reality is simply part of the complaints system resonated across Report” (July 6), AIJAC’s Colin ABC’s corporate structure. This the media” Rubenstein spoke to Andrew has been a perennial focus for Bolt about the “Q&A” epi- AIJAC, and indeed many other organisations and individ- sode and the complaints system. He said AIJAC filed a uals in the wider community who have lodged reasonable complaint because the panel was 4-1 against Israel. The complaints seeking corrections and acknowledgement of one voice defending Israel, he said, was Dave Sharma, errors, only to see them rejected on dubious grounds. former Australian Ambassador to Israel and current fed- On July 13, the Age and Sydney Morning Herald ran eral Liberal MP, who is neither Jewish nor a pro-Israel AIJAC’s Jamie Hyams’ opinion piece explaining that, while advocate. the ABC “Audience and Consumer Affairs” unit (A&CA) On July 9, commentator Gerard Henderson’s “Media which deals with complaints, may be “a separate unit, it is Watch Dog” column pointed out that “ABC Audience and still very much part of the ABC.” Consumer Affairs dismisses over 95 per cent of the com- He recounted some of AIJAC’s experiences, which plaints it considers.” He bagged A&CA’s response to the included what appears to be a system whereby often complaints it had received over “Q&A”, asking why Israeli “A&CA… simply cites the response from the content pro- Ambassador Jonathan Peled, who had been invited on to ducer” and “if the ABC employee responsible for the report the program, “would… agree to sit in a Q&A audience and is happy with their work, so… is A&CA.” ask a question, without a right of reply, to a panel stacked Hyams explained the background to AIJAC’s media with critics of the Israeli government?” release, which was A&CA’s dismissal of a complaint Later that day, on Sky News’ “The Media Show”, Sky lodged against ABC TV talk show “Q&A” that it had failed News Digital Editor Jack Houghton editorialised on the in its obligation to include a diversity of opinions by episode. inviting two pro-Palestinian activists onto its panel to He pointed out that during the episode, ABC Radio talk about the recent Israel-Hamas war, while allowing National host Patricia Karvelas had tweeted about Palestin- pro-Israel Jewish speakers to participate only as audience ian victims, which he called “activism, not journalism”. members. Houghton said the “Q&A” episode indicated that a recent His article recounted an AIJAC complaint in 2015 petition signed by hundreds of Australian media profes- regarding a two-part ABC Radio National program that had sionals calling for Palestinian perspectives to be prioritised been produced by a veteran anti-Israel activist who was an and to avoid “both-siderism” might have been adopted by ABC employee. He noted that “A&CA dismissed com- the ABC. plaints about demonstrably false claims by saying they were Former Australian commentator Nick Cater told ‘opinion rather than a statement of fact capable of indepen- Houghton the ABC had already been avoiding reporting dent verification.’” both sides for years and has a “completely one-eyed view” In the longer online version, Hyams noted A&CA’s on the Israeli-Palestinian issue. He attributed this culture inconsistency, such as agreeing that Gaza is not occupied to a failure of ABC journalists to do the “hard yards” and when upholding an AIJAC complaint in 2016, but adopt- read “deeply” into the history of that part of the world. ing the opposite position in 2021 when this same errone- Instead, he said, they “just go in with this post-colonialist ous claim about Gaza was repeatedly made on ABC Radio. victimhood mentality and… make a hash of it.” Hyams said the solution is a complaints system not run by Gemma Tognini said a journalist’s responsibility is to the ABC. report every story without fear or favour. 39

AIR – August 2021 NAME OF SECTION Jeremy Jones

CARNIVAL OF THE HYPOCRITES demonstrated the hypocrisy, double standards and moral It should have surprised no one to see the Executive turpitude of a great many self-proclaimed anti-racists. Director of an international “human rights” non-govern- At the NGO forum preceding the main event, blatantly mental organisation (NGO) recently tweet that Jews, not anti-Jewish material was distributed, including literature antisemites, are effectively responsible for antisemitism, alleging international Jewish conspiracies and cartoons with no apparent consequences. with extreme anti-Jewish caricatures. Of course, if he had tweeted the equally ludicrous and Delegates from Jewish organisations (I was registered morally offensive claim that women are responsible for by the World Jewish Congress) endured verbal abuse and rape, it is unlikely he would still be in office. physical threats, both outside and inside the meeting tents. When the Pakistani Foreign Minister was called out by A session I was due to address, on comparative legal his interviewer on CNN for the antisemitic slur of claiming and political responses to Holocaust denial, was cancelled Jewish financial power runs US foreign policy, he was right – because the police could not guarantee the security of to feel secure he could get away with it. Even in Australia, the presenters! an academic would come to his defence. The session devoted to global antisemitism, at which I Despite the comment not being directed was able to present, was subject to a pre- at Israeli policies and the slur being a classic meditated disruption, by a collection of far- piece of anti-Jewish bigotry, the university leftists, Islamists and factotums of authori- teacher felt no compunction in writing that tarian regimes such as Syria. “If criticism of Israeli policies anti-Semitic The fundamental dishonesty of the organ- (sic), then a criticism of Pakistani Foreign isers came to the surface with the treatment Minister would be Islamophobia. I hope you Even Mark Zuckerberg’s “Jew- meted out to the Jewish delegates when the would agree that both are incorrect asser- ish” dog drew a torrent of online Conference Declaration was being compiled. abuse and trolling (Source: It had been agreed that members of tions…” She has since stood by this defence. Facebook) When Facebook’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg groups subjected to racism were the ones posted a photo of his pet dog wearing a skullcap and a Jewish to authentically and uniquely articulate and define it. But prayer shawl, the trolling came thick and fast, mixing anti- when it came to the victims of antisemitism framing our semitism and anti-Israel and pro-Palestinian sloganeering and definition, a different formula was arrived upon which graphics (although the post had nothing to do with Israel). misrepresented the thoughtful and heartfelt submission On AIJAC’s own social media accounts and elsewhere, from our group. the posting of Israel-related attacks on a photo with exclu- When the NGO forum submitted its deeply problem- sively Jewish content was not just defended – those who atic report to the inter-governmental Conference, the took exception to such attacks were harangued. expected unanimous acceptance did not happen – because It was 20 years ago this month that the United Nations one country’s delegation had the courage to record an convened the “World Conference Against Racism, Racial objection to the disgusting behaviour of the NGO forum Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance” in – Australia. Durban, South Africa. At the government forum, once again the rules – and The motivation for convening the conference had been any sense of integrity – were thrown out the window admirable – an alarming growth in racism in Europe, when it came to Jews and Israel. There was pushback and including antisemitism, after the fall of the Soviet Union; there was compromise, but the end result was a confer- South Africa throwing off apartheid; and other geopolitical ence which will go down in the annals of infamy. factors, had pushed racism and The UN, true to its form, has planned a celebration of xenophobia to the forefront of the 20th anniversary this September. Australia and numer- public debate. ous other democracies are staying away. No country with Yet what actually transpired any self-respect should even consider participation.

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Australia $7.95 (inc GST) AIR – August 2021 AIR – March 2014