It's easy for me, glued here to the web, the radio and the television on this extremely stressful day, to open with the observation that frustration is a highly appropriate response. These are among the most frustrating times imaginable. This is especially so for any self-respecting Jew or indeed for anyone with a sense of morality, of fraternity and of right and wrong.

Everything I have read by O'Loughlin confirms for me that he's a card-carrying member of the Fisk/Goldenberg/Plett school of reportage: caught up in his arrogant righteousness to the point that he's not even aware of how totally compromised by political activism and know-nothingness the practice of his craft is. He genuinely doesn't think he needs to answer to anyone, being entirely right and by self-definition objective. And if in some unforeseeable future script he had to account for the outrageous, agenda-driven things he has written, he would swear on a stack of AFP style books that he was in full compliance with journalism's highest standards.

His editor and the publisher of The Age are the people to whom the outrage needs to be directed.

But beyond the outrage, I think there are three concrete things to do.

1. Stop waiting for the 'official' community to act. Act in your own names and in the name of the ICJS, or create a new group with a clear agenda that's reflected in its name. The communal fathers and mothers may or may not follow you, but for heaven's sake don't wait for them to give some kind of imprimatur to your activism. It isn't needed, and it adds nothing. In fact (you've heard me say this before) it takes away. Your focus is specific and clear, and not coloured by some kind of tribal solidarity that will hobble you in the eyes of Australian society. You are outraged. So start shouting.
2. Immediately consult with a lawyer who can frame for you a formal complaint under the Racial and Religious Tolerance Act. Gary Hertz has some experience in the field. Intuitively it seems to me The Age, in publishing the blood libel we all reacted to yesterday, has done an act so lacking in accuracy, research and insight that it can only be explained by reckless disregard for the damage. Let them pay for their disgraceful irresponsibility.
3. File a complaint this week with the Australian Press Council, and then issue a press release about it. At the same time, demand that The Age publish an article written by you that carefully and comprehensively (as opposed to formally and briefly, which is what they will prefer) shows how open, how democratic, how multicultural and how tolerant Israeli society is - both absolutely and by stark contrast with the society and values of our neighbours, the Arabs.

Keep your important work going.

Good wishes,

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Critique of SZC Advocacy groups

Firstly, the criticism of the Advocacy network I make here applies equally to our own ICJS network. I am not singling out SZC.

State Zionist Council to Advocates:

Please read the information below relating to the Greens party and think carefully when advising people to support this political party. Its stance on Israel is quite concerning.

The NSW Greens are having their AGM and SDC (State Delegates Council) meetings on 20 & 21 August.

A proposal to be put is for the formation of a standing committee titled "Greens for Peace and Justice in Palestine." Included in the proposal background is that Zionism is racism, citing the 1975 UN resolution and the Durban conference, and "...Zionism, we cannot accept it.."; continued atrocities are being committed against Palestinians.

Response from "Jayne":

This is very serious. I actually think there is an orchestrated movement to get these sort of motions adopted in many organizations which operate under the mainstream radar. This is how the Palestinian women operated at the U. N. conferences in Mexico and Copenhagen when Israel didn’t take womens conferences seriously enough to send representatives.

I think it is extraordinarily naïve for Israeli advocates at the SZCV to react by merely instructing Jews not to vote for the Greens.

I’m sure Israeli advocates have material which presents the Israeli argument. As advocates, they should get in touch with the conference organizers and arrange that someone is there to present the case for Israel or that written material is offered which presents the case in writing so that sympathetic members are armed and can counter the pro Palestinian case.

I am happy to forward any material to C. M. but I think a call from one of the advocates at the SZCV which gives the ammunition to argue against the motion would be far more effective.

"Jayne"