/qnotables/ - ===Q Notables===

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20066832 (130848ZDEC23) Notable: Cricket Australia tells Usman Khawaja to comply with 'personal opinion' rules over Gaza support shoes - Cricket Australia has quashed a planned on-field message Test cricketer Usman Khawaja intended to make about the Israel-Gaza war, saying it expects players to follow the rules about "personal opinions"

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>>108483

>>108717

>>108719

Cricket Australia tells Usman Khawaja to comply with 'personal opinion' rules over Gaza support shoes

Garrett Mundy and Tom Wildie - 13 December 2023

Cricket Australia has quashed a planned on-field message Test cricketer Usman Khawaja intended to make about the Israel-Gaza war, saying it expects players to follow the rules about "personal opinions".

Khawaja was filmed training in Perth earlier this week wearing shoes with hand-written messages saying "freedom is a human right" and "all lives are equal".

He told reporters he planned to wear them during day one of the Perth Test on Thursday.

In a statement released to journalists on Wednesday, Cricket Australia poured cold water on the idea.

"We support the right of our players to express personal opinions," it read.

"But the ICC has rules in place which prohibit the display of personal messages which we expect the players to uphold."

The 35-year-old has recently spoken out about the Israel-Gaza war, and has reposted pro-Palestinian messages on his social media account.

Khawaja won't wear shoes: Cummins

Australia captain Pat Cummins said he spoke with Khawaja, who said he wouldn't wear the shoes on the field.

"He had some words on his shoes. I think it's one of our strongest points of our team that everyone has his own personal views and thoughts," he said.

"I chatted to Ussie about it briefly today. I don't think his intention was to make too big of a fuss, but we support him.

"He said he won't be [wearing them].

"I think it drew the attention to the ICC rules … which I don't know if he was across them beforehand.

"I think he had 'All lives are equal'. I don't think that's very divisive. I don't think anyone can have too many complaints about that."

"All lives are equal. I support that."

But federal Minister for Sport Anika Wells said she didn't think Khawaja's decision to display the messages on his shoes would contravene ICC rules.

"Usman Khawaja is a great Australian and he has every right to speak up on matters that are critical to him," she told reporters on Wednesday morning.

"I think he has done it in a peaceful and respectful way … and as a way that he as an individual can express an individual opinion in a way that doesn't compromise the Australian cricket team's obligations to the ICC."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-12-13/usman-khawaja-told-not-to-display-shoe-message/103224376

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20066856 (130909ZDEC23) Notable: Pell’s nemesis insists he will be found not guilty of Vatican fraud - Disgraced cardinal Angelo Becciu has mounted an 11th-hour blitz in the Italian media, insisting he is not a crook and has “faith” he will be acquitted of all charges, from embezzlement and fraud to perverting the course of justice. Cardinal Becciu - nemesis of the late cardinal George Pell – and architect of the sacking of the Vatican’s first independent auditor-general, Libero Milone, not only proclaimed his innocence on the evening news but suggested he was the real victim of forces inside the Holy See who wished to derail Pope Francis’ financial reforms

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Pell’s nemesis insists he will be found not guilty of Vatican fraud

PAOLA TOTARO - DECEMBER 13, 2023

Disgraced cardinal Angelo Becciu has mounted an 11th-hour blitz in the Italian media, insisting he is not a crook and has “faith” he will be acquitted of all charges, from embezzlement and fraud to perverting the course of justice.

In a move dubbed by the Vatican press as his “Nixon moment”, Cardinal Becciu offered the Italian state broadcaster, RAI, a rare interview in full knowledge that a Vatican tribunal is about to hand down a verdict following a two-year corruption trial.

Judges in Vatican City surprised trial observers last month when they announced that they planned to deliver their decisions in the second week of December, within seven days of hearing closing arguments.

The prosecutor has recommended that the 10 defendants accused of an array of financial crimes serve sentences totalling more than 73 years, with Cardinal Becciu facing seven years and up to €14m ($23m) in fines for embezzlement.

Cardinal Becciu – nemesis of the late cardinal George Pell – and architect of the sacking of the Vatican’s first independent auditor-general, Libero Milone, not only proclaimed his innocence on the evening news but suggested he was the real victim of forces inside the Holy See who wished to derail Pope Francis’ financial reforms.

“I will continue to proclaim my innocence and I will say that never have I stolen, never have I done anything to ameliorate my personal economic position. I don’t have villas, I don’t have houses, I don’t have apartments and my personal bank accounts are very, very modest,” he said.

“My sole aim was to make decisions that benefited the Holy See. If others profited from this, then it is upon them to respond … I can also say that I am proud of having helped the Pope in his campaign for financial reforms in the Vatican and took the liberty of telling the Pope that there were some people who did not deserve to stay working within the Holy See.”

Cardinal Becciu’s proclamation of support for Pope Francis’s reforms come as a surprise given that those who were appointed to lead the clean-up, including Pell and Mr Milone, both publicly said he was the principal architect of internal opposition to transparency and oversight.

In May last year, Pell, took the unprecedented step of issuing a statement in which he described Cardinal Becciu’s testimony to the court as “incomplete”.

Pell added that Becciu had given a “spirited defence of his blameless subordinate role in the Vatican’s finances” and challenged him on several, unexplained payments including a six-figure payment to an Australian tech company during Pell’s prosecution and trial for sex charges in Melbourne.

He accused Cardinal Becciu of failing to explain his rejection of the Pope’s decision to approve a supervisory role for the then new Council and Secretariat for the Economy and said he had not properly explained his role in the sacking of auditors PriceWaterhouseCoopers and the auditor-general. Pell also described Cardinal Becciu’s accounts to the court on the use of church as “bizarre” and “at odds” with what was expected.

When Cardinal Becciu was asked by the TV interviewer if he planned to ask for clemency from the Pope if he is found guilty, he said he did not allow himself to contemplate such a possibility: “The Holy Father always told me ‘Have faith, have faith’. I have faith because I am innocent.”

Four years have passed since the launch of a criminal investigation into the Vatican’s 2018 acquisition of a building in London’s exclusive Mayfair from a businessman and investment manager, Raffaele Mincione. The Holy See lost more than €100m on the deal.

Apart from his alleged role in the property agreement, Cardinal Becciu stands accused of diverting church funds not just to his family, including €250,000 to his brother, Antonio, but also to pay Cecilia Marogna, a self-described intelligence agent who told investigators she had conducted surveillance for the cardinal on other officials.

She is accused of spending thousands on luxury goods including handbags and stays at five-star resorts.

Cardinal Becciu’s reference to his “very modest bank accounts” also raised eyebrows in Rome as it emerged during the trial that he offered to repay half a million euros from his personal account with the Vatican bank when Interpol asked him to explain his payments to Ms Marogna.

The tribunal’s verdict is expected to be handed down at the weekend.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/pells-nemesis-insists-he-will-be-found-not-guilty-of-vatican-fraud/news-story/48781afd95cc8564a4085e2b1fa6f88c

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20072028 (140908ZDEC23) Notable: US seeks Australian help to protect ships in Red Sea as Middle East tensions soar - The US Navy has asked Australia to send a warship to the Red Sea as part of an expanded international task force, in response to growing attacks on shipping by Iran-backed militia that are threatening vital global sea lanes

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>>108483

>>108717

US seeks Australian help to protect ships in Red Sea as Middle East tensions soar

CAMERON STEWART - DECEMBER 14, 2023

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The US Navy has asked Australia to send a warship to the Red Sea as part of an expanded international task force, in response to growing attacks on shipping by Iran-backed militia that are threatening vital global sea lanes.

The move, under consideration by the Albanese government, would mark a major escalation in Australia’s response to the unfolding crisis in the Middle East and reflect fears the conflict could become a region-wide war.

Any Australian warship sent to the Red Sea in this crisis would be entering a hot war zone where it could easily find itself fired upon and forced to fire back amid a volatile and fast-changing security situation.

The US request came as the government toughened its stance on Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza by breaking from Washington and voting for a UN resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire despite the resolution failing to recognise Hamas’s role in the October 7 massacre of 1200 Israelis.

The move was criticised by Israel and by Jewish groups, with ­Israel’s ambassador to Australia Amir Maimon saying: “I find it difficult to understand how Australia can support Israel’s right to defend its people from terrorist aggression, while also voting in support of a ceasefire that will embolden Hamas and enable it to resume its attacks on Israelis.”

The US has been quietly approaching allies this week to ­contribute to an expanded international naval task force in ­response to Yemen’s Iran-­sponsored Houthi rebels launching an ever-growing barrage of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel, US Navy ships and commercial shipping in the Red Sea.

The attacks, including a missile slamming into a Norwegian-Flagged tanker off Yemen, threaten global shipping transiting the Suez Canal, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

The attacks heighten the chances of a direct military clash ­between the US Navy and the Iran-backed rebels, which would escalate tensions between Washington and Tehran.

The Australian understands the US Navy-led Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) have requested to Canberra that Australia consider sending a warship as part of a larger naval task force to focus on protecting shipping as it transits the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

A spokesperson for Defence Minister Richard Marles declined to comment on the request except to say: “The Australian Defence Force currently contributes to maritime security in the Middle East region under Operation Manitou through staff embedded with the Combined Maritime ­Forces.”

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Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20072043 (140914ZDEC23) Notable: Gaza vote ‘risks US trust’ in Australia, Scott Morrison warns - Scott Morrison has warned Anthony Albanese’s failure to side with Joe Biden on Israel risks eroding American trust in Australia at a time when the nation’s strategic future depends on ongoing US support for the AUKUS submarine partnership. The former prime minister said Australia’s decision to break with its closest ally in a UN ceasefire resolution on Gaza had undermined US diplomacy, threat­ening Australia’s standing in Washington

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>>108717

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Gaza vote ‘risks US trust’ in Australia, Scott Morrison warns

BEN PACKHAM - DECEMBER 14, 2023

Scott Morrison has warned Anthony Albanese’s failure to side with Joe Biden on Israel risks eroding American trust in Australia at a time when the nation’s strategic future depends on ongoing US support for the AUKUS submarine partnership.

The former prime minister said Australia’s decision to break with its closest ally in a UN ceasefire resolution on Gaza had undermined US diplomacy, threat­ening Australia’s standing in Washington.

“I think the way that we have isolated the United States on Israel as both an AUKUS and Five Eyes partner is concerning,” Mr Morrison told The Australian.

“To put the US in a more weakened position, and to make it even more difficult for them to carry that position, I just don’t see how that aligns with any of Australia’s objectives at the moment. It ­potentially undermines US confidence in Australia’s outlook.”

The warning came as the US Senate passed legislation to enable the transfer of three nuclear-powered submarines to Australia under the AUKUS partnership.

The bill, which still needs to pass the US House of Representatives, has multiple get-out clauses for a future US president to scupper the agreement if it is deemed at the time to degrade US submarine capabilities or weaken the nation’s foreign policy or security.

Mr Morrison – the instigator of the AUKUS partnership – commended congress members for backing the submarine plan, and the Albanese government for its dedication to the pact.

He said the AUKUS partnership was “never a blank cheque” and there would be many hurdles to clear in the future. But he cautioned: “We also have to maintain our standing as a trusted and reliable partner more broadly.

“Relationships are added to and, potentially, subtracted from every day. All issues are related.”

His comments came as Jewish Australian MP Josh Burns blasted the Australian-backed UN resolution that demanded an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire” in Gaza without mentioning Hamas, underscoring the growing split within Labor on the government’s position on the issue.

Speaking from Israel during a visit by a bipartisan delegation, the member for the Victorian seat of Macnamara said the UN vote was meaningless to those on the ground because the terrorists remained in charge of Gaza.

“It’s ludicrous to not include Hamas in this picture,” he told the ABC. “Honestly, (the resolution) couldn’t be more unimportant to the people here on the ground.

“It was not relevant in the sense that the fighting is going to continue. Hamas is not laying down its weapons. Hamas is not returning hostages. Hamas is still in control of the Gaza Strip.

“Israel is still committed to removing Hamas from power and Israel is still committed to the ­return of hostages.”

Mr Burns said he did not want to diminish the “devastating” loss of civilian lives in Gaza, but argued wiping out Hamas was the only way to guarantee the safety of non-combatants.

A day after the UN vote, a defiant Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to crush the terrorist group.

“We’re continuing until the end, until victory, until Hamas is annihilated,” he told soldiers in Gaza in a radio broadcast. “I say this in the face of great pain but also in the face of international pressures. Nothing will stop us.”

Jewish groups attacked Australia’s position on the non-binding resolution as inconsistent with the government’s calls for a “sustainable peace”, while the Coalition condemned it as a cynical ploy for inner-city votes.

But Acting Prime Minister Richard Marles said the government’s position had been “completely consistent” since the October 7 attack by Hamas.

“We want to see humanitarian concerns obviously placed front and centre. And might I say that’s part of the American advocacy in this space as well. But we’ve also been really clear that any ceasefire cannot be one-sided,” he said.

The resolution called for an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire”, the “unconditional release of all hostages”, and for “all parties” to comply with humanitarian law.

Labor has in the past called for humanitarian “pauses” and a “sustainable ceasefire” that must involve Hamas.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/gaza-vote-risks-us-trust-in-australia-scott-morrison-warns/news-story/4388467142074a668fd247b94b7450d1

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20072071 (140926ZDEC23) Notable: Usman Khawaja vows to fight ruling as ICC rules pro-Palestine message out - Usman Khawaja has hit back at critics and cricket administrators after being told he could not wear shoes with human rights statements on them in Thursday’s Test match. Khawaja has been forced to retreat after being warned he could face serious consequences if he went ahead, but he has promised to fight the ruling and has explained his actions in a video

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>>108719

Usman Khawaja vows to fight ruling as ICC rules pro-Palestine message out

PETER LALOR - DECEMBER 14, 2023

Usman Khawaja has hit back at critics and cricket administrators after being told he could not wear shoes with human rights statements on them in Thursday’s Test match.

The Australian revealed on Wednesday that the opening batter was planning to wear shoes with the words “Freedom is a human right” and “All lives are equal” on the field as a show of support for the innocent lives being lost in the conflict between Israel and Palestine.

Khawaja has been forced to retreat after being warned he could face serious consequences if he went ahead, but he has promised to fight the ruling and has explained his actions in a video.

“The ICC have told me that I can’t wear my shoes on field because they believe it to be a political statement under their guidelines,” Khawaja said in a statement to camera that he released on his Instagram account.

“I don’t believe it is so; it’s a ­humanitarian appeal. I will respect that view and decision but I’ll fight it and seek to get approval. Freedom is a human right. And all lives are equal. I will never stop believing, whether you agree with me or not.”

The ICC intervened after The Australian’s story and warned Khawaja he could face severe punishment, including being blocked from taking the field, if he went ahead with his plans.

The Pakistan-born father of two called out those who dis­agreed with his words and said it was shocking how many people disagreed with the statements on the shoes. “Human life to me is equal. One Jewish life is equal to one Muslim life is equal to one Hindu life and so on.

“I’m just speaking up for those who don’t have a voice. This is close to my heart. When I see thousands of innocent children die, without any repercussions or remorse, I imagine my two girls – what if this was them?

“No one chooses where they’re born. And then I see the world turn their backs and my heart can’t take it.

“I already felt my life wasn’t equal to others when I was growing up. Luckily for me, I never lived in a world where … inequality was life or death.”

Khawaja has spoken in the past about his feelings of alienation as a Muslim migrant in the Australian cricket community. “I won’t say much. I don’t need to,” he said. “But what I do want is for everyone who did get offended somehow, is to ask yourself these questions: Is freedom not for everyone? Are all lives not equal?

“To me personally, it doesn’t matter what race, religion or culture you are. Let’s be honest – if me saying all lives are equal has resulted in people being offended to the point where they’re calling me up and telling me off, well isn’t that the bigger problem? These people obviously don’t believe in what I have written. It’s not just a handful of people. You’d be shocked about how many feel this way.”

Khawaja had earlier received the backing of the federal Sport Minister and his teammates.

“I actually think it’s one of our strongest points in our team that everyone has their own passionate views and individual thoughts, and I chatted to Usi briefly about it today,” captain Pat Cummins said. “And yeah, I don’t think his intention is to make too big of a fuss.”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/cricket/usman-khawajas-propalestine-stand-blocked/news-story/46e4cab407b5abf9df38f3e7b0d27297

https://twitter.com/Uz_Khawaja/status/1734830493890404372

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20078353 (151356ZDEC23) Notable: Labor considers local, regional voices after failed voice referendum - Labor is considering rolling out local and regional voices across the country using an existing model and without legislation, as it prepares to unveil “next steps” following the failed referendum as early as February

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>>108479

>>108633

>>108653

>>108668

Labor considers local, regional voices after failed voice referendum

ROSIE LEWIS and SARAH ISON - DECEMBER 15, 2023

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Labor is considering rolling out local and regional voices across the country using an existing model and without legislation, as it prepares to unveil “next steps” following the failed referendum as early as February.

The Australian understands one option being looked at by the Albanese government is ­expanding Empowered Communities – a program that puts Indigenous people from remote, regional and urban areas in the same room as government decision-makers – to act as local and regional voices.

While no decision has been made on whether to pursue a Makarrata commission to oversee truth-telling and treaty-making, which was a federal Labor election commitment and has been partly funded, The Australian understands the government will focus in the new year on practical policies such as remote housing and overhauling the work for the dole program.

There is a view within government that local and regional voices, which Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney has conceded remain on the table after a constitutionally ­enshrined national voice was rejected by 60 per cent of voters, do not need to be legislated.

Instead, Empowered Communities – which covers 10 regions – could be supported and scaled-up through more public funding and administrative support to ensure grassroots voices across the country are heard by all levels of government.

Federal governments have provided $47m to the program from 2016 to mid-next year.

“You could look at other sites over time. It doesn’t require government to take that many risks,” a government source said.

Ms Burney has met with several Aboriginal leaders and groups, including Empowered Communities, since the referendum was voted down on ­October 14 but is facing increasing pressure to outline the government’s plan B.

Opposition Indigenous Australians spokeswoman Jacinta Nampijinpa Price accused Ms Burney and Anthony Albanese of “failing Indigenous Australians” by being “missing in ­action” since the referendum and with no plan to address disadvantage.

While referendum working group member Sean Gordon has previously advocated for Empowered Communities to be the voice “independent of the Constitution or legislation” called for by Indigenous leaders in the wake of the referendum, on Wednesday he said some form of legislation was needed.

“The reason for legislation, ­although it doesn’t give the guarantee the Constitution would have provided (for an enshrined voice), it guarantees these voices would be created and supported. The guarantee is crucial,” he said.

“The beauty of legislation is it would broaden its scope to other departments (beyond the ­National Indigenous Australians Agency) that up until now haven’t been engaged in Empowered Communities.”

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Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20078453 (151416ZDEC23) Notable: ‘Gas you’, ‘kill you’: surge in anti-Semitism incidents - Reports of serious incidents of anti-Semitism across Australia since the Hamas terror attack on Israel of October 7 have surged a staggering 738 per cent, a figure that Jewish leaders warn is “only the tip of the iceberg”. The most comprehensive report yet on the backlash against Jews from October 7 and the ­Israel-Hamas war, contains numerous shocking examples of how the scourge of anti-Semitism has taken hold in mainstream Australia

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>>108483

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>>108518

‘Gas you’, ‘kill you’: surge in anti-Semitism incidents

CAMERON STEWART - DECEMBER 14, 2023

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Reports of serious incidents of anti-Semitism across Australia since the Hamas terror attack on Israel of October 7 have surged a staggering 738 per cent, a figure that Jewish leaders warn is “only the tip of the iceberg”.

The most comprehensive report yet on the backlash against Jews from October 7 and the ­Israel-Hamas war, contains numerous shocking examples of how the scourge of anti-Semitism has taken hold in mainstream Australia.

In one instance a prominent Jewish figure in Sydney last month received a letter saying: “I will f..king find you. Hunt you down. Gas you. Kill you … Teach you a lesson. You f..king Jew … I will come after you. I know where you live.”

In another recent example, a bomb threat to blow up a synagogue stated: “There are multiple bombs in the Jewish Centre (and they) will explode in a few hours. You will all DIE. I will also slash your family’s throats, I will slash their veins with a knife.”

The report to be released on Friday by the country’s peak Jewish body, the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, found that anti-Semitic incidents continued to grow, with 316 incidents reported in October, rising to 346 in ­November.

The total of 662 compares with just 79 in the same period last year, a 738 per cent rise.

The report also shows that ­severe examples of anti-Semitism are not confined to Sydney and Melbourne, but are being recorded across the country, from the Sunshine Coast to Perth.

The incidents range from bomb and death threats and verbal or physical abuse, to racist signs, placards and graffiti.

In other cases, stickers saying “Boycott’ with a large Star of David have been placed on Jewish-owned shops including Glicks Bakery, a kosher restaurant called Tavlin and other shops in the Jewish suburb of Balaclava in ­Melbourne.

Many of the incidents of anti-Semitism, including slogans advocating the genocide of Jews, have been made at pro-Palestinian protests around the country.

One Jewish organisation in Sydney received an email entitled “Filth”, which stated “History shows how hated you are, I would crush a filthy Jew like a cockroach under foot. If you show your ugly head to me in my country I will cut it off and roll it down the street..bring back the Fuhrer.”

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Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20078497 (151425ZDEC23) Notable: Navy ready for new mission after AUKUS bill passes - The Australian navy has declared it is ready to send a warship on a dangerous Middle East mission if the government agrees to an American request, just hours after the US congress gave the green light to sell nuclear-powered submarines to Australia

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Navy ready for new mission after AUKUS bill passes

BEN PACKHAM, CAMERON STEWART and ADAM CREIGHTON - DECEMBER 16, 2023

The Australian navy has declared it is ready to send a warship on a dangerous Middle East mission if the government agrees to an American request, just hours after the US congress gave the green light to sell nuclear-powered submarines to Australia.

Rear Admiral Christopher Smith said the navy was “ready to support any requirements that the government will ask of us”, ­despite concerns over the availability of the service’s workhorse Anzac-class frigates for the proposed Red Sea deployment.

Anthony Albanese hailed the passage of the AUKUS-enabling bill on Friday morning (AEDT), and revealed he personally spoke to more than 100 members of congress to help get the bill across the line. “This is an extraordinary achievement. And I pay tribute to all those who’ve worked hard to lobby members of congress and Senate to achieve this,” the Prime Minister said.

Defence Minister Richard Marles said the passage of the bill was a “colossal” milestone for the AUKUS partnership. “We are on the precipice of historic reform that will transform our ability to effectively deter, innovate and ­operate together,” he said.

The US legislation allows the sale of three Virginia-class ­nuclear submarines to Australia, authorises maintenance work on US submarines in Australia, and enables Australian workers to be trained in US shipyards.

It exempts Australia and the UK from US export controls on the transfer of sensitive military technology, and allows a direct Australian investment of $4.5bn into US submarine-building capabilities. The AUKUS partnership will require an unprecedented industrial uplift by Australia, including the training of more than 20,000 skilled workers and a more than doubling of the navy’s submarine personnel.

But it comes amid dire workforce shortages that have taken one Anzac frigate out of the water indefinitely, and left sufficient crew to put only three of the remaining eight frigates to sea at once, sources said.

The crew shortages will factor in the government’s assessment of a request by the US-led Combined Maritime Force in Bahrain – revealed by The Australian this week – to join an expanded multinational force to protect commercial shipping from attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Mr Marles has refused to give an early answer to the US Navy, saying Australia’s focus is on “our immediate region”, and the government will “work through with the Americans about how we can best contribute”.

Rear Admiral Smith said at a ceremony welcoming home four ships from operations in the ­Pacific, including Anzac frigate HMAS Toowoomba and air-warfare destroyer HMAS Brisbane, that the navy was prepared to deploy on the government’s orders.

“These are some of the most powerful warships in the world, they are well trained crews, they are well maintained and they are routinely in the region and active, so we are ready to support any requirements that the government will ask of us,” he said.

There has been a growing number of missile and drone ­attacks on ships in the Red Sea, including a Norwegian tanker this week, as Houthi fighters step up their harassment of the sea lane in protest against Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza.

Australia is the only AUKUS member so far not to send a ship to help protect shipping in the Red Sea, after Britain announced it would send a destroyer to ­support the multinational naval presence.

The British vessel, HMS Diamond, will join a French frigate and two US destroyers. The US ships have shot down drones and missiles fired by Houthi rebels at commercial ships.

The 3000-plus page AUKUS-enabling bill gives a future US president the right to veto the submarine sale if the transfer is deemed to degrade the US Navy’s capabilities or undermine its ­national security interests.

But Democrat congressman Joe Courtney played down the prospect of the deal falling through, saying the US Navy, which any future president was likely to turn to for advice on the deal, was strongly behind the transfer.

Australia is scheduled to receive two in-service Virginia-class submarines and one off the production line under the $368bn AUKUS plan, and will have the option to seek congressional ­approval for the purchase of up to two more.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/defence/navy-ready-for-new-mission-after-aukus-bill-passes/news-story/00c3a5ed7f0cc41363e2d273f1898cfc

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20078586 (151446ZDEC23) Notable: Pope Francis praises George Pell’s ‘courage’ amid Vatican corruption battle - Pope Francis has urged Vatican officials in charge of financial reform and compliance to show “courage” and “absolute transparency” in the face of wrong­doing and corruption, citing the late Cardinal George Pell and his consecration motto, “be not afraid”, as their inspiration. However, the pontiff also immediately raised eyebrows among observers for the strategic timing of his advice and the request that the audit, and financial officials in the Holy See, balance the need for “absolute transparency” with “merciful discretion” when faced with potential misconduct

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Pope Francis praises George Pell’s ‘courage’ amid Vatican corruption battle

PAOLA TOTARO - DECEMBER 15, 2023

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Pope Francis has urged Vatican officials in charge of financial ­reform and compliance to show “courage” and “absolute transparency” in the face of wrong­doing and corruption, citing the late Cardinal George Pell and his consecration motto, “be not afraid”, as their inspiration.

However, the pontiff also immediately raised eyebrows among observers for the strategic timing of his advice and the request that the audit, and financial officials in the Holy See, balance the need for “absolute transparency” with “merciful discretion” when faced with potential misconduct.

Speaking just days before the Vatican Tribunal is due to hand down its verdict in the landmark trial of Cardinal Angelo Becciu and nine others accused of financial crimes ranging from abuse of office to fraud and embezzlement, Pope Francis said while those in charge of protecting the Holy See’s patrimony and assets must maintain a constant vigilance against the “dangerous lure of corruption”, financial scandals also often did more to “fill the pages of newspapers” than to help “correct deeply entrenched corrupt behaviours”.

“I ask you to aid those responsible for the administration of Holy See assets to build protective safeguards to ensure that insidious corruption ‘upstream’ is prevented before it materialises or becomes entrenched.”

The timing of Francis’s words and the odd call for “discretion” in the face of wrongdoing also sits uncomfortably with the continuing dispute between the Vatican and the first independent Auditor-General, Libero Milone, awaiting a verdict on his own court case for unlawful dismissal.

Mr Milone, the London-educated former chairman and CEO of global accountancy firm Deloitte, worked closely with Pell in his campaign for reform and had uncovered mounting evidence of financial irregularities in the Vatican’s investment strategies before being suddenly removed from office amid accusations of spying.

Mr Milone and his late deputy, Ferruccio Panicco, sued for unfair dismissal last year seeking more than €9m ($14.7m) in damages for loss of earnings, reputational damage and Panicco’s terminal illness. Panicco’s lawyers argued that lifesaving treatment for cancer was delayed and severely disrupted when Vatican security officials seized his computer and documents containing his medical files. He died this year.

The sacking of the two unfolded in mysterious circumstances and the timing coincided closely with Pell’s return to Australia to defend himself against historic charges of sex abuse, for which he was eventually acquitted.

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20083091 (161340ZDEC23) Notable: Bipartisan congressional resolution calls on US officials to drop charges against Julian Assange - Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., introduced a resolution expressing that "regular journalistic activities" are protected by the First Amendment and that the U.S. government should end its prosecution against Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, who is accused of publishing classified U.S. military documents. The resolution comes after multiple other bipartisan efforts this year by lawmakers in the U.S. and Assange's home country of Australia demanding the U.S. drop the charges and end its extradition requests.

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>>108482

Bipartisan congressional resolution calls on US officials to drop charges against Julian Assange

Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., introduced the resolution on Wednesday

Landon Mion - December 16, 2023

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Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., introduced a resolution expressing that "regular journalistic activities" are protected by the First Amendment and that the U.S. government should end its prosecution against Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, who is accused of publishing classified U.S. military documents.

The bipartisan resolution introduced Wednesday was co-sponsored by Reps. James McGovern, D-Mass.; Thomas Massie, R-Ky.; Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga.; Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla.; Eric Bulsison, R-Mo.; Jeff Duncan, R-S.C.; Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., and Clay Higgins, D-La.

"Whereas regular journalistic activities, including the obtainment and publication of information, are protected under the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States," the resolution reads.

Assange is facing 17 charges for allegedly receiving, possessing and communicating classified information to the public under the Espionage Act and one charge alleging a conspiracy to commit computer intrusion. The charges were brought by the Trump administration in connection with the 2010 publication of cables U.S. Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning leaked to Wikileaks detailing war crimes committed by the U.S. government in the Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, detention camp, Iraq and Afghanistan. The materials also exposed instances of the CIA engaging in torture and rendition.

Wikileaks' "Collateral Murder" video showing the U.S. military gunning down civilians in Iraq, including two Reuters journalists, was also published 13 years ago.

The resolution cites that Assange, an Australian citizen, was charged by the U.S. government for the alleged conspiracy to commit computer intrusion on accusations he helped Manning access Defense Department computers without authorization even though Manning "already had access to the mentioned computer, that the purported breaching of the Defense Department computers was impossible, and that there was no proof Mr. Assange had any contact with" Manning.

"Whereas, in 2010, WikiLeaks, a media organization established by Julian Assange, published a cache of hundreds of thousands of pieces of information including Guantánamo Bay detainee assessment briefs, State Department cables, rules of engagement files, and other United States military reports," the resolution said. "Whereas the disclosure of this information promoted public transparency through the exposure of the hiring of child prostitutes by Defense Department contractors, friendly fire incidents, human rights abuses, civilian killings, and United States use of psychological warfare."

Assange has been held at London's high-security Belmarsh Prison since he was removed from the Ecuadorian Embassy on April 11, 2019, for breaching bail conditions. He had sought asylum at the embassy since 2012 to avoid being sent to Sweden over allegations he raped two women because Sweden would not provide assurances it would protect him from extradition to the U.S. The investigations into the sexual assault allegations were eventually dropped.

If he is extradited to the U.S. after exhausting all his legal appeals, Assange would face trial in Alexandria, Virginia, and could be sentenced to up to 175 years in an American maximum-security prison.

The resolution comes after multiple other bipartisan efforts this year by lawmakers in the U.S. and Assange's home country of Australia demanding the U.S. drop the charges and end its extradition requests.

Last month, more than a dozen U.S. lawmakers signed a letter spearheaded by McGovern and Massie that was sent to President Biden urging him to end the prosecution against Assange. In September, a delegation of Australian lawmakers visited Washington, D.C., to meet with U.S. officials and advocate for Assange's freedom. And on the four-year anniversary of Assange's arrest in April, Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., led a letter to the Justice Department signed by some House members demanding it drop the charges.

In 2020, a similar resolution was introduced by Massie and former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who was a Democrat while in office, that defended the free press and called for the charges against Assange to be dropped. Massie has also previously sponsored bipartisan legislation to reform the Espionage Act and protect whistleblowers and journalists.

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20087555 (170928ZDEC23) Notable: Cardinal Angelo Becciu: George Pell’s arch nemesis found guilty of corruption - What would George Pell have thought? The deceased Australian cardinal had engaged in a fraught battle with Cardinal Angelo Becciu for most of his time in the Vatican, when the Victorian’s mandate to clean up the Catholic Church’s finances came head to head with one of the most obstructive cardinals. Now Becciu, 75, on Saturday, has been sentenced to jail for five and a half years and fined 8000 euros for fraud in a rare conviction of a cardinal in the Vatican court. Becciu says he will appeal

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>>108722

Cardinal Angelo Becciu: George Pell’s arch nemesis found guilty of corruption

JACQUELIN MAGNAY - DECEMBER 17, 2023

What would George Pell have thought? The deceased Australian cardinal had engaged in a fraught battle with Cardinal Angelo Becciu for most of his time in the Vatican, when the Victorian’s mandate to clean up the Catholic Church’s finances came head to head with one of the most obstructive cardinals.

Now Becciu, 75, on Saturday, has been sentenced to jail for five and a half years and fined 8000 euros for fraud in a rare conviction of a cardinal in the Vatican court.

Becciu says he will appeal.

Cardinal Pell had long believed that Becciu had influenced in some way the sex abuse charges against himself (which ended with all convictions quashed by the High Court), and the two senior cardinals had often clashed about the financial control and oversight of the church’s billions of assets.

Pell, at the time the prefect of the Secretariat of the Economy and considered number three in seniority in the Vatican had insisted that Becciu was thwarting his own attempts to reform the Vatican finances,

But Cardinal Pell, 81, had also made it clear shortly before his death in January, that Becciu and nine other defendants involved in a highly controversial London property had not been afforded due process.

Only after his death was it revealed that Pell had been the author of an explosive anonymous memo about Pope Francis’ leadership and the mess of the church’s finances. But in one of the memo’s complaints Pell had written that Becciu and the other nine charged with corruption had not been afforded a fair trial.

However Pell had also issued a statement months before he died describing Becciu’s evidence to the court as being incomplete, and he mocked the Sardinian’s “spirited defence of his blameless subordinate role in the Vatican’s finances”. He questioned Becciu’s unexplained payments including a six-figure payment to an Australian tech company when he was facing sex abuse charges in Australia, as well as other unexplained financial transactions, including payments to Becciu’s family.

Last week, shortly before the sentence was handed down, Pope Francis had referred to Pell’s consecration motto, “be not afraid”, as a motto for the Vatican officials now in charge of finance reform to show courage and absolute transparency.

Pell’s quest to sort out the church’s funds had brought him head to head with Becciu and the Australian had often queried Becciu’s role in sacking the auditor, Libero Milone, just two years into a five year posting.

The two and a half year long court case involving Becciu centred around Vatican moneys being invested in a fund managed by Italian financier Raffaele Mincione in 2014 to buy 45 per cent of a central London building at 60 Sloane Ave. The Holy See lost more than €150m on the deal. Mincione and eight others involved in the deal were also found guilty.

Only one, Becciu’s former secretary Mauro Carlino, was found not guilty.

Mincione was jailed for five and a half years and a London deal broker, Gianluigi Torzi, was jailed for six.

Becciu was also found guilty of improper payments to his brother, and also to a Sardinian woman, Cecilia Marogna, which he claimed were to help negotiate the release of a Colombian nun kidnapped in Mali.

Marogna was jailed for three years and nine months.

Also sentenced were former Vatican employees, Enrico Crasso, who was given seven years jail and Fabrizio Tirabassi, who was given a seven and a half year sentence.

The court also ordered the confiscation from those convicted of 166 million euros, and ordered them to compensate the civil parties more than 200 million euros.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/cardinal-angelo-becciu-george-pells-arch-nemesis-found-guilty-of-corruption/news-story/50f6462b1633d8c38655b55ac93e7fc2

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20087562 (170934ZDEC23) Notable: George Pell’s archenemy, Angelo Becciu, to fight jail sentence for Vatican embezzlement - Disgraced cardinal and enemy of the late George Pell, Angelo Becciu, will fight his five-and-a-half year jail sentence for embezzlement, as Vatican watchers say his jailing could lead to a “proper clean up” of the highest echelons of the Catholic Church. Judges in the Holy See delivered their verdict late on Saturday and banned Becciu permanently from holding any form of public office and fining him €8,000. Becciu’s lawyer, Fabio Viglione said the cardinal ‘respected’ the verdict on a range of his financial crimes - including embezzlement - but said he would launch an appeal against the sentence

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>>108722

>>108732

George Pell’s archenemy, Angelo Becciu, to fight jail sentence for Vatican embezzlement

PAOLA TOTARO - DECEMBER 17, 2023

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Disgraced cardinal and enemy of the late George Pell, Angelo Becciu, will fight his five-and-a-half year jail sentence for embezzlement, as Vatican watchers say his jailing could lead to a “proper clean up” of the highest echelons of the Catholic Church.

Judges in the Holy See delivered their verdict late on Saturday and banned Becciu permanently from holding any form of public office and fining him €8,000.

Becciu’s lawyer, Fabio Viglione said the cardinal ‘respected’ the verdict on a range of his financial crimes – including embezzlement – but said he would launch an appeal against the sentence.

A senior observer close to the case told The Australian last night that the verdict could finally open the door for a proper clean up of the Vatican.

“It is very important symbolically because this is the first time a lay court has issued a judgment on a cardinal in Vatican history. The Vatican Promoter of Justice himself has said that this was just one issue and that there are many others to address … hopefully, it is a sign that this is the start of proper clean up.”

Cardinal Becciu, once himself a papal contender and later, nemesis of the late Cardinal George Pell’s campaign to reform the Vatican’s sclerotic and opaque accounting and investment systems, is the most senior Holy See official to face such charges.

The full Vatican Tribunal, under the leadership of Court President, Giuseppe Pignatone, spent more than five hours deliberating on Saturday before announcing the Cardinal’s conviction and sentence for embezzlement in the late afternoon.

Pignatone, a very senior former anti mafia prosecutor and judge, took nearly half an hour to read out all the verdicts and sentences in a special room in the building that also houses the Sistine Chapel.

The other former Vatican officials were convicted of a series of financial crimes, including money laundering, abuse of office and fraud and sentenced to a total of 38 years prison as well as hundreds of thousands in fines.

The sentencing represents the denouement of more than four years of investigations, requiring statements from 70 witnesses heard over some 86 court sessions, many of them focused on the labyrinthine acquisition of a former Harrod’s storeroom in Sloane Avenue on behalf of the Vatican’s Secretariat of State, the Holy See’s administrative and diplomatic arm.

The trial, given the Pope’s public blessing, was widely seen to have been an attempt by Francis to encourage unprecedented, official scrutiny of the historically muddy world of the Vatican bank and Holy See investments, reinvigorate stymied reforms of its financial dealings and bring them under 21st century accounting rules and oversight.

However veteran Vatican observers along with conservative critics of Pope Francis argue that proceedings also served to expose yet another, unexpected litany of embarrassments, including the continuing, ingrained culture of self-interest, inefficiency, blind loyalty and plotting and scheming within the highest echelons of the Roman curia.

Giovanni Maria Vian, a former editor of the Vatican newspaper, Osservatore Romano, described the Pope’s decision as akin to kicking a hornet’s nest.

The Vatican is the only independent state in Europe which continues to operate as an absolute monarchy, thereby giving the Pope supreme legislative, judicial and executive power. Defence teams throughout the trial have complained to judges that Francis’ behind the scenes intervention had seen him change laws several times, ostensibly to aid prosecutors.

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20087589 (170952ZDEC23) Notable: Anthony Albanese skips voice referendum, Indigenous Australians in 2023 wrap - The Coalition has launched a pre-Christmas attack against Anthony Albanese for failing to mention the voice referendum or his government’s plan for Indigenous Australians in his 2023 end-of-year wrap, accusing the Prime Minister of “airbrushing” the defeated vote

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Anthony Albanese skips voice referendum, Indigenous Australians in 2023 wrap

ROSIE LEWIS - DECEMBER 17, 2023

The Coalition has launched a pre-Christmas attack against Anthony Albanese for failing to mention the voice referendum or his government’s plan for Indigenous Australians in his 2023 end-of-year wrap, accusing the Prime Minister of “airbrushing” the defeated vote.

Mr Albanese shared the nearly two-and-a-half-minute video on his social media channels on the weekend with the caption “looking back on 2023”, wishing Australians the best for Christmas and the happiest of New Years.

In the wrap, Mr Albanese talks about natural disasters, global inflation and cost-of-living pressures but most of the video is spent referencing the government’s achievements – such as cheaper childcare, more jobs and fee-free TAFE.

The October 14 referendum, which was rejected by 60.6 per cent of Australians and was arguably the biggest political event of the year, isn’t mentioned.

Acting Opposition Leader Sussan Ley said Mr Albanese had given himself full marks for 2023, but added: “The fact he omitted his failed and divisive referendum from his year in review tells you everything you need to know.

“This year the Prime Minister has been called Airbus Albo by many, well today, be it on cost-of-living or the referendum, we are now seeing ‘Airbrush Albo’. Australians deserve more than this selective airbrushing from their national leader.”

The opposition’s Indigenous Australians spokeswoman Jacinta Nampijinpa Price – who, like many of her Coalition colleagues, was vehemently against the referendum and campaigned across the country to defeat it – said Mr Albanese couldn’t “list a single thing” he’d done for Indigenous Australians “because all he has done this year is fail us”.

“The PM and (Indigenous Australians) Minister (Linda) Burney have no plan, no answers, and they’ve both been missing in action since Australia’s unambiguous rejection of Labor’s divisive voice in October,” she said.

“The only thing rising faster than interest rates under Labor is the hot air coming from the PM.”

The Prime Minister’s spokeswoman said the government had kept its pledge to hold a referendum but didn’t clarify if its omission from the video was an oversight.

“Sneaky Sussan doesn’t like to hear about how we’re responsibly helping Australians because she desperately wants them to forget the No-alition she helps lead has opposed this help at every turn,” the spokeswoman said.

“We know people are doing it tough, that’s why we’ve delivered $23bn in responsible cost-of-living relief, strengthened the budget, delivered the first surplus in 15 years and created more than 700,000 jobs since we came to office – all without adding to inflation.”

Government sources said Labor was delivering for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through a suite of measures, including by replacing the “failed” remote work for the dole program with one “that is about real jobs and real wages”, improving water supply and treatment in remote communities and investing in basic services in homelands for the first time in many years.

Mr Albanese, who with Ms Burney is working on a road map for Indigenous Australia to be unveiled early in the new year, also faced criticism on the weekend for tasting expensive wine while on a four-day holiday in Western Australia’s Margaret River.

Cabinet minister Don Farrell defended the Prime Minister’s mini break, saying it was “eminently reasonable” after he worked hard this year.

The South Australian senator labelled Coalition accusations that Mr Albanese was out-of-touch with cost-of-living pressures being felt by everyday Australians for tasting a $500 bottle of wine as “outrageous”.

“The Prime Minister has worked really, really hard this year,” Senator Farrell told Sky News’ Sunday Agenda.

“He’s taking just a few days off and he’s decided to go to Western Australia to the Margaret River. I think that’s eminently reasonable. And if I was a Western Australian senator, I certainly wouldn’t be complaining about the Prime Minister spending some holidays, well deserved holidays in my home state.”

Mr Albanese returned to work last Friday and plans to work over Christmas.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/anthony-albanese-skips-voice-referendum-indigenous-australians-in-2023-wrap/news-story/d5e10fa286bdbdb934247416a98aa107

https://twitter.com/AlboMP/status/1735764640670589439

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20087596 (170958ZDEC23) Notable: Navy hangs on Red Sea mission call - Defence officials will hold talks with American counterparts this week on a US Navy request for an Australian warship to join a dangerous new Middle East mission. Australia officials will seek US feedback on how critical Australian involvement is to the expanded Red Sea operation to protect commercial shipping from attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels

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>>108723

Navy hangs on Red Sea mission call

BEN PACKHAM - DECEMBER 17, 2023

Defence officials will hold talks with American counterparts this week on a US Navy request for an Australian warship to join a dangerous new Middle East ­mission.

Australia officials will seek US feedback on how critical Australian involvement is to the expanded Red Sea operation to protect commercial shipping from attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels.

The upcoming talks come amid reservations inside the government over the potential deployment, and a Coalition warning on Sunday that the government “can’t just let this drift”.

Britain and France have both agreed to send warships to support the mission, but Defence Minister Richard Marles has played down the prospect of Australian involvement, saying the navy’s priority focus is on “our immediate region”.

It’s understood Defence is preparing advice for the government on the potential deployment, but federal cabinet’s national security committee does not have a scheduled meeting this week to consider the matter.

There has been a growing number of missile and drone ­attacks on ships in the Red Sea, including a Norwegian tanker last week, as Houthi fighters step up their harassment of the sea lane in protest against Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza.

Deputy Opposition Leader Sussan Ley said the government needed to come clean to its closest ally on Australia’s preparedness to join the mission.

“If there is not going to be this support for our strategic ally, the US, then we need to know why not. We can’t just let this drift,” she said. “The Red Sea is an important strategic passage, as are the waters closer to our region.

“This is a request from our closest ally, for something that is critical to world peace and our own geostrategic interests, and AUKUS underscores the strength of that alliance.

“So why have we not heard from the government? Why have we just heard this obfuscation?”

The commander of the Australian naval fleet, Rear Admiral Christopher Smith, said on Friday the navy was prepared for a government order to deploy.

Speaking at the Garden Island Naval base in Sydney as HMAS Brisbane returned from a regional deployment, Rear Admiral Smith said the navy was “ready to support any requirements that the government will ask of us”.

Australia has limited surface ship availability to meet such a request, with the navy able to muster only three full crews for the ­service’s workhorse Anzac-class frigates.

The ageing frigates are also ­undergunned for such a mission, having insufficient vertical-launch systems to shoot down the ballistic missiles being fired by the Houthis. The navy’s three air warfare destroyers are more capable, thanks to their 48 vertical launch missile cells.

Deploying either class of ship would mean cancelling leave for sailors over the summer break.

US Special Envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking told Reuters last week that the US wanted to build the “broadest possible” multi­national coalition to send “an important signal by the international community that Houthi threats to international shipping won’t be tolerated”.

Iran’s Defense Minister Mohammad Reza Ashtiani said ships involved in the taskforce would “be faced with extraordinary problems”.

Mr Marles last week said Australia was among 39 nations to receive the request from the US-led Combined Maritime Force in Bahrain. “We’ll consider this request in due course, but I would note that the focus of our naval ­efforts now is on our immediate region,” he said.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/defence/navy-hangs-on-red-sea-mission-call/news-story/be070c0be18ddde9c9eec7b49faa644c

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20087601 (171001ZDEC23) Notable: Video: Radical Sydney cleric calls for Muslim army to fight against West in incendiary sermon - A cleric’s sermon at a southwest Sydney Islamic centre - the subject of two recently dropped investigations – has called for the establishment of a Muslim army to defend Islam and fight against the West. “This (the Israel-Palestine conflict) has to be a spark for the Muslim community and the final solution, to unite (under one leader) who implements the sharia and sends Muslim armies to defend the lands of Islam,” a cleric known as “Brother Muhammad” told a crowd at the Al Madina Dawah Centre, Bankstown

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>>108705

Radical Sydney cleric calls for Muslim army to fight against West in incendiary sermon

ALEXI DEMETRIADI - DECEMBER 17, 2023

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A cleric’s sermon at a southwest Sydney Islamic centre – the subject of two recently dropped investigations – has called for the establishment of a Muslim army to defend Islam and fight against the West.

“This (the Israel-Palestine conflict) has to be a spark for the Muslim community and the final solution, to unite (under one leader) who implements the sharia and sends Muslim armies to defend the lands of Islam,” a cleric known as “Brother Muhammad” told a crowd at the Al Madina Dawah Centre, Bankstown.

The Australian has previously reported how both the state and federal police had launched but then dropped investigations into previous sermons at the centre, from Abu Ousayd – also known as Wissam Haddad – and a cleric known as “Brother Ismail”.

In a Friday sermon, Brother Muhammad accused Israel of using an AI supercomputer to target Palestinian mothers and children, and said the Islamic world needed to become one ­nation under one leader with a Muslim army, calling it the “final solution”.

“The final solution is we must be united as one state under a Muslim government,” he said. “All these lands must be united under one leader who implements the Koran and sunnah way of life: it will use its resources, its oil, its army to defend its people.

“The Muslim community needs a Muslim army to defend it and the lands of Islam … to fight for them and protect them.

“This is the only solution … everyone has to work for this cause in any way that they can.”

Brother Muhammad also took aim at the West – particularly the US, Britain and France – which, he said, “couldn’t wait until the butchering began”.

“The Western powers, the so-called beacons of democracy and human rights, they speak about these dictators in the past, about how ‘evil’ they were – what you (the West) are doing is far worse than any president in history. And yet you hold yourselves up to be these beacons?” he said.

Brother Muhammad said the West was “falling over themselves” to back Israel.

“They were frothing at the mouth, they couldn’t wait until the butchering began,” he said.

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20087630 (171026ZDEC23) Notable: Sydney’s Jewish community: ‘Me too, unless you’re a Jew?’ - Sydney’s Jewish community have asked “why is it Me Too, unless you’re a Jew”, calling on the UN, and other women’s and humanitarian organisations, to call out Hamas’s attacks on female Israelis and Jews. At a rally in the city’s Prince Alfred Park, leaders urged the UN to be stronger on Hamas’s rapes, sexual assaults and “targeting” of Israeli women on and after the group’s October 7 attacks

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>>108483

>>108518

>>108728

Sydney’s Jewish community: ‘Me too, unless you’re a Jew?’

ALEXI DEMETRIADI - DECEMBER 17, 2023

Sydney’s Jewish community have asked “why is it Me Too, unless you’re a Jew”, calling on the UN, and other women’s and humanitarian organisations, to call out Hamas’s attacks on female Israelis and Jews.

At a rally in the city’s Prince Alfred Park, leaders urged the UN to be stronger on Hamas’s rapes, sexual assaults and “targeting” of Israeli women on and after the group’s October 7 attacks.

“Hamas targeted, sexually violated and mutilated young women,” Bring Them Home organiser Hagit Ashual said on Sunday.

“The international Me Too movement completely failed to condemn Hamas and remember Israeli female victims.

“Why is it Me Too, unless you’re a Jew?”

The rally turned a corner of the park into a memory of those female Israelis taken hostage or killed by Hamas, including Shira Bibas and Noa Argamani, while attendees wore orange tape over their mouths to signify the silence.

Israel and Jewish groups around the world have condemned as “disgraceful” the UN body’s long silence about Hamas’s murder and rape of Israeli women, when it has been quick to condemn violence against women in other parts of the world. UN Women is the global body dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women.

The New York-based UN Women only condemned the Hamas massacre and the sexual violence towards Israeli women on December 1, eight weeks after the October 7 massacre that killed 1200 Israelis, many of them women and children.

Federal Senator Hollie Hughes told the rally she was “proudly pro-Israel and pro-Zion”.

“The Me Too movement wasn’t for all women, not for Jewish or Israeli women,” the senator said.

Senator Hughes slammed UN Women Australia chair Georgina Williams for criticising some of her party colleagues who spoke out against the organisation at a pro-Israel Melbourne rally.

“Don’t bother calling me, Georgina – you’re a disgrace,” the senator said.

Victorian senator Sarah Henderson previously told The Australian that Ms Williams “berated” her for her criticism of the UN Women’s 57-day silence about the sexual violence committed by Hamas on October 7, as well as criticising Victorian Liberal MP Georgie Crozier.

It is understood Ms Williams accused Senator Henderson, among other things, of dividing women by agreeing to speak at the Jewish women’s vigil in Elsternwick on December 4, which protested against the silence of UN Women and other women’s rights groups about Hamas’s sexual violence against Israeli women.

Senator Hughes also said that she was “embarrassed” by the federal government voting for a ceasefire in the UN.

“When you’re voting with Iran, Russia and North Korea, you’re probably in the wrong,” she said.

Liberal NSW Upper House MP Jacqui Munro said the Jewish women “brutalised” by Hamas “would never be forgotten”.

“No one should be subject to the atrocities we have heard, no one should have to be here today talking about them,” the MLC said.

“Jewish people are consistently required to tell the worst aspects of their stories, because of the history and behaviour of people in this world, who do not deserve our recognition.”

Noy Miran, part of the organising group, retold a story of her close friend, Ilona, who pretended to be dead on October 7 when Hamas terrorist attacked the Supernova festival.

“There was dancing, enjoying and celebrating life,” she said.

“They heard shooting and ran for cover. She witnessed a murder and a friend being taken hostage.

“She hid in a hole and pretended to be dead to survive.

“It took UN Women more than 50 days to condemn these acts of violence – way too little, way too late.”

The Australian revealed on Friday how reports of serious incidents of anti-Semitism across Australia since the Hamas terror attack on Israel of October 7 have surged a staggering 738 per cent.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/sydneys-jewish-community-me-too-unless-youre-a-jew/news-story/cca8e4e7f99971d053af1e9fac7b8b67

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20098506 (191024ZDEC23) Notable: Political, Jewish leaders: Radical cleric inaction gives ‘green light’ to incendiary ‘final solution’ sermon at Bankstown’s Al Madina Dawah Centre.

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>>108736 (pb)

Political, Jewish leaders: Radical cleric inaction gives ‘green light’ to incendiary ‘final solution’ sermon

ALEXI DEMETRIADI - DECEMBER 19, 2023

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Political and Jewish leaders have said inaction on incendiary sermons delivered at a Sydney Islamic centre has given radical clerics a “green light” as another preacher called for a Muslim army, describing it as “the final solution”, a term explicitly linked to Nazism and the Holocaust.

The Australian revealed on Sunday how a cleric known as “Brother Muhammad” gave the sermon at Bankstown’s Al Madina Dawah Centre – itself the subject of two police investigations now dropped – that called for a Muslim army and an Islamic state with sharia law, and wrongly accused Israel of using AI to target children.

Jewish leaders said “Australia’s tolerance of intolerance” was reaching its limits.

“Brother Muhammad is the latest self-described Islamic preacher to spew hatred against Jews,” Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Peter Wertheim said.

“In the wake of Hamas’s genocidal atrocities, he has adopted the expression ‘the final solution’ against the world’s only Jewish state, an expression made infamous by Nazi Germany as a euphemism for the genocide of the Jewish people.”

The Australian previously revealed how police had dropped investigations into hate-fuelled sermons at the centre by cleric Abu Ousayd – also known as Wissam Haddad – and “Brother Ismail”, which included calls for jihad, parables that said “kill Jews” and that if Islamic nations “spat on Israel the Jews would drown”. The police involved said each case had not breached the criminality threshold.

“Previous anti-Jewish rants by other Muslim preachers went unpunished, and now we see the consequences – Australia’s tolerance of intolerance must surely be reaching its limits,” Mr Wertheim said.

He contrasted Brother Muhammad’s use of the term with former senator Fraser Anning saying “the final solution to the immigration problem is a popular vote”, referring to Muslim immigrants, for which he was criticised.

“Brother Muhammad has used that identical expression in a manner that is even more directly reminiscent of Nazi ideas and practices,” Mr Wertheim said.

“Yet the same parties that screamed their disapproval of Mr Anning have been silent about this latest incident. Their hypocrisy and double standards could not be more obvious.”

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20098526 (191033ZDEC23) Notable: Labor MPs break ranks to accuse Israel of ‘domination’ of Palestinians - Dozens of high-profile Labor figures, including members of the Albanese, Minns and Allan governments, have signed an open letter declaring the human rights of Palestinians have been “grossly violated” and accusing Israel of policies aimed at “the domination of one people over another”.

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Labor MPs break ranks to accuse Israel of ‘domination’ of Palestinians

Michael McGowan - December 19, 2023

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Dozens of high-profile Labor figures, including members of the Albanese, Minns and Allan governments, have signed an open letter declaring the human rights of Palestinians have been “grossly violated” and accusing Israel of policies aimed at “the domination of one people over another”.

The letter, co-ordinated by the NSW Labor MP Anthony D’Adam and Greens MP Jenny Leong, calls for a “permanent ceasefire and a just and lasting peace” in Gaza, and urges the Albanese government to recognise Palestine as a state “entitled to be free of occupation” and “examine” its relationship with Israel.

Signed by 11 members of Chris Minns’ government and three federal Labor MPs, Maria Vamvakinou from Victoria and WA senators Louise Pratt and Fatima Payman, as well as former NSW premier and foreign affairs minister Bob Carr, it accuses Israel of an ongoing “military occupation, illegal settlement expansion, land theft, violence, discrimination, restrictions on movement and the subjugation of the Palestinian people”.

“It is beyond dispute that Israel is committed to policies designed to entrench the domination of one people over another in the territories of Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories,” the letter states.

“Attempts to deny this, or smear those who allege it, are an attempt to defy truth and reality.

“These events and policies have involved the destruction of Palestinian society and the denial of the legitimate national aspirations of the Palestinian people.”

Israel’s air and ground assault on Gaza, launched in response to Hamas’ attack in southern Israel on October 7, has caused the deaths of more than 18,700 Palestinians, according to the Health Ministry in the Hamas-run territory. In Australia, the conflict has spurred a wave of pro-Palestinian protest in capital cities including Sydney and Melbourne.

Last week the Albanese government announced a surprise shift in its previous stance on the conflict by breaking with the United States to support an immediate ceasefire at the United Nations General Assembly.

But the letter challenges Australia’s vocal support for Israel and urges the Commonwealth to view the conflict within a broader historical context.

While it condemns the “horrific acts of Hamas on 7 October” it urges the Albanese government to “recognise Palestine as a state that is entitled to be free of occupation” and argued that violations against Palestinian rights began with the “violent displacement of some 700,000 Palestinians from their homeland” when Israel was founded in 1948.

The “military occupation” of the West Bank and Gaza by Israel since 1967, the letter states, involved ongoing “illegal settlement expansion, land theft, violence, discrimination, restrictions on movement and the subjugation of the Palestinian people”.

The signatories argue that context has meant that “for too long the human rights of the Palestinian people have been grossly violated”.

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20103721 (201014ZDEC23) Notable: Video: ABC presenter Antoinette Lattouf sacked after anti-Israel social media posts - Lattouf drew intense criticism after she has repeatedly said videos of pro-Palestine protesters chanting “gas the Jews” at the Sydney Opera House in October were unverified.

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>>137327

ABC presenter Antoinette Lattouf sacked after anti-Israel social media posts

SOPHIE ELSWORTH - DECEMBER 20, 2023

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The ABC has sacked fill-in Sydney mornings radio host Antoinette Lattouf after she breached the taxpayer-funded broadcaster’s social media code by posting anti-Israel comments.

The Australian can reveal that Lattouf who was filling in this week was told by management just shortly after she finished hosting the program on Wednesday morning that she would not be allowed to return for the rest of the week.

It is understood ABC chair Ita Buttrose – who has received many complaints about Lattouf – is “furious” she was put in the fill-in position given her prolific conduct on social media and her pro-Palestinian stance.

Many complaints have also been sent to the ABC board and managing director David Anderson and Lattouf has continued to upload a series of pro-Palestinian posts on her social media accounts including X, formerly Twitter, Instagram and TikTok.

It is understood ABC management were extremely concerned the presenter’s activism on social media and which she has plastered across her account over the past two months.

The public broadcaster received numerous complaints about her commentary – these complaints were sent directly to Ms Buttrose and managing director David Anderson this week and its understood crisis talks were held on Wednesday about Lattouf’s conduct online.

An ABC spokesman confirmed Lattouf, who is of Lebanese heritage, would not be returning to the show again which she started hosting on Monday and was filling in for Sarah Macdonald.

“ABC Sydney casual presenter Antoinette Lattouf will not be back on air for her remaining two shifts this week,” he said.

Under the ABC’s social media guidelines employees must “protect the ABC’s reputation, independence, impartiality and integrity.”

Lattouf drew intense criticism after she has repeatedly said videos of pro-Palestine protesters chanting “gas the Jews” at the Sydney Opera House in October were unverified.

“Despite the enormous amount of attention and considerable response to the reports, third parties have been unable to verify the “gas the Jews” claim, and further footage corroborating the chants has failed to emerge,” Lattouf wrote in an article with Cam Wilson that published on the Crikey website last week.

This comes despite NSW police being provided with testimony from witnesses at the event who said they heard the chant “gas the Jews.”

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20108499 (211019ZDEC23) Notable: Video: Media union criticises ABC’s decision to sack radio host Antoniette Lattouf - The Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance has labelled ABC radio host Antoinette Lattouf’s sacking over her social media use as “disturbing” and claimed staff from “diverse backgrounds” are “disproportionately” attacked from the public.

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>>137327

>>137328

Media union criticises ABC’s decision to sack radio host Antoniette Lattouf

SOPHIE ELSWORTH - DECEMBER 21, 2023

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The media union has labelled ABC radio host Antoinette Lattouf’s sacking over her social media use as “disturbing” and claimed staff from “diverse backgrounds” are “disproportionately” attacked from the public.

The fallout at the national broadcaster continues after management axed Lattouf just hours after she finishing hosting the ABC Sydney mornings program on Wednesday morning and sources have told The Australian there was serious concerns not only over her social media use – which includes many anti-Israel posts which are against the ABC’s impartiality guidelines – but also her commentary on her radio program relating to the Israel-Hamas war.

On Thursday the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance’s acting chief executive Adam Portelli said in a statement the “ABC should back its employees when they are under attack”.

“Australians expect and deserve an ABC that is home to a range of ideas and opinions reflective of the diversity of Australian society,” he said.

“The ABC should be backing its own employees when they come under attack.

“It is also disturbing if – as has been reported today – the ABC chairperson or other board members are dictating staffing decisions in breach of editorial independence.”

In the statement it said Lattouf had been sacked after she shared a social media post from a “reputable human rights organisation”.

The post she shared was by Human Rights Watch which said, “The Israeli government is using starvation of civilians as a weapon of war in Gaza.”

Lattouf added on the post, “HRW reporting starvation as a tool of war”.

Lattouf, a Lebanese-Australian woman, has also repeatedly rejected the legitimacy of the “gas the Jews” footage from Sydney’s Opera house and attacked Israel numerous times including accusing Israeli forces of committing rape.

Lattouf posted on social media that she was considering her legal options following her sacking.

ABC chair Ita Buttrose is “furious” over the situation involving Lattouf and concerns have been raised internally as to how she was appointed to the role to fill-in for Sarah Macdonald in the first place.

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20108504 (211025ZDEC23) Notable: Boxing Day Test: Usman Khawaja’s black armband protest not approved, faces ICC reprimand - Usman Khawaja did not have ICC approval to wear a black armband during the first Test to mark the plight of Palestinians in Gaza, leaving him open to sanctions from the governing body.

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>>108725 (pb)

>>>/qresearch/20072085 (pb)

>>137327

Boxing Day Test: Usman Khawaja’s black armband protest not approved, faces ICC reprimand

DANIEL CHERNY - DECEMBER 21, 2023

Usman Khawaja did not have ICC approval to wear a black armband during the first Test to mark the plight of Palestinians in Gaza, leaving him open to sanctions from the governing body.

Having been told he would not be allowed to wear pro-Palestinian slogans on his shoes during the match as he had hoped to do, Khawaja instead chose to don a black armband throughout the game.

Black armbands are worn routinely by players to mark personal or cricketing bereavements, however in order to do so they must have approval from both their home board and the ICC’s cricket operations department.

There are prohibitions on wearing an item that has a “political, religious or racial cause.”

After repeated inquiries over the space of a week, the ICC confirmed to this masthead on Wednesday night that Khawaja had not been given approval to wear the armband during the Test between Australia and Pakistan in Perth.

The ICC would not comment on whether the opener would be penalised for wearing the armband without a green light, although the starting point for any sanctions would be a reprimand, meaning Khawaja is not in any serious doubt of missing the Boxing Day Test.

Khawaja, Australia’s first Muslim Test cricketer, had hoped to wear shoes with the messages “Freedom is a human right” and “All lives are equal” written in the Palestinian colours of black, green and red.

He has stressed that his views are purely humanitarian and non-political.

While blocked by the governing body, he has indicated he will push to do so in future matches, having worn the shoes in the nets in the lead-up to the Test at Perth Stadium.

The ICC’s clothing and equipment regulations state that: “In determining whether a message is for a ‘political, religious or racial cause’, the starting point is that the ICC and its members acknowledge and agree that cricket should be used as a tool to bring people and communities around the world together and not as a platform to draw attention to potentially divisive political issues, rhetoric or agendas.

“Each case must be considered on its own facts and the ICC will take into account all relevant circumstances, including (as it sees fit): (a) the views of any other relevant team or individual; (b) the likely sentiment and response in the media to the message in all relevant countries; (c) whether the message is a ‘one-off’ or whether it is to be displayed for a longer period; (d) the purpose and impact of conveying the message,” the regulations continue.

“By way of example only, and without limitation, where the purpose of a message appears to be commemorative in nature (e.g. the use of a black armband or a poppy) or to serve a charitable purpose (e.g. to generate funds or awareness for a non-political charitable cause), it is more likely to be permitted; where a message appears to indicate support for a particular government, political party or individual, it is more likely to be prohibited. Where a request for approval is submitted to the ICC, the ICC shall be entitled to request such further information as it considers necessary before making its decision and to impose such conditions as it sees fit in providing its approval (as applicable).”

Cricket Australia has largely deferred to the ICC regulations, reiterating that while it supports the rights of players to express themselves it expects players to follow ICC rules.

Khawaja is due to arrive in Melbourne later in the week ahead of the second Test, which begins on Tuesday.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/cricket/boxing-day-test-usman-khawajas-black-armband-protest-not-approved-faces-icc-reprimand/news-story/56560db98dd2c11c6bdca684bb60f2a7

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20114518 (221406ZDEC23) Notable: ASIO director to Labor MP: Pro-Palestine rallies are a ‘pressure release’ on domestic terrorism - ASIO director-general Mike Burgess advised Labor MP Michelle Ananda-Rajah that Australia’s pro-Palestine rallies served as an important “pressure release” given a “real risk of a terror ­attack”, a letter from the backbencher to a local voter has revealed.

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>>137327

ASIO director to Labor MP: Pro-Palestine rallies are a ‘pressure release’ on domestic terrorism

ALEXI DEMETRIADI - DECEMBER 22, 2023

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ASIO director-general Mike Burgess advised Labor MP Michelle Ananda-Rajah that Australia’s pro-Palestine rallies served as an important “pressure release” given a “real risk of a terror ­attack”, a letter from the backbencher to a local voter has revealed.

Mr Burgess’s apparent comments and briefing was relayed by the Higgins MP to a Jewish resident who had become concerned about the location of Melbourne’s weekly pro-Palestine rally.

“On the matter of protests, the DG of ASIO, Mike Burgess, ­advised me that these (pro-Palestine rallies) serve as a pressure release, which is valuable given the real risk of a domestic terror attack,” the MP wrote to the voter. “I can live with a protest (provided it is respectful) but not with terrorism.”

A pro-Palestine rally has been held every Sunday outside the State Library Victoria, which is hosting Hebrew scripture exhibition Luminous. The voter wanted to talk to Ms Ananda-Rajah about the location, given herself and fellow members of the Jewish community were concerned about wearing identifiable clothing en route to the exhibition.

An ASIO spokeswoman ­declined to comment on Mr Burgess’s advice given the “sensitive” and confidential nature of all briefings given by the director-general.

“At the commonwealth, state and territory level, ASIO provides briefings on a range of intelligence matters to political leaders, ministers, senior staffers, parliamentary officials, security officers and other relevant parties,” the spokeswoman said. “The details of those discussions are sensitive, and it would be inappropriate to comment further.”

Dr Ananda-Rajah didn’t comment specifically on Mr Burgess’s advice, or why she had disclosed “sensitive” ASIO intelligence to a voter. She did tell The Weekend Australian, however, that social cohesion was “our most valuable national asset”.

“Our government is working with our intelligence agencies to ensure that violence overseas does not precipitate violence in Australia,” she said, referring further questions to the Home ­Affairs Department.

It is understood that Dr ­Ananda-Rajah has been a “staunch friend” of the Jewish community, recently returning from a “solidarity mission” to ­Israel. In her email to the Jewish voter, she also condemned Hamas and said that Israel unilaterally laying down its arms would “underwrite its destruction”.

Organisers at the Palestine Action Group, who leads Sydney rallies, were contacted for reaction to the “pressure release” comments, as was Melbourne’s Australian Palestinian Advocacy Network. Free Palestine Melbourne, which organises that city’s rallies, was contacted.

The news that Australia’s ­security organisations view the pro-Palestine rallies as a necessary “pressure release” was met with condemnation and questions about the likelihood of a ­terror attack. Strategic Analysis Australia director Peter Jennings – speaking broadly on the whole-government approach to the pro-Palestine rallies and domestic radicalism – questioned whether the authorities’ “light-handed” approach had worked.

“For more than a decade the dominant thinking on how to deal with radicalism in Australia has been light-handed,” he said, arguing it was time authorities stopped “walking on eggshells”.

“Our major cities now have these ugly rallies, of which, at the fringes, there is clearly extremist ideology,” he said. “We haven’t done so well out of that. We have firebrand preachers and more visible signs of aggression taking place at these rallies.”

Mr Jennings said it was “time we asked the question” whether authorities should be tougher on dealing with radicalism.

“MPs and police seem to be ­almost fearful of them (the ­rallies),” he said.

“Creating a community (at the rallies) where you can get together and embolden each other’s radicalism is not a good thing either.”

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20123743 (241145ZDEC23) Notable: Usman Khawaja denied permission by ICC to display humanitarian logo at Boxing Day Test - Usman Khawaja has been denied permission to place a peace symbol and reference to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on his bat for the Boxing Day Test but wore the sticker at training on Sunday.

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>>137330

Usman Khawaja denied permission by ICC to display humanitarian logo at Boxing Day Test

PETER LALOR - DECEMBER 24, 2023

Usman Khawaja has been denied permission to place a peace symbol and reference to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on his bat for the Boxing Day Test but wore the sticker at training on Sunday.

The opener who was banned from wearing the words “freedom is a human right” and “all lives are equal” on his bat in the Perth match after his plans were revealed by The Australian is understood to be frustrated that attempts at a compromise have been rejected.

Khawaja had multiple meetings with his bosses at Cricket Australia to find a wording that would be appropriate to the local and international cricket authorities.

He compromised and came up with a dove peace symbol and reference to the first article of the UDHR after being told his initial words were inflammatory.

Khawaja had the sticker on his bat at training at the MCG on Sunday but has been told he cannot use it in the Test.

Article One of the UDHR states: “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood”.

Khawaja has already been sanctioned for wearing a black armband in the Perth Test.

Khawaja said he went to great lengths to keep religion out of the statements on his shoes and emphasised his despair at watching the number of children killed in the conflict.

“I don’t have any agendas other than trying to shine a light on what I feel really passionately, really strongly about. I’m trying to do it in the most respectful way as possible,” Khawaja said.

“What I wrote on my shoes I thought about carefully, I made sure that I didn’t want to segregate different parts of the population, religious beliefs, communities. Hence why I’ve kept religion out of this. I want it to be really broad over my speaking because I am talking about humanitarian issues.

“I’m talking about Article One of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. That is literally the crux of it.

“The reason I’m doing it is because it hit me hard. I told Nick (Hockley) this morning that when I’m looking at my Instagram and I’m seeing kids, innocent kids, videos of them dying, passing away, that’s what’s hit me the hardest. I just imagine my young daughter in my arms and the same thing. I get emotional talking about it right now again. And for me that’s the reason I’m doing this, I don’t have any agendas. I don’t get anything out of this I just feel it is my responsibility to speak up on this.”

Khawaja argued that other players, including Marnus Labuschagne who has a biblical reference, and Indian players who have Hindu symbols on their bats are in breach of regulations but the ICC turns a blind eye.

Michael Holding, one of the game’s great bowlers and most respected commentators, found his voice during the Black Lives Matter protests and won the William Hill Sports Book of the Year prize for his book Why We Kneel How We Rise.

The West Indian great is scathing of cricket’s hand-wringing over the Khawaja issue which he is monitoring from his home.

“I’ve been following the Khawaja fiasco and I cannot say I’m surprised by the ICC stance,” he told The Weekend Australian. “If had been most other organisations that showed some semblance of consistency with their attitude and behaviour on issues I could claim surprise, but not them.

“Once again they show their hypocrisy and lack of moral standing as an organisation.

“The ICC regulations say re messaging ‘Approval shall not be granted for messages which relate to political, religious or racial activities or causes’. So how the f..k people were allowed to take the knee for BLM and stumps were covered with LGBTQ colours???”

Khawaja has had the full support of his teammates during the wrestle with cricket authorities with captain Pat Cummins asking how people could be offended by the sentiments on his shoes.

“His shoes had ‘all lives are equal’, I don’t think that’s very divisive, I don’t think anyone can have too many complaints to that,” he said.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/cricket/usman-khawaja-denied-by-icc-to-continue-human-rights-message/news-story/a79c9c1516461fd601daa175a2fa1106

https://twitter.com/Uz_Khawaja/status/1736680713657999851

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20123773 (241154ZDEC23) Notable: Video: Pro-Palestine activists target ABC office amid Antoinette Lattouf sacking - The ABC Radio’s office in Perth has been the target of vandalism by pro-Palestinian supporters, in response to the national broadcaster’s decision to fire Antoinette Lattouf earlier this week.

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>>137327

>>137328

>>137329

Pro-Palestine activists target ABC office amid Antoinette Lattouf sacking

TILEAH DOBSON - DECEMBER 24, 2023

The ABC Radio’s office in Perth has been the target of vandalism by pro-Palestinian supporters, in response to the national broadcaster’s decision to fire Antoinette Lattouf earlier this week.

Ms Lattouf was meant to be a fill-in host for one of the network’s most coveted radio spots on ABC Sydney, but was axed after three shows for her anti-Israel social media posts.

A slew of complaints about Ms Lattouf’s content from the Jewish community had reached ABC chairwoman Ita Buttrose.

Lattouf has repeatedly refuted the legitimacy of the “gas the Jews” footage from Sydney’s Opera House and posted numerous video on her social media accounts including X, formerly Twitter, Instagram and TikTok about this. She has also accused Israeli forces of committing rape.

It was reported on Friday she had lodged a Fair Work application claiming she was unlawfully terminated from her employment.

In the video obtained by The Australian, its message calls out the ABC’s actions as “censorship” and that it’s “an affront to the very idea of journalistic integrity”.

“Direct action was taken against the ABC Radio office in Boorloo/Perth to protest [the] unjust firing of Antoinette Lattouf over her factual reporting of the Israeli genocide against the people of Palestine.”

“This act of censorship by the ABC management is an affront to the very idea of journalistic integrity. While the ABC cower in the face of external pressure, 100 journalists have been killed while reporting on the genocide being committed by the state of Israel.”

In the video, an individual covered in a white scarf covers over the ABC Radio logo and proceeds to graffiti the words ‘Boycott’, ‘Justice for Antoinette’ and ‘Free Palestine’.

When contacted, WA Police confirmed the incident had not yet been reported.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/propalestine-activists-target-abc-office-amid-antoinette-lattouf-sacking/news-story/bb22e0ebc62065b4a09c1bba03b00c6b

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20123786 (241200ZDEC23) Notable: Jessica Westcott Tweet - Free Palestine Activists at #carolsbycandlelight in Melbourne

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>>137327

Jessica Westcott Tweet

Free Palestine Activists at #carolsbycandlelight in Melbourne

https://twitter.com/JessicaWestcot8/status/1738852950888571362

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20127963 (251223ZDEC23) Notable: Carols by Candlelight interrupted by pro-Palestine protesters in Melbourne - The actions of a pro-Palestine protester who disrupted Carols by Candle light in Melbourne have been condemned by Jewish leaders who are concerned that “guerilla type tactics” will be used at New Years celebrations.

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>>137327

>>137334

Carols by Candlelight interrupted by pro-Palestine protesters in Melbourne

AISLING BRENNAN and ELI GREEN - DECEMBER 25, 2023

The actions of a pro-Palestine protester who disrupted Carols by Candle light in Melbourne have been condemned by Jewish leaders who are concerned that “guerilla type tactics” will be used at New Years celebrations.

Victoria Police have arrested the 21-year-old Brunswick woman and issued her with an infringement notice for carrying a controlled weapon while a second person was moved on by police.

On Christmas Eve, children performing at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl stage were rushed to safety after several protesters carrying Palestine flags descended out of nowhere to interrupt the show.

The Channel 9 cameras were filming hosts David Campbell and Sarah Abo when the incident unfolded during the live broadcast.

The protest was an attempt to “destroy our sense of security” according to Anti-Defamation Commission chairman Dr Dvir Abramovich.

“These guerrilla type tactics are spiralling out of control and I’m sure that a most Victorians would have been rattled and shocked to the core to see these tactics of intimidation unfolding in front of children and parents,” he said.

“Carols by Candlelight was once a safe place for families to celebrate the beauty Christmas , but no more, as this tornado of prejudice is destroying our sense of security.”

The crowd was heard applauding as the kids returned to the stage and the show continued.

Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Alex Ryvchin condemned the disruption on Sunday.

“You can always count on anti-Israel extremists to make everything about them and to appall decent, ordinary people,” Mr Ryvchin said.

“The chorus of boos tells them loud and clear they’re not wanted.”

Another two protesters were denied entry to the event according to a statement from Victoria Police.

One protester even tried to grab the microphone from Mr Campbell, managing to say “while you’re carolling, kids are dying in Gaza” before the audio was cut.

Mr Campbell interrupted his scripted dialogue when he realised the commotion on stage wasn’t part of the show.

“Hang on one second,” he said.

“Nice and easy.”

The singer tried to keep the crowd calm and informed as security guards removed the protesters from the stage.

“It’s all good, thank you everybody, everyone’s allowed to have their moment,” Mr Campbell said.

“The kids are safe, and they’re going to come back out.

“It’s important to come together on a night like this too when there’s a lot of pain out there and a lot of people are experiencing it.”

His co-host thanked the crew for their quick action in removing the protesters safely.

“It is the climate, we are in Melbourne,” Ms Abo said.

“Incredible work here by the team as well.”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/latest-news/carols-by-candlelight-interrupted-by-propalestine-protesters-in-melbourne/news-story/f092a804f06002e4cf65864d1278c829

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20127981 (251232ZDEC23) Notable: Security to be reviewed after pro-Palestinian protesters interrupt Carols by Candlelight - Security at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl will be reviewed after pro-Palestinian protesters stormed the stage during a live broadcast of Carols by Candlelight on Sunday night. Children were rushed off the stage as two protesters ran across it waving Palestinian flags about 8pm.

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>>137327

>>137334

Security to be reviewed after pro-Palestinian protesters interrupt Carols by Candlelight

Shelby Garlick and Alex Crowe - December 25, 2023

Security at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl will be reviewed after pro-Palestinian protesters stormed the stage during a live broadcast of Carols by Candlelight on Sunday night.

Children were rushed off the stage as two protesters ran across it waving Palestinian flags about 8pm.

A 21-year-old woman from Brunswick was arrested and police moved on a second person following the Christmas Eve demonstration.

An Arts Centre Melbourne spokesperson said on Monday that everyone had the right to protest peacefully “but not at the expense of the safety of others”.

The spokesperson said the incident was being managed by police and it would be inappropriate to comment further. However, it is standard practice to review arrangements after a security breach.

Police said the arrested Brunswick woman had been issued with an infringement notice for possession of a controlled weapon. They did not provide details on the type of weapon the woman allegedly took to the carols.

Security guards quickly removed one protester as the other tried to grab the microphone from host David Campbell, managing to say “kids are dying in Gaza” before they were also taken away by security.

After both were removed, Campbell appealed for calm and assured people the children about to perform were safe.

“They’re allowed to have their moment, they’re allowed to have their time in the sun, but we did have kids here, so we wanted to make sure those kids are safe, they’re gonna be back out in a second,” Campbell said as he attempted to reassure the crowd.

“It’s a very hard time in this world, it’s a hard time for us all to come together on a night like this when there’s a lot of pain out there. We’re going to just settle things down for a moment, and we’re all going to be fine.”

The children returned to the stage shortly after the disruption.

Another two protesters were denied entry at the gates, police said.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called for a harmonious Christmas following the demonstration, telling reporters at a lunch in Sydney on Monday the holiday was a time for all people to come together.

“I have a very firm view that Australia’s social cohesion is absolutely critical and we need to bear that in mind in all of our actions,” he said.

Albanese served lunch to the homeless at the Exodus Foundation in Sydney’s west on Monday, joined by NSW Premier Chris Minns.

“This is a time in which we come together as a nation ... where people have come, from different faiths, from different parts of the world to make Australia their home,” Albanese said.

“It’s important that be cherished and nourished and that we don’t seek to divide.”

Paul Kelly, G Flip and Casey Donovan were among the performers who lit up the stage for the annual Christmas concert on Sunday night.

They were joined by the cast of musicals Grease and Wicked, as well as carols regulars Denis Walter, Marina Prior and Silvie Paladino.

The event raises money for Vision Australia’s children’s services, with all proceeds supporting families and children who are blind or have low vision.

Carols by Candlelight, which is broadcast live by Channel Nine, the owner of this masthead, has been held on Christmas Eve in Melbourne since 1938.

https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/pro-palestine-protesters-interrupt-melbourne-s-carols-by-candlelight-20231224-p5etjp.html

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20098545 (191041ZDEC23) Notable: Troop boost to Middle East but no ship to Red Sea - Australia is unlikely to send a ­warship to join a dangerous new mission in the Red Sea but is set to deploy more personnel to the Middle East, amid pressure on the Albanese government to respond to a US request for Australia to be involved.

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>>108723 (pb)

Troop boost to Middle East but no ship to Red Sea

BEN PACKHAM and CAMERON STEWART - DECEMBER 19, 2023

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Australia is unlikely to send a ­warship to join a dangerous new mission in the Red Sea but is set to deploy more personnel to the Middle East, amid pressure on the Albanese government to respond to a US request for Australia to be involved.

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin will announce details within days of Operation Prosperity Guardian – a new multi­national task force to combat attacks on commercial shipping by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels.

The US Navy asked Australia to send a warship to join the ­operation, but after the Albanese government made it clear in ­initial talks that its primary focus was the Indo-Pacific, it is ­understood the US has decided to modify its request.

The growing number of ­attacks on ships, which forced a US warship to shoot down 14 drones on Saturday, has jeopardised transit through the Red Sea, prompting major shipping countries to suspend voyages through a waterway that carries 10 per cent of the world’s cargo.

Australian Defence officials will speak to US counterparts on Tuesday, when they are expected to be told that an Australian ship is no longer being sought for the operation. A modified request from the US will give political cover for the Albanese government, which was under increasing pressure to explain why it had not agreed to the US Navy request.

Instead of sending a warship, Australia is likely to agree to ­deploy more defence force personnel to shore-based roles with the US-led Combined Maritime Force in Bahrain. There are currently five ADF personnel working at CMF headquarters.

The Albanese government told US officials the Australian Navy’s priority was in the ­immediate region where it has been playing a role in securing freedom of navigation in the South China Sea at a time when Chinese navy harassment of ­foreign naval warships and planes is on the rise.

The initial request came just days before the US Congress gave the green light to the unprecedented transfer of three nuclear submarines to Australia under the AUKUS partnership. Anthony Albanese said on Monday his government was ­giving appropriate consideration to what was a “general request to a range of nations”.

“Of course, our first priority is in our own region, and certainly the United States understands the important role that we’re playing, including freedom of navigation and other issues in our region,” the Prime Minister said.

It’s understood that if the Red Sea security situation worsened and Mr Austin issued a direct appeal to Defence Minister Richard Marles to supply a warship for the operation, the government would prioritise the request.

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20103699 (200950ZDEC23) Notable: Anthony Albanese: peace of mind but no warship for Red Sea - Anthony Albanese has declared Australia is not just an observer in the defence of global freedom and the rule-based order at the same time as his government is set to reject a US Navy request to send a warship to the Red Sea to help ­secure a vital trade route under ­attack from Iran-based militants.

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>>137338

Anthony Albanese: peace of mind but no warship for Red Sea

CAMERON STEWART and BEN PACKHAM - DECEMBER 20, 2023

Anthony Albanese has declared Australia is not just an observer in the defence of global freedom and the rule-based order at the same time as his government is set to reject a US Navy request to send a warship to the Red Sea to help ­secure a vital trade route under ­attack from Iran-based militants.

Australia is expected to decline a US request to send a ­warship to the Red Sea after ­participating in a meeting overnight with US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin.

The decision is political, coming despite assurances by the navy that it could send a warship to the Middle East if it was ordered to do so, and the Prime Minister’s declaration in a speech on Tuesday that “peace must be built, preserved, defended and upheld”.

Mr Austin has excluded Australia from a new 10-nation naval task force to help protect ­commercial shipping in the Red Sea after the Albanese ­government signalled it was reluctant to contribute a navy ship to the force.

Chief of the Defence Force Angus Campbell was due to represent Australia at a virtual meeting hosted by Mr Austin to discuss the new task force known as Operation Prosperity Guardian.

Instead of contributing a warship to the task force, as was originally requested by the US Navy, Australia is expected to contribute a handful of navy personnel to the Combined Maritime Forces headquarters to Bahrain to support the new force.

The Prime Minister told the Lowy Institute on Tuesday night that upholding Australia’s security involved “managing urgent and competing pressures and engaging with complex and fast-moving situations”.

He said the government’s decisions were “anchored in a strategic framework and shaped by an overarching vision for Australia’s future and our place in the world”.

Mr Albanese declared on Monday that “our first priority is in our own region”. But he told the Lowy Institute the government was also focused on the wider world, amid “new flashpoints, old fault lines, ongoing tests of the rules-based order and resurgent challenges to free societies”.

“It’s often said that what happens on the world stage matters to Australia,” the Prime Minister told the Lowy Institute.

“But we are not just observers of the interplay of others’ ambitions. And our foreign policy is not just a catalogue of things that happen to us. What Australia says and does on the world stage matters – to our security, our prosperity, to the strength and stability of the region we call home.”

Mr Albanese added: “Peace is always hard work – and defence and security are central to the task.”

Mr Austin announced the new taskforce to deal with attacks on shipping from Iran-backed Houthi rebels, which threatened “the free flow of commerce, endangers innocent mariners, and violates international law.”

“The Red Sea is a critical waterway that has been essential to freedom of navigation and a major commercial corridor that facilitates international trade,” Mr Austin said.

“Countries that seek to uphold the foundational principle of ­freedom of navigation must come ­together to tackle the challenge posed by this non-state actor launching ballistic missiles and uncrewed aerial vehicles at ­merchant vessels from many nations lawfully transiting inter­national waters.”

The taskforce includes the UK, Canada, France, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands.

Oil giant BP is the latest company to pause shipping through the Red Sea in response to missile and drone attacks by Houthi forces.

Houthi rebels attacked two more ships in the Red Sea on Monday after launching multiple drone attacks at the weekend which forced a US warship to shoot down 14 drones.

The commander of the Australian naval fleet, Rear Admiral Christopher Smith, declared last week the service was “ready to support any requirements that the government will ask of us”.

It’s understood that message was reiterated in recent days, with the navy telling the government that it could mobilise an Anzac-class frigate for the task force if necessary.

But Defence Minister Richard Marles has said the priority of the navy was Australia’s immediate region.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/defence/anthony-albanese-peace-of-mind-but-no-warship-for-red-sea/news-story/83b900612a20c79d8d7eac1bced4c788

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20103702 (200956ZDEC23) Notable: Why is the government afraid, unwilling or unable to send a warship to Red Sea when our allies ask? - "The Albanese government’s all-but-certain decision to refuse a US Navy request to send a warship to the Red Sea is an embarrassment for Australia. The US was not asking for a fleet, it was asking for a single ship to operate in an area where the navy has proven expertise." - Cameron Stewart - theaustralian.com.au

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>>137338

>>137339

Why is the government afraid, unwilling or unable to send a warship to Red Sea when our allies ask?

CAMERON STEWART - DECEMBER 19, 2023

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The Albanese government’s all-but-certain decision to refuse a US Navy request to send a warship to the Red Sea is an embarrassment for Australia.

It signals to the world that Australia is no longer the reliable contributor to global security, the loyal ally or the consistent ­defender of the so-called rules-based order it once claimed to be. Instead, this likely decision reveals a timid and insular government, afraid, unwilling or unable to send a single – yes, that’s right – a single warship to the world’s most pressing maritime hot zone.

It goes against the grain of Australia’s proud history of making modest but symbolically important contributions to multinational deployments on matters clearly in Australia’s national ­interest.

And what, right now, could be more in Australia’s interests than ensuring the security of the vital sea lanes on the Red Sea, where more than 12 per cent of the world’s trade passes through, including many billions of dollars of Australian imports and exports?

Exactly why Australia would refuse such a request remains shrouded in mystery because this secretive government refuses to publicly explain its thinking ­beyond vague generalities about giving priority to our immediate region in its naval deployments.

The government is set to formally announce on Wednesday that it won’t send a warship, but it was waiting first to participate in a virtual joint conference with US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and several other countries before making a final decision.

It has tried to justify its expected decision to refuse the initial US request for a warship by suggesting it wasn’t an urgent request from Washington because it came via the US Navy and therefore didn’t require a timely answer.

Mr Austin clearly disagrees, announcing on Tuesday a 10-country naval taskforce called Operation Prosperity Guardian to protect commercial shipping in the Red Sea from fast-growing missile and drone attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Mr Austin says the Red Sea crisis “threatens the free flow of commerce, endangers innocent mariners, and violates international law”, and “countries that seek to uphold the foundational principle of freedom of navigation must come together to tackle the challenge posed by this non-state actor”.

Sorry, Mr Austin, but Australia is no longer one of those countries. Never mind the fact like-minded nations such as the UK, Canada, France, Italy, Spain and Norway have joined the taskforce. In the week when critical legislation enabling AUKUS passed in the US congress, Australia is the only AUKUS member to refuse requests to send a ship to the Red Sea.

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20103729 (201019ZDEC23) Notable: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese holds first official meeting with New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon.

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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese holds first official meeting with New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon

Tom Crowley - 20 December 2023

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has met with newly elected New Zealand PM Christopher Luxon in Sydney today.

It is the first in-person meeting between the leaders since Mr Luxon was sworn in last month.

The pair discussed Mr Luxon's interest in exploring opportunities to participate in technology sharing under the AUKUS partnership between Australia, the UK and the US.

Mr Albanese said he was supportive of opportunities for greater co-operation between the two countries' defence forces.

The two leaders spoke warmly of their relationship, with Mr Albanese noting they had known each other for "a very long period of time", dating back to Mr Luxon's tenure as the chief executive of Air New Zealand, which overlapped with Mr Albanese's period as transport minister.

Mr Luxon thanked Mr Albanese for his recent decision to make it easier for New Zealanders to gain Australian citizenship.

"Just putting it out there, I think they're probably your best migrants," Mr Luxon said.

Mr Luxon, who leads the conservative National Party, became prime minister after weeks of negotiations with minor parties, resulting in a coalition with the ACT Party and the NZ First.

His first actions in the job included disbanding the Maori Health Service, reducing the use of Maori language in the public service, and announcing plans to repeal legislation to outlaw tobacco smoking.

Those decisions prompted accusations from Maori Party co-leader Hauauru Debbie Ngarewa-Packer that the government had deteriorated race relations to their worst level "since the earliest stages of colonisation".

Asked about those comments today, Mr Luxon said his government had a "difference of opinion" with the Maori Party and did not believe a separate health authority would deliver good outcomes.

Mr Albanese said he had "no intention of commenting on domestic New Zealand politics", but re-affirmed his own government's commitment to closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.

Last week, Mr Albanese and Mr Luxon joined with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to call for "urgent international efforts towards a sustainable ceasefire" in Gaza.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-12-20/anthony-albanese-new-zealand-christopher-luxon-meeting/103249888

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20108451 (210931ZDEC23) Notable: Video: Terror leader Abdul Nacer Benbrika to walk free after Supreme Court order - Convicted terror cell leader Abdul Nacer Benbrika will walk free from prison on Tuesday on a strict supervision order, ending a years-long legal battle waged by the government to keep him behind bars beyond his sentence.

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Terror leader Abdul Nacer Benbrika to walk free after Supreme Court order

David Estcourt and Angus Thompson - December 19, 2023

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Convicted terror cell leader Abdul Nacer Benbrika will walk free from prison on Tuesday on a strict supervision order, ending a years-long legal battle waged by the government to keep him behind bars beyond his sentence.

Benbrika’s lawyers successfully argued the notorious Muslim cleric should be released from a continuing detention order, which has kept him inside Barwon Prison since 2020, after he finished serving a 15-year sentence for terror offences. The government subsequently agreed but has since opened the door to challenging the supervision order, which includes fewer conditions and covers a smaller period than the government originally requested.

Supreme Court judge Elizabeth Hollingworth said the government and Benbrika’s lawyers agreed he should be subject to an extended supervision order (ESO) and released into the community because of his reduced risk of offending.

”The evidence clearly establishes, and the Attorney-General quite clearly accepts, that Mr Benbrika has been making substantial progress towards de-radicalisation in recent years,” Hollingworth said.

“The risk of offending is now low enough that it can be managed by Mr Benbrika living in the community on a strict ESO.”

Benbrika will be on the ESO for one year. Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said in a statement after the ruling that while he welcomed the court’s decision to impose an ESO, it did not include every condition sought by the government nor did it exist for the three-year period he had applied for.

“This application was made in accordance with advice from all operational agencies involved in the matter, including the Australian Federal Police,” Dreyfus said.

“The government will carefully consider the court’s written reasons when published, in consultation with the Commonwealth’s lawyers and our security and law enforcement agencies, before determining next steps.”

The 30 conditions include a curfew, living at a specific address that he cannot change without permission from authorities and answering the door when called upon by police. He must also continue receiving psychological treatment and continue to engage with de-radicalisation programs.

His treating psychologists may also disclose any information that might concern the safety of people in the community, he must wear an electronic monitoring device, and he must not associate or communicate with people who live in certain countries, who are in prison or who have been convicted of terror offences.

Benbrika can also only start working or volunteering with the permission of federal police, has strict rules around financial transactions and is prohibited from making public speeches about certain topics.

He is also subject to strict conditions regarding the use of mobile phones and other electronic devices, and cannot possess weapons and other objects which could be used as weapons.

Federal police can also perform searches to ensure Benbrika’s compliance with the conditions.

Benbrika, an Algerian grandfather who goes by Nacer, appeared from Barwon Prison’s Piper Unit, a prison unit designed for dangerous offenders, in a blue robe to watch the hearing in the Supreme Court. He is expected to be released later on Tuesday.

Following a federal police operation, Benbrika was convicted in 2009 of directing a terrorist organisation. A jury found him guilty of being the spiritual leader of a terror cell with members in Melbourne and Sydney that planned attacks on Australian soil.

Benbrika’s group discussed carrying out attacks because it wanted the Australian government to withdraw troops from Iraq and Afghanistan. No attacks were ever carried out.

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20108573 (211120ZDEC23) Notable: Donald Trump’s return could hurt Australia, warn business leaders - Australian business leaders have sounded the alarm about Donald Trump’s potential return to power next year, warning his trade plan would smash the economy and betray our alliance. The former president - who is leading Joe Biden in the polls and could be confirmed as the Republican candidate within weeks – is promising to hit all imports to the US with a universal 10 per cent tariff. The radical policy would breach Australia’s free trade agreement with the US and harm domestic businesses that exported $30bn in goods and services to our closest ally last year.

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Donald Trump’s return could hurt Australia, warn business leaders

Australian business leaders have sounded the alarm about Donald Trump’s economic plan if he returns to the White House.

Tom Minear - December 21, 2023

Exclusive: Australian business leaders have sounded the alarm about Donald Trump’s potential return to power next year, warning his trade plan would smash the economy and betray our alliance.

The former president – who is leading Joe Biden in the polls and could be confirmed as the Republican candidate within weeks – is promising to hit all imports to the US with a universal 10 per cent tariff.

The radical policy would breach Australia’s free trade agreement with the US and harm domestic businesses that exported $30bn in goods and services to our closest ally last year.

Australian Industry Group boss Innes Willox said such a “reckless and indiscriminate act” would be “potentially calamitous for both the international and the American economies”.

“Security allies like Australia, who have a free-trade agreement with the US, would feel especially deeply betrayed if they were caught up in such a short-term, self-centred act of economic harm,” he said.

Business Council of Australia chief executive Bran Black said the tariff plan “would be bad for business and bad for all Australians”.

And Export Council of Australia chair Dianne Tipping said the Australian government needed to be lobbying Mr Trump and his team now to ensure an exemption for Australian businesses, including the meat and technology industries that would be most affected.

With less than a year until the presidential election, Mr Trump has established a clear advantage over Mr Biden in recent polls, with the Wall Street Journal’s latest survey giving him a lead of 47 per cent to 43 per cent in the hypothetical 2020 election rematch.

And while the former president is embroiled in four state and federal criminal cases that could put him in jail, he has also been rolling out a policy agenda that is even more extreme than his first four years in the White House.

Australia managed to secure a rare exemption from Mr Trump’s steel and aluminium tariffs during his presidency. But he is now promising to go further with “a system of universal baseline tariffs” and has said: “I do like the 10 per cent for everybody.”

Mr Willox said American tariffs in 1930 “undoubtedly prolonged the Great Depression”, and that “to repeat this folly would only serve to slow the global economic recovery”.

Ms Tipping agreed, saying it would “undermine all the work that’s been done for 30 years on trade” and would “contravene our free trade agreement”.

“It would be a really backward step for global trade,” she said.

Mr Black added: “One in four Australian jobs depend on trade and having open and transparent markets, including to the United States, is vital to the Australian economy and our economic success as a country.”

While in office, Mr Trump also pulled the US out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Mr Biden has not moved to rejoin the sweeping trade deal, and the trade pillar of his alternative Indo-Pacific Economic Framework has been hampered by the domestic political backlash.

Australian officials have cautiously criticised America’s trade policies, although Kevin Rudd went further prior to starting as Australia’s US ambassador, saying that the US was “happy to throw some of its allies under a bus” with its protectionist approach.

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/business/companies/donald-trumps-return-could-hurt-australia-warn-business-leaders/news-story/a9d2e532800bd208efc7efa8e32ef00e

>These people are stupid.

>Enjoy the show!

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20114546 (221413ZDEC23) Notable: Security agencies mobilise to stem attack on St Vincent’s, operator of 10 hospitals and 26 aged-care facilities in NSW, Queensland and Victoria - Cyber criminals have hacked into one of Australia’s biggest health networks, stealing data in an attack that has set off alarm bells across the nation. Acting National Cyber Security Co-ordinator Hamish Hansford confirmed he was working with the health network, alongside the National Office of Cyber Security and the Australian Signals Directorate to contain the breach and investigate possible damage.

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>>108575 (pb)

Security agencies mobilise to stem attack on operator of 10 hospitals and 26 aged-care facilities

SARAH ISON, JOSEPH LAM and DAVID MURRAY - DECEMBER 22, 2023

Cyber criminals have hacked into one of Australia’s biggest health networks, stealing data in an attack that has set off alarm bells across the nation.

The federal government’s cyber security defence capabilities have joined forces to contain and investigate the extent of the breach at St Vincent’s, operator of 10 hospitals and 26 aged-care facilities in NSW, Queensland and Victoria.

It’s the latest in a series of major cyber attacks over the past 18 months that have led to tens of millions of people having their records stolen or data compromised from organisations including Medibank, Optus and Latitude Financial.

St Vincent’s confirmed on Friday it was the target of a cyber security breach which it had first detected and begun responding to on Tuesday.

Initial investigations led to the health network on Thursday discovering data had been removed from its systems.

“St Vincent’s is working to determine what data has been removed,” a spokesman for the organisation, which employs 30,000 people across the country, said on Friday.

Two sources close to the investigation said there had been no communication from the criminals as of Friday afternoon.

The healthcare sector globally has been the target of malware attacks that lock down an organisation’s data until a ransom is paid, severely impacting services and posing a direct threat to patient safety.

St Vincent’s has instead been the victim of theft, leaving services functioning normally.

“It’s a really small amount of information at the moment. There’s been no ransomware deployed in the system,” one source said.

However investigators were still seeking to confirm if more data was stolen, how long the cyber criminals were in the system and what else they did while they had access, along with trying to determine who was behind the attack.

Shortly after the St Vincent’s statement, Acting National Cyber Security Co-ordinator Hamish Hansford confirmed he was working with the health network, alongside the National Office of Cyber Security and the Australian Signals Directorate to contain the breach and investigate possible damage.

“My team is working with Services Australia, the Department of Health and Aged Care, and relevant state and territory agencies to ensure a co-ordinated government response to this incident and to mitigate any flow-on effects,” Mr Hansford said.

“We’re advised that this incident has not affected the ability of St Vincent’s to deliver their important services to patients, residents, and the broader community across their hospital, aged care, and virtual and home health networks.”

A hospital spokesman said an investigation was underway as was an action plan with “key activities (which) include securing and containing the incident, understanding what the cyber criminals have done, and identifying what data may have been accessed and stolen”.

The St Vincent’s breach arrives just one month after a cyber attack on a multinational logistics operator which controls four Australian ports responsible for 40 per cent of the nation’s exports.

The breach on the Australian arm of Dubai-based DP World on November 10 shut down the company’s ports in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, and resulted in a backload of 30,000 containers.

The breach at the time sparked major concerns over the ability for imports to reach Australian shelves in time for Christmas.

It was later revealed the personal details of former and current staff were stolen by a hacker.

A St Vincent’s spokesman said the hospital network was still able to function despite early mitigation efforts to contain the breach.

“Our priority is the health and safety of our patients, residents, and our people, and the continuity of St Vincent’s services for the community,” he said.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/technology/security-agencies-mobilise-to-stem-attack-on-operator-of-10-hospitals-and-26-agedcare-facilities/news-story/7270d2c75b3952a1c0a786c99c0c985a

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20114699 (221449ZDEC23) Notable: ‘Moving towards violence’: Authorities alert to radicalised sovereign citizens - The Australian Federal Police have revealed they’re targeting sovereign citizen groups who pose a risk of violence, while experts on anti-government extremists warn the threat must be balanced with the sensitive handling of mental health.

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‘Moving towards violence’: Authorities alert to radicalised sovereign citizens

Clare Sibthorpe - December 22, 2023

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The Australian Federal Police have revealed they’re targeting sovereign citizen groups who pose a risk of violence, while experts on anti-government extremists warn the threat must be balanced with the sensitive handling of mental health.

Sovereign citizens generally believe every human is born “free”, the government is illegitimate or corrupt, and they do not have to follow laws unless they sign a contract. There are fears some have become increasingly radicalised due to spending more time online since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Acting Assistant Commissioner of the AFP’s Counter Terrorism and Special Investigations Command, Stephen Nutt, told the Herald the movement has recently been seen to “co-opt or overlap with patriot movements, conspiracy theories, anti-authoritarian and ethno-nationalist perspectives and the far-right”.

He said the pandemic led to people spending more time online and showing “increasing susceptibility to conspiracy theories due to the time of crisis and hardening of consensus ‘radical’ perspectives”.

Nutt said the AFP, alongside its domestic and international partners, were focused on “groups that may seek to breach legislation and move towards violence in support of any ideation”, adding the AFP’s Joint Counter Terrorism Team members were required to undergo training to understand and combat the threats of sovereign citizens.

The AFP’s Counter Terrorism Command and subsequent Joint Counter Terrorism teams were set up in 2002 in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks and 2002 Bali Bombings.

Two academics echoed Nutts’ concerns, fearing a perfect storm of isolated people, heavy social media use, an aggrievement towards society and underlying mental health issues could lead to more sovereign citizens harming themselves or others.

But they warned heavy-handed law enforcement was often deployed when it was too late – and there should be a stronger focus on preventing the radicalisation of people with mental health issues.

While sovereign citizens are far from new, Law Professor Harry Hobbs from the University of Technology Sydney said the pandemic accelerated their influence as they learnt how to integrate their anti-government ideologies into the topic of the day.

“Lately, they’ve shifted their focus away from anti-vax (sentiment) towards the referendum and how the Voice was apparently a backdoor for the UN (United Nations) to come in and steal Australian land,” Hobbs said.

“A lot of them claim they’re non-violent and peaceful, but obviously, they advocate for a lot of hate and division. They’ve internalised the view that they’re allowed to do whatever they want, which can be a trigger for violent behaviours.”

High-profile sovereign citizens have publicly called for politicians and health workers to be hanged for their work during the pandemic, such as former SAS soldier turned right-wing extremist, Riccardo Bosi.

Bosi led the unregistered AustraliaOne Party (A1) when he unsuccessfully stood in the western Sydney seat of Greenway at the 2022 federal election. Several of his claims have been debunked by AAP FactCheck, including over the legality of the Australian election, COVID-19 vaccines, former prime minister Scott Morrison and the war in Ukraine.

Fellow conspiracy theorist, Darren Bergwerf, has also run for the A1 party. Bergwerf founded the anti-vax group, MyPlace, and spoke on the ABC’s 7.30 program of a plan of MyPlace members to take “control of council decisions”.

The Herald does not suggest Bosi or Bergwerf are linked to the groups police are monitoring.

According to Hobbs, a collective bid to overthrow or attack law enforcement was not the “real risk” – he was more concerned with an increase in “individual acts of violence” from people being radicalised online.

“There are echo chambers, rabbit holes and nebulous algorithms where people get increasingly promoted by extreme positions,” he said.

“They’re frustrated and isolated, may have underlying mental health challenges, and there’s perhaps something that triggers them. They can become violent, and they can do real damage to themselves and to people around them, particularly police”.

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20128008 (251243ZDEC23) Notable: Woman arrested after pro-Palestine protesters disrupt Carols by Candlelight - The incident unfolded in front of tens of thousands of people at the family-friendly event and tens of thousands more watching the broadcast live from home. A woman holding a Palestinian flag ran around the stage before attempting to wrestle a microphone off hosts David Campbell and Sarah Abo. “While you’re carolling, kids are dying in Gaza,” the woman screamed.

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>>137327

>>137334

Woman arrested after pro-Palestine protesters disrupt Carols by Candlelight

TRICIA RIVERA and ALEXI DEMETRIADI - DECEMBER 25, 2023

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Jewish leaders warn new year’s eve and Australia Day ­celebrations will be subject to “guerrilla-type tactics” by pro-Palestine activists, after two protesters who hijacked a Carols in Candlelight show while children were on stage faced no charges.

Police arrested a 21-year-old woman who rushed the stage of the annual Christmas Eve event at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl over the concealment of a “controlled weapon”. But neither the woman nor her fellow protester was charged over the storming of the stage.

The 21-year-old was only handed a minor infringement notice over the weapon, which police refused to describe.

The incident unfolded in front of tens of thousands of people at the family-friendly event and tens of thousands more watching the broadcast live from home.

A woman holding a Palestinian flag ran around the stage before attempting to wrestle a microphone off hosts David Campbell and Sarah Abo.

“While you’re carolling, kids are dying in Gaza,” the woman screamed.

The protesters then disrupted child entertainers Emma Memma and Elvin Melvin’s performance at 8.30pm as children on stage were escorted to safety.

The event’s hosts reassured the booing crowd as security ­ushered the pair of protesters quickly off stage.

“They’re allowed to have their moment … But we did have kids here so we want to make sure those kids are safe, they’re going to come back out in a second,” Mr Campbell said. “It is a very hard time in this world. It’s a hard time for all of us to come together on a night like this too when there’s a lot of pain out there a lot of people are experiencing.”

A Victoria Police spokeswoman said the Brunswick woman was arrested and issued with an infringement notice for possession of a controlled weapon. The second protester was moved on by officers and a further two activists were denied entry at the event’s gates.

Anti-Defamation Commission chairman Dvir Abramovich called the onstage protest “ugly” and said it sought to “destroy the spirit of Christmas”.

“These agents of division want to spread their hateful ideology of anti-Semitism and anti-Israel agenda everywhere,” he said.

“They are changing our city, once a tolerant haven, into a cesspool of propaganda. Carols by Candlelight was once a safe place for families to celebrate the beauty of Christmas.”

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20128032 (251254ZDEC23) Notable: Agony of an ally: Anthony Albanese’s ‘Gaza contradictions’ - Israeli ambassador Amir Maimon has accused Anthony Albanese of contradictory messages over the war with Hamas, declared the Jewish homeland’s fight against terrorism has been held to a different standard from Australia’s own operations in Afghanistan, and lamented that his citizens did not feel secure in this country.

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>>108687 (pb)

>>137327

Agony of an ally: Anthony Albanese’s ‘Gaza contradictions’

ALEXI DEMETRIADI - DECEMBER 25, 2023

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Israeli ambassador Amir Maimon has accused Anthony Albanese of contradictory messages over the war with Hamas, declared the Jewish homeland’s fight against terrorism has been held to a different standard from Australia’s own operations in Afghanistan, and lamented that his citizens did not feel secure in this country.

Amid another weekend of nationwide pro-Palestine stunts including the televised hijacking of Carols by Candlelight in Melbourne, Mr Maimon said Israel had a responsibility to toughen travel warnings on Australia and said Israelis did not feel secure in “your beautiful country.”

Following Labor’s U-turn to support a ceasefire at the UN ­general assembly this month, Mr Maimon, in a rare interview, also questioned how the Prime Minister himself could support both a pause in the war and the ultimate removal of Hamas from Gaza.

“I find it hard to understand how a democratic nation like Australia has doubts about Israel’s right to defend itself and use all possible means to ensure Israelis aren’t living under a similar threat (against Hamas) in the future,” Mr Maimon said.

“The Prime Minister understands that Hamas cannot be part of future governance in Gaza … yet supports a ceasefire. These are contradictory messages.”

In a viral video circulating last week, Hamas senior leader Ghazi Hamad appeared to applaud Australia’s ceasefire U-turn. Mr Albanese criticised the video as “propaganda”.

Mr Maimon said Israel was being treated differently from Western nations in its pursuit of terror groups, and made direct comparisons with the war in Afghanistan.

“I wonder what the international community’s reaction would be if, instead of Israel, it was Australia, New Zealand or the UK fighting against such an evil terror organisation,” Mr Maimon said.

“I wonder if they would be under the same pressure or calls (to lay down arms)? Or under the same kind of focus on the humanitarian situation or calls about adhering to law.

“I didn’t hear it (the same calls) when Australia was part of an international force fighting in Afghanistan … Israel is measured by a different standard.”

When criticisms of Israel’s military approach were put to him – according to the Hamas-run health ministry more than 20,000 people have been killed – Mr ­Maimon stressed that “Israel was in full adherence to international ­humanitarian and conflict law”, and doing its utmost to limit the death toll in Gaza.

“While I do understand some of the concerns … Israel are the victims, we were attacked,” he said.

“The war could be over ­tomorrow if Hamas surrender, gave up its arms and released its hostages.

“The pressure should not be on Israel (but Hamas).

“Israel is using its defence systems to defend its people against Hamas. Whereas Hamas is using theirs to defend their missiles and other weapons.”

On Christmas Eve, the Hamas-run health ministry claimed an ­Israeli air strike on the Al-Maghazi refugee camp had killed at least 70 people. The Israeli Defence Force said it was looking into the strike and that it had retrieved the bodies of five Israeli hostages killed in Hamas captivity from a tunnel network in northern Gaza.

After one of the deadliest days of the conflict, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the war had come at a “very heavy price for his country” but that the Jewish state had “no choice” but to keep fighting amid reports Egypt had proposed a new ceasefire.

The Israeli ambassador’s comments came in the midst of another weekend of protests, with Melbourne’s Carols by Candlelight disrupted onstage by pro-Palestine activists on Christmas Eve. Mr Maimon said neither his embassy nor the Netanyahu government could no longer ignore a pattern of anti-Semitic and anti-Israeli sentiment and language across the nation.

“We’re not talking about isolated events; they’re frequent … Personally, I feel sad that Israelis do not feel secure in your beautiful country,” he said.

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20128051 (251259ZDEC23) Notable: Indigenous voice referendum ‘not my loss’, Anthony Albanese declares - Anthony Albanese’s claim that his failed referendum was not a personal loss for him has sparked anger among top figures in the Yes campaign, with one Aboriginal leader indicating the remarks were proof white Australia would take no responsibility for the voice’s rejection.

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Indigenous voice referendum ‘not my loss’, Anthony Albanese declares

PAIGE TAYLOR and JESS MALCOLM - DECEMBER 25, 2023

Anthony Albanese’s claim that his failed referendum was not a personal loss for him has sparked anger among top figures in the Yes campaign, with one Aboriginal leader indicating the remarks were proof white Australia would take no responsibility for the voice’s rejection.

The Prime Minister said on Monday the result was not “a loss for him” because he was not Indigenous and the debate was not about politicians.

He also said in an interview on Sydney radio 2GB that Aboriginal Australians disappointed by the referendum result were “used to hardship” and Labor would continue to work to close the gap.

Leading figures in the failed push for constitutional change immediately picked up on Mr ­Albanese’s remarks, with some claiming it as confirmation he believes the defeat belongs to them and not him despite Labor’s central role in the campaign.

At the Exodus Foundation in Sydney’s inner west on Monday while he was helping to serve Christmas Day lunch to the poor, Mr Albanese was asked about his year and “some big losses” such as the defeat of the voice at the ballot box last October.

“Oh, no, no, no, no, very important to call that out. I am not Indigenous so it wasn’t a loss to me,” the Labor leader said.

“That stays exactly the same the way it is. I do think that it was disappointing for First Nations people but they’re used to you know, getting the, they’re used to hardship. It’s been the case for 200 years, and they are resilient and we will continue to do what we can to provide for closing the gap.

“But it’s one of the things about this debate, it was never about politicians, it was actually about the most disadvantaged people in our society.”

One figure in the Yes ­campaign criticised Mr Albanese for claiming no sense of personal loss after championing the referendum, ­including in his election-night victory speech in May last year.

Another called on Labor to commission a review of the ­“referendum debacle” and the ­Albanese government’s role in it.

“Blacks did the work for seven years and Labor killed it,” one said.

Indigenous leader Sean ­Gordon, who supported the voice in an alliance with constitutional conservatives, agreed with Mr ­Albanese that Indigenous ­Australians were resilient people. Mr Gordon was a member of Mr Albanese’s referendum working group.

When asked about the Prime Minister’s assertion that the voice defeat was no loss for him, Mr Gordon replied that this was the issue for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, who comprised a small percentage of the population.

“It’s the challenge of our 3.7 per cent,” Mr Gordon said.

“Regardless of the issue or the outcome, the 96.3 per cent white Australia are able to comfortably move forward without any ownership, responsibility or accountability for the result.”

The proposal for an Indigenous advisory body with a constitutional guarantee predated Mr Albanese’s prime ministership by more than a decade. It was the subject of reports and inquiries and it was the option favoured by a clear majority of Indigenous people who took part in the Uluru Dialogues held around Australia in 2016 and 2017.

Polling showed Australians were in favour of the concept for some five years and remained in favour after Mr Albanese announced in May last year that he would take the voice question to a referendum.

Support for a constitutionally enshrined voice began to slide in the first half of 2023, after the Coalition parties’ formalised their opposition to it, but before the final words of the proposed amendment had been settled. Ultimately, 61 per cent of Australians voted no to the voice on referendum day.

On Monday, Peter Dutton described the voice as Mr Albanese’s project. “The PM was obsessed with the voice for the best part of 18 months,” the Opposition Leader said.

“ He told Australians they were “chicken littles” if they opposed it, and he needlessly divided Australians. It’s remarkable he’s now saying it wasn’t about him. The PM is distracted and not focused on the issues that matter.

“He should reflect on these comments about his pet project – the voice – and make life easier, not harder, for Australians. The PM was so obsessed with the voice and being overseas that he missed the opportunities in his two budgets to make decisions to relieve cost-of-living pressures. It’s really hurt Australians and they are feeling the pain Mr Albanese created.”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/voice-referendum-a-loss-for-the-people-not-me-anthony-albanese/news-story/7308baf584911bfa9f1ad785468992a4

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20128077 (251307ZDEC23) Notable: ‘It feels good helping someone who helps others’: How Jess brought Christmas cheer to Maree - A free Christmas lunch has extended beyond the halls of a church in Melbourne’s north-east, as volunteers delivered meals, hampers and Christmas cheer to those in need. One of the eight households the Diamond Creek Uniting Church volunteers visited on Monday was that of Maree Minns. Volunteer Jess shared a Christmas hug with Minns and delivered a meal of three meats and a salad.

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‘It feels good helping someone who helps others’: How Jess brought Christmas cheer to Maree

Najma Sambul - December 25, 2023

A free Christmas lunch has extended beyond the halls of a church in Melbourne’s north-east, as volunteers delivered meals, hampers and Christmas cheer to those in need.

One of the eight households the Diamond Creek Uniting Church volunteers visited on Monday was that of Maree Minns. Volunteer Jess shared a Christmas hug with Minns and delivered a meal of three meats and a salad.

The 69-year-old breast cancer survivor recently had a double mastectomy and said she could not shop for food to prepare for Christmas lunch for herself and a friend.

It is the second time Minns has received a Christmas lunch delivery from the Uniting Church after volunteers approached her last year. On Sunday, the volunteers delivered meals to community members in Heidelberg, Lower Plenty and Diamond Creek.

“They do a grand job and its just lovely,” Minns said.

Minns, a volunteer herself, has supported the Uniting Church with its annual Samaritan shoebox drive, where Christmas gifts like toys are put in shoeboxes and are given to children overseas. This year, more than 200 shoeboxes were collected.

She has also been a volunteer for Aussies Knitting for War Affected Kids, who make clothes and toys for children displaced by war.

“I’ve made some crotchet blankets to give to Syrian children in the past,” she said.

Her volunteer delivery driver, Jess, said it was his first time giving his time on Christmas Day to a community cause. Later in the day, he planned to volunteer at the Salvation Army Christmas Carols and Dinner in Brunswick.

“My mum and grandmother have always helped others and that’s where I get it from,” the 35-year-old builder said. “I’ve been fortunate enough to get some help myself, so it’s good to give back. It feels good helping someone who helps others.”

Back at the Uniting Church in Diamond Creek, dozens of other volunteers including families, friends, and people who came on their own, were busy cutting cheese, fruit and veggie platters, and meat for a free sit-down Christmas Day lunch for 130 attendees.

Organiser Graham Ford said it was the first time since 2019 that the in-person event was going ahead after being abruptly paused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, the group did 180 meal deliveries on Christmas Day.

Throughout the day volunteers picked up 29 guests from 18 locations and prepared 153 meals.

“It really feels like Christmas when you’re giving to others,” Ford said. “I think it’s something that’s really good that the church does.”

The church has received donations from local businesses and community members to support the Christmas Day lunch.

“We asked the local chicken shop for some leftover salads from Christmas Eve, and they ended up giving us six chickens and a tub of coleslaw. It was great,” Ford said.

Vanitha, a healthcare worker from nearby Bundoora, volunteered last year and brought along her niece Kalwin this year. They don’t celebrate Christmas, but wanted to help the community on their day off.

“It’s just a good way to help everybody,” Vanitha said.

https://www.theage.com.au /national/ victoria/ it-feels-good-helping-someone-who-helps-others- how-jess-brought-christmas-cheer-to-maree -20231225 -p5etkv. html

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20128098 (251315ZDEC23) Notable: The horror of Islamic State, then the gift of a child: My Christmas to remember - Andrew Hastie, federal opposition spokesman for defence. He served with the SASR from 2010 until 2015 - theage.com.au

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The horror of Islamic State, then the gift of a child: My Christmas to remember

Andrew Hastie, Federal opposition spokesman for defence - December 25, 2023

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I felt crushed. Like a prisoner. Like the universe had turned cold, closed, dark. I got up and walked out of the secure facility into the light and fresh air. It was December 2014. Christmas was only weeks away. I had just watched the latest Islamic State propaganda video, and they’d got inside my psychological shield and armour.

I was deployed as an SAS captain to Zarqa, Jordan, a small industrial town about a 40-minute drive north of Amman City. There, our small Australian team worked in a multinational taskforce gathering intelligence against IS, which was on a murderous march through Syria and Iraq. Violence and fear were their weapons, wielded through high-definition camera work and then pushed out to the ends of the earth online.

The IS narrative culminated in a brutal display of mass cruelty and violence in that video. Almost 20 captives, dressed in blue jump suits, their faces drained of colour and seized with fear, had been beheaded simultaneously with combat knives by young, angry men dressed in combat fatigues. It shook me to my core.

I was tired after a deployment with the Special Air Service Regiment (SASR) to Afghanistan, chasing Taliban leaders and bomb-makers with my troop. War has its own moral cost, and individuals absorb it in their own way. Anyone who says otherwise is lying. You try to manage it, as best as you can.

It had already been a busy year. I’d been away from my wife, Ruth, for too much of it. And when I was home, we’d been going through the West Australian government process to be approved for adoption. It had been a difficult, deeply personal process, after dealing with years of unexplained infertility. We desired to build a home with little ones. We wanted what many Australians want: a family of our own.

In October, the approval for our adoption was confirmed. No sooner had we absorbed this life-changing news than I learnt I was going to be deployed for four months over the Christmas period. It seemed like things weren’t lining up for us, after all.

We often keep appointments that we don’t make for ourselves, and my deployment to Jordan was no exception. But Christmas 2014 is one of my most memorable, even though I was apart from Ruth.

A month after arriving, I got an email from Ruth, telling me that she was unwell and wasn’t going to continue playing touch rugby. I clicked on the attachment. A positive pregnancy test. It was an answer to prayer – even after my own hopes for children had faded into faithlessness in prayer.

I had lost hope for having a family and wondered whether it was time for me to leave the military. To build a life together that would mean we could be closer to family, and more helpful to others. Ruth’s email brought a smile to my face. It was typical of her style: understated, dry and cheerful.

But Islamic State’s shadow loomed large over the Middle East. We still had work to do. Ruth would do the first 20 weeks of pregnancy without me.

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20132126 (260928ZDEC23) Notable: Jews say they do not feel safe in their Australian home - Nina Bassat, one of Australia’s most prominent Holocaust survivors has warned that the nation was having an “anarchic reaction” to the Israel-Hamas War and a generation of Jews at risk from a wave of anti-Semitism as anti-Israel protests erupted over the Christmas week.

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>>108687 (pb)

>>137327

>>137334

>>137348

Jews say they do not feel safe in their Australian home

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One of Australia’s most prominent Holocaust survivors has warned that the nation was having an “anarchic reaction” to the Israel-Hamas War and a generation of Jews at risk from a wave of anti-Semitism as anti-Israel protests erupted over the Christmas week.

Nina Bassat – who narrowly avoided the Nazi’s concentration camps as a toddler and whose father was killed during WWII – said on Monday that the protest hijacking of Carols by Candlelight had shook her to “the core” and that some Australians were failing to distinguish terror group Hamas from Palestine.

The 84-year-old’s comments come after anti-Israel activists filmed themselves protesting outside shops in Melbourne’s biggest shopping centre and the Christmas Eve disruption of the Carols.

“Not necessarily from a Jewish perspective, but (the disruption at) the Carols by Candlelight shook me,” the first Holocaust survivor to chair the Executive Council of Australian Jewry said.

“It showed an anarchic reaction in our society, that nothing seems to matter other than the loudest voice … (even though) people are celebrating Christmas.

“It’s a powerful thing (Carols by Candlelight), whether you’re Christian, Catholic, Jewish, whatever – and it (onstage activism) was symbolic of the anarchy that is taking place in society.”

Ms Bassat’s comments also come after Israeli ambassador Amir Maimon called Anthony Albanese’s Israel-Palestine police “contradictory”, said his country was “held to a different measure”, and lamented that Israeli citizens felt unsafe in Australia.

“We are suffering and frightened,” Ms Bassat said, one of more than 100 Holocaust survivors who signed a statement calling on Australians to denounce anti-Semitism and avoid “repeating history”.

She and her widowed mother, having been miraculously saved on their way to a concentration camp from the ghetto, were harboured by a Ukrainian woman until liberation.

“My children’s generation, their grandchildren, they were born here – this is their country,” Ms Bassat said.

“They are shaken to their core about how quickly and venomously this (anti-Semitism) has happened.”

Ms Bassat said her heart bled for “every child, adult and civilian lost” – “I know what war is like” – but said she feared Australia was “falling to bits”.

“In Melbourne and Sydney, you have town halls flying Palestinian flags,” she said.

“It’s Israel v Hamas, not Israel v Palestine. Do we want to become an outpost of Hamas terrorists?”

Ms Bassat’s comments come after the Israel’s ambassador told The Australian the Albanese government’s war stance was “contradictory” and that his own country’s citizens didn’t feel secure.

On Tuesday, Peter Dutton said it was concerning that an ally’s ambassador felt forced to intervene.

“It’s almost unprecedented that an ambassador would be forced to intervene in this way,” the Opposition Leader said.

“Israel has a senior, credible, and incredibly accomplished ambassador. The actions of the prime minister and his government are far from reassuring – and it’s unfortunate that the ambassador has been forced to call it out.”

Mr Maimon said his embassy and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government “had a responsibility” to raise travel warnings for citizens visiting Australia amid “frequent” pro-Palestine demonstrations.

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20136736 (271025ZDEC23) Notable: Australian man, his wife and brother killed in Lebanon after building hit by air strike, family says - Ibrahim and Ali Bazzi died in air strikes on the town of Bint Jbeil in Lebanon overnight. Ibrahim Bazzi, 27, travelled from Sydney to Bint Jbeil to visit his wife Shorouk Hammoud, who recently acquired an Australian visa. The couple were planning on starting their new life in Australia, according to relatives.

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Australian man, his wife and brother killed in Lebanon after building hit by air strike, family says

Nabil Al-Nashar - 27 December 2023

An Australian man and his brother have been killed in the south of Lebanon after their building was hit by an air strike, family members have said.

Ibrahim and Ali Bazzi died in air strikes on the town of Bint Jbeil in Lebanon overnight.

Ibrahim Bazzi, 27, travelled from Sydney to Bint Jbeil to visit his wife Shorouk Hammoud, who recently acquired an Australian visa.

The couple were planning on starting their new life in Australia, according to relatives.

Local media in Lebanon is reporting that an Israeli war plane fired a missile at number of homes in Bint Jbeil overnight.

The Israeli military said it had been striking Hezbollah targets based in Lebanon in response to what it says are rockets and missiles being fired into northern Israel by the militant group.

Australian born and raised Ali Bazzi moved to Lebanon to get married a few years ago.

Ms Hammoud's first cousin Mohamed Hammoud, who lives in Sydney, told the ABC Ibrahim Bazzi felt strongly about travelling to Lebanon in person to bring his wife to Australia.

"My family is numb. My family is devastated. My family is in disbelief," he said.

"We were expecting to meet and greet them here and welcome her to Australia and now that's not to be…utter disbelief."

Mr Hammoud said all he had left of his cousin were beautiful memories.

"She used to paint my daughter's fingernails, she was full of life and happy."

Ibrahim Bazzi was an electrician and a construction worker from the St George area in Sydney's south.

He married Ms Hammoud in Lebanon three years ago and was working to set up their life in Sydney.

His uncle, Mohamed Kahmees, described Ibrahim Bazzi as "a beautiful boy".

"He went to get his wife from Lebanon for a better life…and then this happened," he said.

"I'm really in a state of shock still."

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade told the ABC it was aware of reports an Australian citizen has died in Lebanon and was seeking confirmation.

Ibrahim Bazzi is the first Australian to be killed in Lebanon since the start of the Gaza conflict.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-12-27/australian-and-wife-killed-in-lebanon-air-strike/103267574

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20136757 (271036ZDEC23) Notable: Australian Museum to amend ‘Palestine’ display after complaints about Egypt exhibition - The Australian Museum is pulling down and rewording a display at a new Ancient Egypt exhibition after the Australian Jewish Association (AJA) complained about the use of the placename “Palestine”.

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>>137327

Australian Museum to amend ‘Palestine’ display after complaints about Egypt exhibition

Paul Sakkal and Anthony Segaert - December 27, 2023

The Australian Museum is pulling down and rewording a display at a new Ancient Egypt exhibition after an Australian Jewish group complained about the use of the placename “Palestine”.

The highly anticipated Ramses and the Gold of the Pharaohs includes a text panel that describes Ramses the Great’s involvement in the 1275BC Battle of Kadesh, which it states involved “fighting … in Libya and Palestine”.

Days before Christmas, the Australian Jewish Association (AJA) announced on social media it had written to the museum “about inaccurate use of the word ‘Palestine’ in an exhibit on Ancient Egypt”.

The Sydney institution issued a statement to this masthead saying it used “both ancient geographic locations such as the site of the Battle of Kadesh and modern geographical context referencing Ramses’ battles in what is known today as Libya and Palestine.”

“For clarity,” the statement said, the panel would be amended to refer to the area as “what is today known as Libya and Palestine”.

“The terms Libya and Palestine are not being removed from the text panels.”

The Battle of Kadesh occurred in modern-day Syria. The museum could not answer on the record when asked which of Ramses’ battles occurred in either the Gaza Strip or the occupied West Bank, which are mostly under the control of Palestinian authorities. It is unclear if the display used the term Palestine to refer to areas inside the state of Israel.

The museum’s decision is the latest domestic dispute over the history of the Israel-Palestine region, against the backdrop of a bloody war in Gaza that has sparked conflagrations in art, sport, politics and media.

Australian Palestine Advocacy Network president Nasser Mashni said it was another case of “Palestine, Palestinians, our history, our cultural heritage and stories being invisibilised, minimised, rewritten, if not completely erased, by an Australian institution at the command of a Zionist lobby group”.

“The important thing to note here is that it is not the goal of the Zionist lobby to achieve historical accuracy, but rather to contribute to a broader project – which we’re seeing play out in Israel government violence in both Gaza and the West Bank – of eliminating any trace of the Palestinian people in their historic and ancient homeland”.

Mashni wrote a letter to the museum on Wednesday citing the research of Palestinian writer Nur Masalha, which he claimed demonstrated the term Palestine, or Filastin in Arabic, had been used since the Late Bronze Age and had been found in inscriptions dated to 3300 years ago, including in the temple of Ramses III.

The AJA wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that the museum’s decision represented a “success” for the group, whose president is the controversial conservative figure David Adler. He declined to comment further when approached for this story.

Both Adler and Mashni have come under scrutiny following reporting on this masthead in recent months.

Leading groups such as the Australia/Israel and Jewish Affairs Council and Executive Council of Australian Jewry distanced themselves from Adler after he questioned Senator Lidia Thorpe’s Aboriginal heritage and repeatedly suggested journalist Stan Grant artificially darkened his skin.

Senior Jewish Australians have for years called out Adler’s comments and said the name of his association was misleading because it implied he spoke on behalf of a large portion of the Jewish community, which they say he does not.

Mashni was criticised by an extremism expert over comments he made about the destruction of the state of Israel and for claiming global power structures “all focus upon Zionism”. Foreign Minister Penny Wong told the Australian Jewish News in November that “comments and actions by Mr Mashni have been reprehensible”.

The travelling exhibition, which was transported from Egypt to Sydney via Paris, was a major coup for Australia’s oldest museum. The blockbuster sold 100,000 tickets before it opened and features a 1.85-metre high coffin of Ramses II, which has not been displayed outside of Egypt until this year.

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/australian-museum-to-amend-palestine-display-after-complaints-about-egypt-exhibition-20231227-p5etum.html

https://twitter.com/AustralianJA/status/1738020391371850087

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20141880 (280931ZDEC23) Notable: Australian killed in Lebanon was Hezbollah fighter, terror group says - Terrorist organisation Hezbollah has said one of two Australian men killed while in a southern Lebanese town was one of its fighters, with a ceremonial funeral taking place overnight as he “rose as a martyr”.

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>>137357

Australian killed in Lebanon was Hezbollah fighter, terror group says

JOANNA PANAGOPOULOS and ALEXI DEMETRIADI - DECEMBER 28, 2023

Terrorist organisation Hezbollah has said one of two Australian men killed while in a southern Lebanese town was one of its fighters, with a ceremonial funeral taking place overnight as he “rose as a martyr”.

Meanwhile, the Australian government confirmed the brothers’ deaths and said it would provide consular assistance to the family.

On Wednesday, local media in Lebanon reported that 30-year-old Ali Bazzi, his 27-year-old brother Ibrahim – both Australian – and the younger brother’s wife, Shourouk Hammoud, were reportedly killed in an Israeli air strike in the southern Lebanese town of Bint Jbeil.

Late on Wednesday, Hezbollah said that Ali Bazzi was one of the group’s fighters.

“With greater pride and pride, the Islamic Resistance celebrates the martyr Mujahid Ali Ahmed Bazzi ‘Qasim’ from the city of Bint Jbeil in southern Lebanon, who rose as a martyr on the road to Jerusalem,” a statement from the terrorist organisation read.

“The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed the deaths of two Australian citizens in an air strike in southern Lebanon,” a DFAT spokesperson said on Thursday morning.

“The Australian Embassy in Beirut stands ready to provide consular assistance to the family if required.”

The Australian understands DFAT is aware of the tweet claiming that one of the Australians was ‘martyred’ while on duty with Hezbollah, which is a listed terrorist organisation under Australian law.

Speaking to the ABC on Wednesday, family members of the Bazzi brothers, and Ms Hammoud, said the younger brother had travelled to the city to collect his wife and return to settle in Australia.

Hezbollah has made no mention of Ibrahim Bazzi, and there is no suggestion he had any links to the terror group.

A funeral service in Bint Jbeil was held on Wednesday for all three, with each person’s casket adorned in Hezbollah flags and pictures of the three enlarged on commemorative awning.

A X account appearing to be that of Hezbollah secretary-general, or at least associated with him, Hassan Nasrallah also shared the group’s statement commemorating its “martyr” Ali Bazzi.

Hezbollah enjoys widespread support in the area, which is close to the Israeli border. The town itself was a key site of the 2006 Lebanon War and has been a major centre of the Lebanese resistance, as well as a known base for the terror group.

On Wednesday, the Department of Foreign ­Affairs and Trade said it was investigating reports that an Australian man and his wife have been killed in an air strike in Lebanon.

Lebanese media reported that the three were killed when a two-storey building was struck by an Israeli warplane overnight on December 26. The house was destroyed.

Israel’s Air Force told local media that it had destroyed Hezbollah military installations and terrorist infrastructure.

On Wednesday, the brothers’ uncle, Mohamed Kahmees, told the ABC: “He (Ibrahim) went to get his wife from ­Lebanon for a better life … and then this happened. I’m really in a state of shock still.”

He described Ibrahim Bazzi as a “beautiful boy”.

Ms Hammoud’s first cousin, Sydney man Mohamed Hammoud, told the ABC the family was devastated at the news. “My family is numb. My family is devastated. My family is in disbelief,” Mr Hammoud said.

DFAT’s official travel advice says Australians should not travel to Lebanon, saying “daily military action is occurring in southern Lebanon, including rocket and missile fire, as well as air strikes.”

Hezbollah has been designated a terrorist organisation by Australia, the United States and the UK. The Iranian-backed group formed after the Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon in 1982 and like Hamas, which it supports, is also backed by Iran.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/dfat-investigates-reports-australians-killed-in-lebanon/news-story/d7e6e3b8239b6161c3e812669e432a05

https://twitter.com/SH_NasrallahEng/status/1739921805467431092

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20141899 (280940ZDEC23) Notable: Military-style funeral held for Australian 'Hezbollah fighter' killed by Israeli air strike in Lebanon - A military-style funeral has been held for an Australian man claimed to be a fighter with militant group Hezbollah, a day after he, his brother and sister-in-law were killed in an Israeli air strike.

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>>137357

Military-style funeral held for Australian 'Hezbollah fighter' killed by Israeli air strike in Lebanon

Nabil Al-Nashar - 28 December 2023

A military-style funeral has been held for an Australian man claimed to be a fighter with militant group Hezbollah, a day after he, his brother and sister-in-law were killed in an Israeli air strike.

Brothers Ali and Ibrahim Bazzi, along with Ibrahim's wife Shorouk Hammoud, died when the explosion levelled a family-owned home in southern Lebanon on Tuesday.

Twenty-seven-year-old Australian citizen Ibrahim had travelled from Sydney to Lebanon last Friday to accompany Ms Hammoud, who had recently acquired an Australian visa, back home.

The couple, who were married three years ago, was killed when the explosion levelled the Bint Jbeil home they were staying in.

Lebanese militant group Hezbollah claimed Ibrahim's 30-year-old brother Ali, also an Australian citizen, as one of their fighters.

The ABC has no evidence to suggest Ibrahim or his wife were affiliated with Hezbollah.

Hundreds attended the funeral in the town and their caskets were draped in Hezbollah flags and showed the faces of the Bazzi brothers and Ms Hammoud.

Memorial services for all three are planned for today and tomorrow at Alzahara Mosque in Sydney.

The Israeli military said it had been striking Hezbollah targets based in Lebanon in response to what it says are rockets and missiles being fired into northern Israel by the militant group.

Tensions have been escalating between the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and the Israeli Defence Force along the Lebanese-Israeli border since the outbreak of the Israel-Gaza war.

Israeli chief military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said on Wednesday Hezbollah was "trying to drag" Lebanon and the entire region into an "unnecessary" war, and the Israeli military is responding to attacks by targeting Hezbollah infrastructure.

Benny Gantz, a minister in Israel's war cabinet, also issued a warning over the ongoing fighting along the Lebanon-Israel border.

"If the world and the Lebanese government will not act to stop the firing on the northern settlements and keep Hezbollah away from the border — the IDF (Israeli Defence Force) will do so," he said.

Hezbollah-affiliated media outlet Al-Manar said in response to the attack in Bint Jbeil, fighters targeted Kiryat Shmona settlement in Israel on Wednesday with 30 rockets.

Government warning to not travel to Lebanon

Attorney-General and Acting Foreign Minister Mark Dreyfus said there had been warnings for Australians not to travel to Lebanon since October.

"Australians should not travel to Lebanon," he said.

"Australians in particular should avoid conflict zones … the Australian government urges any Australians who are still in Lebanon to leave while commercial options are still available."

He also expressed condolences to the family of Ibrahim Bazzi.

Mr Dreyfus said the Australian government had made representations to the Israeli government but would not disclose the nature of the message.

He also said Hezbollah was a listed terrorist organisation and that "it's an offence for any Australian to cooperate with, to support, let alone to fight with a listed terrorist organisation like Hezbollah".

Mr Dreyfus said past examples of links between Hezbollah and Australians is one of the reasons the group is listed as a terrorist organisation.

Family was waiting to welcome couple

Their families in Sydney say they were looking forward to greeting the young couple planning to start their new lives together in Australia.

Bazzi family spokesperson Hasssan Bazzi told the ABC he condemned "the attack on civilians" and that the family is very angry.

"Our fellows in Lebanon are standing under the attack of the Israeli's on daily basis. Lebanon, Palestine, Gaza strip, everyday the victims are children and innocent women and the whole world is not taking even any action," he said.

"Unfortunately our prime minister and our premier this is an Australian fellow, he got killed by Israel, your allies."

Bint Jbeil mayor Afif Bazzi said he was shocked by the attack.

"The surprise is they hit civilian neighbourhoods, people living their normally … we didn't leave Bint Jbeil. All the people of Bint Jbeil are still here," he said.

"We hear bombing, but it was far away, the city was still protected. But we were surprised that a civilian neighbourhood was hit … a groom coming to get his bride to Australia."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-12-28/funeral-australian-brothers-lebanon-israeli-air-strike/103269076

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20141913 (280947ZDEC23) Notable: Mark Dreyfus yet to confirm killed Australian’s Hezbollah links - Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus is unable to say whether Australia was aware one of two Australian brothers killed by an Israeli air strike in Lebanon may have had links to Hezbollah before the proscribed terrorist organisation claimed him as one of their own.

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>>137327

>>137357

Mark Dreyfus yet to confirm killed Australian’s Hezbollah links

RACHEL BAXENDALE - DECEMBER 28, 2023

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus is unable to say whether Australia was aware one of two Australian brothers killed by an Israeli air strike in Lebanon may have had links to Hezbollah before the proscribed terrorist organisation claimed him as one of their own.

Ali Bazzi, 30 and his 27-year-old brother Ibrahim were killed alongside the younger brother’s wife, Shourouk Hammoud, in the Southern Lebanese town of Bint Jbeil.

Late on Wednesday, Hezbollah claimed Ali Bazzi as one of their fighters, celebrating him as a “martyr”.

Addressing journalists in Melbourne on Thursday morning, Mr Dreyfus said Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade had overnight confirmed the deaths of two Australian citizens in an air strike in southern Lebanon.

“The Australian Embassy in Beirut stands ready to provide consular assistance to the family as required,” Mr Dreyfus said.

“We are aware of the announcement made by Hezbollah claiming links to one of the Australians killed. We are seeking to establish the facts. However, Hezbollah is a listed terrorist organisation under Australian law.”

Asked whether Australia had been aware of any link between Ali Bazzi and Hezbollah before now, Mr Dreyfus said the government was investigating the issue.

“We are continuing to make inquiries, but Hezbollah is a listed terrorist organisation under Australian law.”

Asked whether Australia had been aware of any link between Ali Bazzi and Hezbollah before now, Mr Dreyfus deflected, saying: “We are continuing to make inquiries, but Hezbollah is a listed terrorist organisation under Australian law.”

Mr Dreyfus said there was daily military activity in southern Lebanon, including rocket and missile fire, as well as airstrikes, and a warning against travelling to the area had been in place since mid October.

“For Australians in Lebanon, we urge you to leave while commercial options remain available,” he said.

“In the context of the current conflict, Australia has consistently called for civilian lives to be protected, and we have consistently raised our concerns about the risk of this conflict spreading.

“It is why we have been working with countries who have influence in the region to prevent further escalation, and it is why we have been advising Australians not to travel to Lebanon.”

Mr Dreyfus said there had been examples in the past of Australians having had links to Hezbollah.

“One of the reasons why the Australian government has listed Hezbollah, in both its arms, as a terrorist organisation, is because of the potential links to Australia and Australians.”

Asked whether the brothers were dual citizens, the Attorney-General said authorities were “continuing to make inquiries”.

Asked to elaborate on the nature of the inquiries and what information was being sought, Mr Dreyfus said it was important that the Australian government be “as informed as possible when this sort of event happens”.

Mr Dreyfus said Australia had communicated with Israel following the airstrike, “but I’m not going to disclose those communications.”

He said any Australian fighting with Hezbollah was committing a very serious terrorist offence under the criminal code.

“There are very heavy penalties attached to committing that kind of offence, and I’d repeat because Hezbollah is a listed terrorist organisation,” Mr Dreyfus said.

“It’s an offence for any Australian to provide financial assistance to that terrorist organization, to fight with that terrorist organization or to be associated with them.”

The Attorney-General said he was “not personally aware” of any Australians travelling to Lebanon to fight with Hezbollah in recent weeks.

“It’s very important that Australians not travel to Lebanon,” he said.

“The reason why the Australian government has listed all of this organisation, Hezbollah, and a number of other terrorist organisations as terrorist organisations is to provide a deterrent to Australians from giving their assistance, to joining with, let alone the fighting with terrorist organisations.”

Asked whether he would offer condolences to the family of the brothers, Mr Dreyfus said: “Of course I express my condolences to the family of the man who’s travelled to Lebanon. I say again, as I said in my opening statement, that full assistance of Australian consular officials in Beirut are available to them.”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/mark-dreyfus-silent-over-killed-australian-hezbollah-links/news-story/542c536058fba33a0ff404336764d395

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20141940 (280957ZDEC23) Notable: Australians should leave Lebanon now after two citizens killed, federal government warns - Australians in Lebanon should leave the country as soon as possible, warned acting Foreign Minister Mark Dreyfus, following confirmation that two citizens were killed in an Israeli airstrike.

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>>137327

>>137357

Australians should leave Lebanon now after two citizens killed, federal government warns

Olivia Ireland, Jessica McSweeney and Latika Bourke - December 28, 2023

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Australians in Lebanon should leave the country as soon as possible, warned acting Foreign Minister Mark Dreyfus, following confirmation that two citizens were killed in an Israeli airstrike.

Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah said one of two Australian brothers killed in the strike on Wednesday, Ali Bazzi, was one of its fighters, which Dreyfus said the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) was still investigating.

The two men, Ali and Ibrahim Bazzi, as well as Ibrahim’s wife Shorouk, died in Israeli attacks on the southern Lebanese city of Bint Jbeil. However, family and friends of Ibrahim, who was known by loved ones as Bob, said they believed he had no connection to Hezbollah and wished he had never travelled there while the conflict was still unfolding.

Speaking from Melbourne on Thursday, Dreyfus said he had received confirmation from the Israeli government the two men had died, and any Australians who fought with, associated with, or gave money to Hezbollah – a listed terror organisation – would be committing a crime.

The Bazzi brothers are the first Australians confirmed as killed by Israeli air strikes in the current conflict.

The attorney-general, acting as foreign minister while Penny Wong is on leave, said the government was continuing to make inquiries about Ali Bazzi’s links to Hezbollah after the terrorist organisation proclaimed him – but not his brother – as a martyr and gave him a military style funeral.

“We will continue to make inquiries about this particular person with whom Hezbollah has claimed links,” he said.

The Morrison government declared all of Hezbollah, not just its External Security Organisation, as a terrorist organisation in November 2021, making it an offence to be a member or to provide any form of assistance to the organisation.

Hezbollah, which dominates Lebanon’s security and political institutions, has been accused of terrorist attacks, kidnappings and smuggling weapons and explosives.

The External Security Organisation is Hezbollah’s military and security wing that operates outside Lebanon. It also has a paramilitary wing, the Jihad Council, and a political wing, the Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc party, which has MPs in the Lebanese parliament.

“Any Australian fighting with Hezbollah is committing a very serious terrorist offence under the Criminal Code,” Dreyfus said.

Dreyfus stressed that it was “very important for Australians not to travel to Lebanon,” and said listing Hezbollah as a terrorist organisation was meant to “provide a deterrent” to any Australians assisting the organisation, “let alone fighting with them”.

Asked if there was a government response to the killing of Australians by Israeli strikes, Dreyfus said he had “made the point that there had been a travel warning not to travel to Lebanon in place since mid-October. It remains in place.”

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20141981 (281015ZDEC23) Notable: Carols by Candlelight protester may have had help on inside - Arts Centre Melbourne, police and the main sponsors have begun talks to determine what went wrong with the security on the night of the raid and how the activists were able to turn the event into a national embarrassment.

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>>137327

>>137334

Carols by Candlelight protester may have had help on inside

JOHN FERGUSON - DECEMBER 27, 2023

The review into the Carols by Candlelight raid by pro-Palestinian activists in Melbourne is set to examine whether any inside assistance was provided to protesters on the night.

Arts Centre Melbourne, police and the main sponsors have begun talks to determine what went wrong with the security on the night of the raid and how the activists were able to turn the event into a national embarrassment.

ACM said the matter had been referred to police and the main stakeholders in the event would fully examine how the activists were able to orchestrate the ­hijacking of the stage.

Insiders have privately lamented that apparently strict control of the event for participants had not been matched by the same rigour afforded to the protesters.

A Brunswick woman, 21, was arrested without charge and police ejected a second person following the Christmas Eve demonstration.

The main antagonist, who displayed the Palestinian flag on stage, was backed by anti-Israel groups as part of a nationwide protest over the war in Gaza, which was started by the Gaza-based ­terrorist group Hamas.

Broadcast hosts at Melbourne’s Sidney Myer Music Bowl were silenced by chants of ‘Free Palestine’ and the woman grabbed the microphone and declared: “While you’re carolling kids are dying in Gaza.” The woman has been linked to the group Block the Dock, which is trying to disrupt ­Israeli shipping lines.

The anti-Israel protests are being backed by a series of groups which often have diverse interests including climate change, indigenous land rights and other left-wing causes.

An ACM spokesman said the debriefing process was still under way and declined to comment on whether the protesters were helped inside the concert.

“Everyone has the right to protest peacefully, but not at the expense of the safety of others,’’ the ACM said in a statement.

“The matter has been reported to and is being managed by Victoria Police and it would be inappropriate to comment further.”

Police referred comment requests to the event organisers.

It comes after the nation’s biggest shopping centre was targeted by pro-Palestine activists on Boxing Day, staging a leaflet drop on one of the busiest days in the retail calendar. Some wore keffiyehs or masks that hid or partially concealed their faces at Melbourne’s Chadstone Shopping Centre.

More pro-Palestinian marches will be held in Melbourne, which boasts the largest Jewish community in Australia.

Jewish leaders have warned that New Year’s Eve and Australia Day ­celebrations would be overrun by pro-Palestine activists, after the protesters who hijacked a the carols show while children were on stage faced no court charges.

Police arrested the 21-year-old woman who rushed the stage over the alleged concealment of a “controlled weapon”. She was handed a minor infringement notice over the weapon. Police have not detailed what the weapon was.

The incident unfolded in front of tens of thousands of people at the family-friendly event and many more watching the broadcast live from home.

The woman holding the Palestinian flag ran around the stage before attempting to wrestle a microphone off hosts David Campbell and Sarah Abo, who appeared bemused rather than upset by the confrontation.

Security staff on the stage moved quickly to resolve the situation but the review of the events is expected to include questions over how the protesters were not detected before the confrontation occurred. It has posed questions about why the intruders were allowed inside the perimeter.

Block the Dock said in a statement: “The activists are highlighting the genocide in Gaza as the Christian Palestinian community are unable to attend their places of worship this Christmas.”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/carols-by-candlelight-protester-may-have-had-help-on-inside/news-story/db4f6335a51e555cf61d89963e9e5440

https://www.instagram.com/blockthedock/p/C1T5TJuxdfd/

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20141992 (281022ZDEC23) Notable: Wieambilla shooting: lawyers for Donald Day Jr mount freedom-of-speech defence over alleged threats to police - A US conspiracy theorist linked to the Wieambilla shooters has argued he was not seriously expressing an intent for violence when he said “the devils come for us, they fucking die”, and as such should be protected by the US constitution’s first amendment.

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>>108698 (pb)

>>108702 (pb)

Wieambilla shooting: lawyers for Donald Day mount freedom-of-speech defence over alleged threats to police

Christopher Knaus - 28 Dec 2023

A US conspiracy theorist linked to the Wieambilla shooters has argued he was not seriously expressing an intent for violence when he said “the devils come for us, they fucking die”, and as such should be protected by the US constitution’s first amendment.

Donald Day Jr, a conspiracy theorist in Arizona, was recently arrested by FBI agents in connection with last year’s religiously motivated terrorist attack on a remote Queensland property in Wieambilla.

Day was in contact with Gareth and Stacey Train in the lead-up to the shootings, which killed two police officers and a neighbour, before the pair were shot dead, alongside Gareth’s brother Nathaniel, by police.

Court documents show Day is alleged to have posted a video on YouTube four days after the killings, saying:

“The devils come for us, they fucking die. It’s just that simple. We are free people, we are owned by no one.”

The comments were allegedly in response to a video posted by Gareth and Stacey during the standoff with police, in which they addressed Day directly, saying: “They came to kill us, and we killed them. If you don’t defend yourself against these devils and demons, you’re a coward.”

Two indictments were issued against Day by a grand jury in Tucson, Arizona recently for interstate threats. Investigators allege Day’s video constituted “a threat to injure the person of another, that is any law enforcement individual who comes to Day’s residence”.

He is also separately accused of making threats toward Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director-general of the World Health Organization.

In a motion filed on Boxing Day, seen by Guardian Australia, Day’s lawyers sought to have the charges against him dismissed.

They argued that the statements Day allegedly made were not threats against a “person” as required under the statute. Their motion argues the group of persons allegedly threatened by the statement is too vague and ill-defined to constitute a “person”.

“It presumably includes not merely some unspecified number of federal, state, local, and even international law enforcement officials but would also include people who aren’t even police officers now but who may at some point in the future decide to become police officers such that they might someday have reason to go to Mr. Day’s house,” Day’s lawyers argued.

They also argued the indictment fails to allege a “true threat” to commit violence and Day is “therefore protected by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution”, which covers the right to free speech.

“Even accepting as true the indictment’s assertion that ‘devils’ is code for ‘police officers’ specifically, as opposed to ‘unlawful government actors’ in general, Mr. Day’s assertion that if ‘devils come [to kill] us,’ he would respond in kind cannot fairly be read as ‘a serious expression of an intent to commit an act of unlawful violence’.”

The motion is yet to be considered by the Arizona district court, where the case is being heard.

Queensland police told the media earlier this month that Gareth Train began following Day on YouTube around May 2020.

The Queensland police assistant commissioner, Cheryl Scanlon, said they began commenting on each other’s videos in 2021.

“We know that the offenders [Gareth and Stacey Train] executed a religiously motivated terrorist attack in Queensland,” she said. “They were motivated by Christian extremist ideology and subscribe to the Christian fundamentalist belief system known as premillennialism.

“The motivation of the United States national is still under investigation by the FBI.”

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/dec/28/wieambilla-shooting-terrorist-attack-donald-day-lawyers-freedom-of-speech-defence

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20142018 (281036ZDEC23) Notable: Yakult Australia targeted in cyber attack, employee files published on dark web - Iconic probiotic company Yakult Australia has been hit by a significant cyber attack that has seen its company records and sensitive employee documents, such as passports, published on the dark web.

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>>137344

Yakult Australia targeted in cyber attack, employee files published on dark web

Kevin Nguyen - 28 December 2023

Iconic probiotic company Yakult Australia has been hit by a significant cyber attack that has seen its company records and sensitive employee documents, such as passports, published on the dark web.

Yakult Australia confirmed its Australian and New Zealand IT systems were impacted by a "cyber incident".

In a statement on its website, it said it was "working with cyber incident experts to investigate the extent of the incident".

"All our offices in Australia and New Zealand remain open and continue to operate," the statement read.

The company, which is based in Dandenong in Melbourne, declined to comment further, but ABC Investigations understands it is the victim of a ransomware attack — a type of cybercrime where hackers attempt to extort money from a company and will publish stolen files if it is not paid.

The group that has claimed responsibility for the breach is DragonForce, a threat actor which has listed nearly two dozen targets since the beginning of December that had "refused to cooperate".

Its targets range from a Texas-based family charity, to commercial entities including Coca-Cola in Singapore and a South Australian-based bathroom manufacturer.

In all instances, the group has published a cache of files of each of its victims.

These cybercriminals do not appear to be directly related to DragonForce Malaysia, a hacktivist group which has been targeting Israeli government agencies.

Copies of employee passports, drivers licences released by hackers

A sample of the 95 gigabytes of data leaked, analysed by ABC Investigations, found company records dating back to 2001.

The cache included sensitive employee information including scans of passports and drivers licences, pre-employment medical assessments and certificates, salaries, and performance reviews.

ABC Investigations has been able to determine at least one of the passport scans belongs to a warehouse employee. The ABC has also seen Japanese passports, where Yakult's parent company is based, in the leaked cache.

A separate database also contains the names and addresses of nearly 9,000 people. It is unclear if these are customer records, but the ABC has been able to verify the accuracy of at least some of the names and addresses.

Yakult Australia had become aware of the cyber attack on December 15.

Five days later, DragonForce listed the probiotic company as one of its victims before publishing the stolen cache on Christmas Day morning.

ABC Investigations has not independently verified each of DragonForce's published leaks.

The Australian Cyber Security Centre has been contacted for comment.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-12-28/yakult-australia-cyber-attack-dragonforce-files-dark-web/103269784

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/yakult-australia-confirms-cyber-incident-after-95-gb-data-leak/

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20142046 (281048ZDEC23) Notable: Aussie killed by Israeli strike ‘had no links with Hezbollah’, friends say - Close friends of an Australian man killed in an Israeli airstrike alongside his brother, who was claimed as a martyr by Hezbollah, have rushed to defend him after his coffin was draped in the flag of the terror organisation.

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>>137327

>>137357

Aussie killed by Israeli strike ‘had no links with Hezbollah’, friends say

JOANNA PANAGOPOULOS - DECEMBER 28, 2023

Close friends of an Australian man killed in an Israeli airstrike alongside his brother – who was claimed as a martyr by Hezbollah – have rushed to defend him after his coffin was draped in the flag of the terror organisation.

Ibrahim Bazzi was described on Thursday as a friendly, hardworking construction worker, and friends said he never mentioned his sibling and had nothing to do with the militant group.

Ibrahim, 27, and brother Ali, 30, both confirmed to be Australian citizens, and Ibrahim’s wife, Shourouk Hammoud, were killed when a missile hit their two-storey house in the middle of the southern Lebanon town of Bint Jbeil.

In a statement following the deaths, Hezbollah declared Ali was one of its fighters.

“With greater pride … the Islamic Resistance celebrates the martyr Mujahid Ali Ahmed Bazzi ‘Qasim’ from the city of Bint Jbeil in southern Lebanon, who rose as a martyr on the road to Jerusalem,” the group wrote on its official channels.

Early on Thursday (AEDT), a ceremonial funeral was held for all three members of the family, each casket adorned with Hezbollah flags and pictures of the three enlarged on a commemorative awning.

Friends of Ibrahim Bazzi said he travelled to Lebanon a week ago to visit his wife, who had just been granted a partner visa, and to bring her back to Sydney. While there, he planned to celebrate Christmas and the new year with his parents and had also scheduled Lasik surgery. “Nothing more, nothing less,” his friends said.

Friends of Ibrahim, known to them as “Bob”, painted a picture of a hardworking young man who was dedicated to building a better life for his wife and himself in Australia.

Ali Saab, who described himself as Ibrahim’s best mate, said he had dropped him off at the airport about a week ago for his flight.

“The last time I saw him was at the airport to say goodbye,” Mr Saab said.

“I hugged Bob for the first time (at the airport). Called him back, and said ‘I want to hug you again’.

“We never thought this was going to happen. He didn’t have anything to do with this conflict, what’s going on in the Middle East, in Lebanon. He was a hardworking man, saving up to get his wife to Australia, and start a new life.

“He was looking for a house in Camden or Denham Court. He said we were going to be neighbours.”

The pair grew up together in Bint Jbeil, before meeting by chance again in southern Sydney in 2020, when Ibrahim moved to Australia. Ibrahim’s father had Australian citizenship, Mr Saab said.

Despite growing up together, and living together in Rockdale for the past two years, Mr Saab said Ibrahim never spoke about his brother. “He didn’t have a strong bond with his brother. He never mentioned his brother. Even though we grew up together, I never interacted with him.”

Mr Saab said it “wasn’t fair” that Ibrahim was being lumped in with his brother as being part of Hezbollah. “I don’t know why they (the media) are putting Bob as Hezbollah, he used to work in asphalt and concrete. He had nothing to do with these people.”

Youssef Arbid, who worked with Ibrahim in civil construction, said he was a kind and joyful person who was “trying to build himself from scratch” in Australia.

He attached two posters of Ibrahim on his balcony, which read: “RIP / Ibrahim will always be in our hearts. 27/12/2023”.

“We were very close. I can’t believe such a sweetheart like Ibrahim is gone,” Mr Arbid said. “He’s too innocent to go through that.

“He never used to get involved with any politics or anything related to what’s happening. He was just working very hard, and wanted to put a deposit on a unit. I feel very sad … He never spoke about his brother. He was only thinking about putting a deposit down and getting his wife.

“He’s left a big gap, people are crying, young and old, it’s heartbreaking for all of us. We can’t believe it.”

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus refused to say whether the Australian government was aware of Ali Bazzi’s alleged connection to Hezbollah.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/aussie-killed-by-israeli-strike-had-no-links-with-hezbollah/news-story/44adbc18d821ecc50fc3a6436a962d1b

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20142058 (281054ZDEC23) Notable: Hezbollah and Israel: Security agencies on martyr alert at home - Intelligence agencies are ramping up efforts to prevent local violent attacks inspired by the Middle East conflict, after an Australian man killed in Lebanon by an Israeli air strike was claimed to be a fighter and martyr for Hezbollah and given a military funeral by the terror group.

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>>137327

>>137357

Hezbollah and Israel: Security agencies on martyr alert at home

GREG BROWN, JOANNA PANAGOPOULOS and ALEXI DEMETRIADI - DECEMBER 28, 2023

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Intelligence agencies are ramping up efforts to prevent local violent attacks inspired by the Middle East conflict, after an Australian man killed in Lebanon by an Israeli air strike was claimed to be a fighter and martyr for Hezbollah and given a military funeral by the terror group.

National security experts are warning there will likely be more Australians going overseas to join terror groups planning strikes on Israel, as the Albanese government was accused of being ­“completely out of match practice” in dealing with the threat from radicalisation.

Two Australians, 30-year-old Ali Bazzi and his 27-year-old brother Ibrahim, were killed in an Israeli air strike in the southern Lebanese town of Bint Jbeil. Hezbollah claimed through its social media platforms that Ali Bazzi was a fighter for the group that wants to eliminate Israel.

“With greater pride and pride, the Islamic Resistance celebrates the martyr Mujahid Ali Ahmed Bazzi ‘Qasim’ from the city of Bint Jbeil in southern Lebanon, who rose as a martyr on the road to Jerusalem,” said a statement from the terrorist organisation.

Hezbollah did not claim Ibrahim Bazzi – whose Lebanon-based wife Shourouk Hammoud was also killed in the strike – was a fighter for the group and his Australian-based friends denied he held radical views.

Lebanese media reported that the three were killed when a two-storey building was struck by an ­Israeli warplane overnight on ­December 26.

Israel’s air force told local media that it had destroyed Hezbollah military installations and terrorist infrastructure.

Hezbollah is claiming across its social media platforms it organised a street march to honour all three killed in the strike. “(In attendance were) members (loyal to Hezbollah), Hassan Fadlallah and Hussein Jishi (both MPs), Hezbollah’s first Jabal Amel district official Abdullah Nasser, and a number of scholars, activists, figures, families of martyrs, and large crowds of people who flocked from various villages and towns,” a Hezbollah statement said.

Amid concerns Australians were being radicalised by anti-­Israel terror groups, Acting Home Affairs Minister Andrew Giles said the government was working with agencies to prevent violent attacks inspired by overseas events.

“Social cohesion is our most valuable national asset,” Mr Giles said. “Our government is working with our intelligence agencies to ensure that violence overseas does not precipitate violence in Australia.”

A spokeswoman for the Australian Federal Police said Australians travelling overseas to fight with a non-government armed group could be committing a criminal offence.

“The AFP remains alert to information or intelligence that indicates any individual or group’s propensity for, or movement towards violence,” the spokeswoman said.

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus was unable to say whether ­either of the brothers was a member of Hezbollah. “We are aware of the announcement made by ­Hezbollah claiming links to one of the Australians killed. We are seeking to establish the facts,” Mr Dreyfus said. “Hezbollah is a listed terrorist organisation under Australian law.”

He said Australia had communicated with Israel following the air strike, but said he would not disclose what was discussed.

Mr Dreyfus urged Australians against travelling to Lebanon, where there was daily military activity. “For Australians in Lebanon, we urge you to leave while commercial options remain available,” he added.

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20147535 (291359ZDEC23) Notable: Hezbollah claims rocket attack retribution for ‘martyred’ Australians - Hezbollah has claimed a missile attack on an Israeli village was retribution for an airstrike that killed Australian brothers, Ali and Ibrahim Bazzi, and Ibrahim’s wife Shorouq Hammoud, among others.

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>>137327

>>137359

Hezbollah claims rocket attack retribution for ‘martyred’ Australians

Perry Duffin and Rachel Clun - December 29, 2023

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Hezbollah has claimed a missile attack on an Israeli village was retribution for an airstrike that killed Australian brothers – Ali and Ibrahim Bazzi – and Ibrahim’s wife Shorouq Hammoud, among others.

The Lebanese militant group and major political party on Friday claimed Ali Bazzi as one of their “mujahid” fighters, while describing his brother and sister-in-law as “wronged” or “oppressed” martyrs.

The federal government is investigating the elder Bazzi’s links to Hezbollah, but federal minister Bill Shorten says they do not yet have all the facts.

Brothers Ibrahim, 27, and Ali Bazzi, 30, were killed in an airstrike in the centre of the city of Bint Jbeil on Tuesday, local media reported. Ibrahim’s wife, Hammoud, also died in the strike.

Hammoud had recently been granted an Australian visa and the couple planned to travel to Sydney.

A Hezbollah-linked channel on Friday claimed they had launched missile attacks into an Israeli border town Kiryat Shmona, following the strike that killed the Australians.

“At 16:30, targeting the Kiryat Shmona settlement (occupied Khalsa town) with thirty Katyusha rockets in response to the repeated crimes of the Israeli enemy and its targeting of civilian homes in Bint Jbeil,” a translated announcement read.

Hezbollah, which was established in 1982, has launched rocket strikes into Israel and skirmished with Israeli forces almost every day since the war began on October 7. It was declared a terrorist organisation by Australia in 2021.

Israeli online newspaper The Times of Israel reported the rocket attack on Kiryat Shmona on December 28, and shared images showing a hole blown in a wall, and a crater in a street.

There were no reports of injuries, the publication said, and said the attack was carried out “presumably by Hezbollah or an allied Palestinian terror group”.

Other Hezbollah-linked Telegram channels, on Friday, released photographs and heavily produced videos of the trio, confirming the elder Bazzi brother was a fighter linked to the militant group.

“From the funeral of the martyred fighter on the path to Jerusalem, Ali Ahmad Saeed Bazzi … and the oppressed martyrs, Ibrahim Ahmad Saeed Bazzi and his wife Shorouk Saleh Hammoud, in the city of Bint Jbeil,” a translation of one video caption reads.

The footage showed a military funeral, in which men in military fatigues carry three coffins with the trio’s photographs on each casket.

The coffins are draped in Hezbollah’s yellow and green flag, which bears the Arabic script for “Allah” and an assault rifle. A massive crowd chants and surges through a town centre behind the funeral procession.

The wording of the messages suggest Ibrahim Bazzi, known to friends as Bob, and his wife Hammoud, were not connected to Hezbollah – confirming what their friends and families had told The Sydney Morning Herald following their deaths.

“I told Bob ‘I want you to be careful in Lebanon, it’s not safe there’ … but we never thought his house would be bombed, he had nothing to do with this conflict,” his friend Ali Saab said.

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20147601 (291411ZDEC23) Notable: Sydney Imam: Labor should have condemned ‘heinous Israeli crime’ that killed two Australian citizens - Imam of Masjid Arrahman in Kingsgrove, Sheik Youssef Nabha says terrorist group Hezbollah should not be condemned for attacking Israel and Labor should demand Australian-Israelis leave the Jewish homeland,

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>>137327

>>137359

Sydney Imam: Labor should have condemned ‘heinous Israeli crime’ that killed two Australian citizens

JOANNA PANAGOPOULOS and MOHAMMAD ALFARES - DECEMBER 29, 2023

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Terrorist group Hezbollah should not be condemned for attacking Israel and Labor should demand Australian-Israelis leave the Jewish homeland, a prominent southwest Sydney Imam says.

Imam of Masjid Arrahman in Kingsgrove, Sheik Youssef Nabha, addressed the deaths of two Australian brothers – Ali and Ibrahim Bazzi – during Friday prayers.

The death of Ali – claimed as a fighter and martyr by Hezbollah – and his brother this week has heightened tensions in Australia over the Israel-Hamas war as intelligence agencies ramp up efforts to prevent local violent attacks inspired by the Middle East conflict.

Sheik Yousef called the Israeli air strike on the Bazzi brothers’ home in southern Lebanon a “heinous Israeli crime” that should be condemned by the Australian government.

The sermon came as Hezbollah said its attack on Israeli border town Kiryat Shmona on Thursday was a retaliation to the airstrike that killed the Bazzi brothers.

The imam’s comments prompted one senior security expert to warn against comparisons between Australians joining a professional state-based military force such as Israel’s and terrorist organisations such as Hezbollah.

Hezbollah gave Ali, 30, military honours as his funeral. The terrorist group did not claim Ibrahim, 27, or his Lebanon-based wife Shourouk Hammoud. Several of Ibrahim’s closest friends told The Australian that Ibrahim had nothing to do with the group.

Masjid Arrahman – also known as al-Rahman Mosque – has previously commemorated Hezbollah fighters who died in Lebanon as “martyrs”.

The Lebanese Shia political and militant group is a listed terrorist organisation under Australian law.

Sheik Youssef appeared to take umbrage at Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus’s comments urging Australians against travelling to Lebanon, where there was daily military activity. “For Australians in Lebanon, we urge you to leave while commercial options remain available,” the minister said.

But Sheik Youssef said his community was surprised that Mr Dreyfus “would demand that Australians of Lebanese descent leave Lebanon immediately and also demand that Hezbollah cease its attacks on Israel”.

“We expected the government and Australians to condemn, in the strongest terms, this heinous Israeli crime and to take a strong position in demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and southern Lebanon,” he said.

“When you called on Australians of Lebanese descent to leave Lebanon, why did you not call on Australian-Israelis to leave Israel? On the contrary, they are actually joining the Israel Defence Force … How come you don’t ask them to leave?”

Sheik Youssef said “we know the amount of pressure that the ­Israeli regime is putting on Australian politicians” and invited them “to be more balanced with their discourse, and to exercise their humanity when discussing these events”.

“It is shameful to put the killer, the murdered, the prosecutor, the prisoner, the butcher, and the victim in the same room,” he said.

“What is even more shameful and disgusting is condemning the victim and defending the criminal and the killer.”

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20147663 (291424ZDEC23) Notable: Red Sea attacks: Peter Dutton says Australian Navy should be sent for sake of economy - Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has claimed Labor’s decision to focus on its Indo-Pacific strategy over a US-led mission in the Red Sea will hurt Australians at home, as the cost of international shipping delays compounds backlogs from industrial action at local terminals.

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>>137338

Red Sea attacks: Peter Dutton says Australian Navy should be sent for sake of economy

Paul Sakkal and Sumeyya Ilanbey - December 29, 2023

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Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has claimed Labor’s decision to focus on its Indo-Pacific strategy over a US-led mission in the Red Sea will hurt Australians at home, as the cost of international shipping delays compounds backlogs from industrial action at local terminals.

The global benchmark oil price has risen about 8 per cent from its December low as Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have continually targeted vessels in the Red Sea in protest at Israel’s months-long military campaign in Gaza.

The US has formed the 20-nation Operation Prosperity Guardian to protect the Suez Canal and limit supply chain shocks, but Australia’s decision to send personnel rather than a frigate has been savaged by the Coalition.

Dutton told this masthead the Albanese government’s decision represented a “weak and incompetent” abandonment of our allies and noted that 12 per cent of global trade ran through the area.

“Whilst the Red Sea is a long way from Australia, it won’t be long before the effects of the crisis there is felt in our own economy, and, unfortunately for motorists, that’s likely to be at the bowser,” he said.

“Shipping delays and alternative routes will only add extra fuel costs to cargo operators, and consumers, causing supply chain shocks at home.”

Former Labor defence minister Joel Fitzgibbon accused the Coalition of playing politics, noting universal support for the recent Defence Strategic Review’s recommendation that Australia focus its efforts on the Indo-Pacific rather than elsewhere.

“The Americans don’t need the assets. They need us there standing alongside them, and by providing navy personnel we’re doing that,” Fitzgibbon, who retired at the last election, said in an interview.

When questioned about its response to the US request, Labor has repeatedly emphasised the need to focus Australia’s military efforts on the nation’s immediate region. The government said it had responded positively by sending a group of navy officers.

A week after US President Joe Biden launched his maritime alliance to protect the route, many allies have stepped back.

Two of America’s European allies who were listed as contributors to Operation Prosperity Guardian – Italy and Spain – issued statements appearing to distance themselves from the maritime force.

Defence Minister Richard Marles said last week that Dutton and his ministers were arguing for an Australian return to Middle Eastern conflicts, demonstrating “how utterly clueless they are about Australia’s national interest”.

As Foreign Minister Penny Wong prepared to travel to Israel, the continuing conflict in the Middle East is forcing shipping firms to delay deliveries between Asia and Europe by sailing around the Cape of Good Hope. This is adding 10 to 14 days of travel and an estimated additional cost of about $US1 million ($1.46 million).

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20147812 (291457ZDEC23) Notable: Donald Day Jr, US sovereign citizen linked to Wieambilla murders, was prepared for deadly 'last stand' with police, court hears - An American extremist linked to the Wieambilla killers claims he wished he had joined in on their massacre of Queensland police officers and threatened to kill the FBI agents who arrested him, a US court has heard.

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>>137365

>>137346

Donald Day Jr, US sovereign citizen linked to Wieambilla murders, was prepared for deadly 'last stand' with police, court hears

Kevin Nguyen and Emilie Gramenz - 29 December 2023

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An American extremist linked to the Wieambilla killers claims he wished he had joined in on their massacre of Queensland police officers and threatened to kill the FBI agents who arrested him, a US court has heard.

WARNING: This story contains strong language and references to political violence.

A newly-released court transcript has revealed the disturbing interactions Arizona sovereign citizen Donald Day Jr had with the FBI after he was arrested earlier this month.

In it, a federal prosecutor detailed Mr Day's violent criminal history — particularly towards police — allegations that he made threats towards his arresting officers, and his "extremely dangerous" mindset which ultimately led a judge to deny him bail.

Mr Day was a close confidant of Stacey and Gareth Train, the couple who, alongside Gareth's brother Nathaniel, shot dead constables Rachel McCrow and Matthew Arnold and a neighbour in Wieambilla last year.

The 58-year-old was arrested in Heber-Overgaard, a rural community of around 3,000 people in Navajo County, on December 1 and stands accused of inciting violence online and making interstate threats.

Later, during Mr Day's detention hearing days, Dondi Osborne from the US Attorney's Office said Mr Day and his wife Sabrina Spires were prepared to die during a "last stand" with police at his fortified off-grid property.

Mr Day was arrested by tactical teams inside a shared Dairy Queen and service station parking lot in town, after police believed it too dangerous to detain him at his Antelope Valley ranch.

The prosecutor described how a shipping container surrounded by stacked sandbags on his property created an effective sniper's nest for Mr Day.

The court heard agents found nine firearms, several thousand rounds of ammunition, body armour, and gas masks at the address.

The prosecution said Mr Day had referenced this property as the spot for his "last stand" against any law enforcement.

'I wish I had been there'

On the day he was apprehended, Mr Day was urged to record a video for his wife — who has appeared in several videos with him, including those discussing the Trains — asking her to come out peacefully.

It's alleged Mr Day told FBI agents: "If anything happens to my wife, and if I ever get out of these cuffs, I'll come for every f*cking one of you".

When asked about the Trains' deaths, Mr Day allegedly said: "I wish I had been there to kill those f*ckers with them so they weren't alone".

Mr Day, who had waived his right to silence, also allegedly told the agents that if the SWAT teams had come for him at his ranch, he would've died in a shootout with them.

Ms Spires echoed the sentiment in a later interview with the FBI and said she was prepared to fight and die alongside her husband.

"She said … if the SWAT team had responded, I would essentially be in heaven now with Mr Day as well as the Trains," Ms Osborne told the court.

In arguing for his continued detention, the prosecutor referenced repeated calls Mr Day made for the mass killing of law enforcement and government officials in the lead-up to the death of the Trains.

One instance cited was in July last year. On a YouTube channel called Kansas Prepper, Mr Day allegedly called for people to rally with him at Wounded Knee — the site of an infamous massacre of Native Americans in South Dakota by the US Army — to "kill the bad guys", but none had answered his call.

"I am not one of the pussified patriots who refuse to rally, fight, and die, if necessary," Mr Day allegedly commented.

"My wife has a lunch packed for me, my gear is within arm's reach of me, and my rifle is oiled. I'm ready to head out the door in less than five minutes."

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20147954 (291532ZDEC23) Notable: John Howard would not back Donald Trump to be president again - "John Howard would not vote for Donald Trump if he had a vote in the US presidential election next year because the former president failed to accept the outcome of the 2020 election and fraudulently tried to overturn the result. He said Mr Trump was utterly “unfit” to return to the presidency." - Troy Bramston - theaustralian.com.au

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>>137343

John Howard would not back Donald Trump to be president again

TROY BRAMSTON - DECEMBER 29, 2023

John Howard would not vote for Donald Trump if he had a vote in the US presidential election next year because the former president failed to accept the outcome of the 2020 election and fraudulently tried to overturn the result.

The former prime minister (1996-2007) told The Weekend Australian he would have “ever so reluctantly” voted for Mr Trump in 2020 because he identifies more with Republicans than Democrats, but could not do so in 2024.

“Once Trump refused to ­accept the outcome, I wrote him off,” Mr Howard said. “If I had a vote, I couldn’t vote for Trump at the next election. I just think somebody who refuses to accept the verdict of the public and runs around trying to get people to find votes is appalling.

“Nobody likes losing. Remember what he said on the night of the election? ‘Nobody likes losing, particularly me.’ Well, why particularly him? Do you think I liked losing to Rudd? No. Do you think Keating liked losing to me? Certainly not.

“I just thought that was a complete fraud on the American public and the democratic system.”

Asked if he would vote for Joe Biden in 2024, Mr Howard said “it would be very hard” and thought in 2020 he was already showing signs of “losing the necessary cognitive ability to do the job”.

But he did not rule it out, and would wait until the two major party candidates had been chosen before answering that.

Mr Howard spoke to The Weekend Australian to coincide with the release of his government’s 2003 cabinet papers on Monday and discussed meeting several US presidents during his time in public life.

He recalled getting on well with Bill Clinton and especially George W. Bush, who both overlapped with his time as prime minister. He met George HW Bush and Barack Obama, and Mr Biden before he was president. He has not met Mr Trump and said he does not “feel deprived in not having met him”.

Mr Howard previously told The Weekend Australian that Mr Trump’s behaviour was “appalling”, “disgraceful” and “terrible” following the 2020 election, and hoped the Republican Party would select a different candidate to run for president in 2024.

He said Mr Trump was utterly “unfit” to return to the presidency.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/john-howard-would-not-back-donald-trump-to-be-president-again/news-story/9c85c90f39d25f1cd8627de817b91f0b

https://qresear.ch/?q=Troy+Bramston

>You attack those who threaten you the most.

>What does FEAR look like?

>What does PANIC look like?

>These people are stupid.

>Enjoy the show!

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20152517 (301252ZDEC23) Notable: Video: Radical groups sharing anti-Jewish handbook - Radical groups in Australia are circulating and sharing guides for anti-Israel activists, unionists and educators to sabotage and vandalise property and evade police by using encrypted communications.

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>>137327

Radical groups sharing anti-Jewish handbook

JOHN FERGUSON and TRICIA RIVERA - DECEMBER 29, 2023

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Radical groups in Australia are circulating and sharing guides for anti-Israel ­activists, unionists and educators to sabotage and vandalise property and evade police by using encrypted communications and special codes.

Dozens of pro-Palestinian groups – ranging from well-­organised criminals who damage property linked to Israel or its military trading partners to unionists trying to blockade ­Jewish-owned ships – have surfaced in Australia since the ­Israel-Hamas conflict began in October.

The Weekend Australian can reveal some of the organisations, which are blatantly anti-Semitic, are backing secret advice to use code names for the targets of their demonstrations, and to use encrypted texts via the Signal messaging app and secure email servers to avoid police detection.

They also have been advised how to case out locations covertly and how to track Jewish shipping interests.

Amid a surge in violent protests and anti-Semitic attacks ­nationwide, one of several guides being circulated urges groups to investigate whether property damage, sabotage and graffiti should be part of their campaigning. “Do you agree what non-­violence means?” it says. “Explore the concept of what ­violence means to you and whether that doesn’t include topics like graffiti, sabotage and property damage.

“Establish or adopt a set of principles – preferably written down for future reference and for new people who might join you.’’

The Direct Action Planning Guide, which sources said had been spread around the activist community, outlines in detail how to stage protests and deal with the fallout if people are caught.

It suggests that protests could include blockades, barricades, sabotage, animal liberation, sabotaging construction machinery, graffiti and squatting.

The Melbourne-based guide, which radical groups are using as a template for activist campaigning in Australia, has been cited by militant protesters now targeting Jewish shipping interests.

There are established links between union activists and a radical anti-Israel group targeting Israeli shipping company ZIM.

Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Alex Ryvchin said Australia was witnessing a 20-year evolution in Palestinian campaigning, which he said was causing a lot of anxiety among the Jewish community.

“This year, since October 7 it’s reached unprecedented levels. In terms of the resourcing going into it, in terms of the support they’re receiving from mainstream political parties, trade unions,’’ Mr Ryvchin said. “It’s always been centrally co-ordinated but it’s kind of been a lower-level thing, confined to university campuses, sort of fringe groups, but now you’re seeing the Australian Greens becoming agents of this movement and sizeable trade unions as well.

“Everyone feels more brazen and outspoken, they feel like this is their moment. I think Hamas elevated their movement, it gave them a feeling of ascendancy that Israel’s downfall is just a matter of time and now they’re all kind of pushing with maximum force and intent to precipitate that.’’

Trade Unionists for Palestine social media contains cases of anti-Semitism, including claims that a rich Australian Jewish man was a terrorist who carried out ethnic cleansing against ­Palestinians and Israel is committing genocide.

The prominent activist group Free Palestine Printing’s Instagram page boasts a poster of a dog on a leash with a “boycott Israel” sticker covering its head. One comment refers to the Jewish state as “Satans (sic) Army.”

A commenter says referring to Israel: “Offensive to dogs … my dogs are filled with love and loyalty. Should never be compared to such hatred. Satans (sic) army!”

Key unions and crossbench senator Lidia Thorpe have backed the Block the Dock movement, which is behind port protests in Melbourne targeting Israeli-owned ships. Block the Dock, a national movement, has posted photos and a version of events supporting the protesters who invaded the Carols by Candlelight event in Melbourne on December 24, where a video shows one person saying: “Racist f..king police.’’

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20152545 (301303ZDEC23) Notable: Noel Pearson breaks silence on Indigenous voice referendum on stage with Stan Grant at Woodford Folk Festival - Ex-News Corp and AAP photographer, David Kapernick said on social media that Mr Pearson accused Anthony Albanese of “running away” from indigenous affairs. “Noel Pearson and Stan Grant at Woodford Folk festival discussing what to do now after referendum. Not impressed with Albanese … says he’s running away and will do nothing,”

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>>137349

Noel Pearson breaks silence on Indigenous voice referendum on stage with Stan Grant at Woodford

PAIGE TAYLOR - DECEMBER 30, 2023

Noel Pearson, the reforming leader who campaigned for an Indigenous voice for a decade, has broken his three-month long silence on the failed referendum.

In his first public comments since Australians voted against enshrining a national Indigenous advisory body to government in the constitution, one audience member told The Australian that Mr Pearson has lamented that Indigenous affairs are in a worse state than before the October 14 vote.

Another audience member, ex-News Corp and AAP photographer David Kapernick, said on social media that Mr Pearson accused Anthony Albanese of “running away” from indigenous affairs.

“Noel Pearson and Stan Grant at Woodford Folk festival discussing what to do now after referendum. Not impressed with Albanese … says he’s running away and will do nothing,” Mr Kapernick tweeted.

Mr Pearson was in conversation with journalist Stan Grant at Woodford Folk Festival of culture, music and arts north of Brisbane on Saturday.

The Cape York leader made his comments after Anthony Albanese excluded the referendum defeat from his wrap of the events of 2023 then described the referendum defeat as no loss to him.

The Prime Minister’s Christmas Day remark that the voice defeat “wasn’t a loss to me” was met with shock and disgust by some Indigenous proponents of the voice.

At the Exodus Foundation in Sydney’s inner west where he helped serve Christmas Day lunch to the poor, Mr Albanese was asked during a 2GB interview about his year and “some big losses” such as the defeat of the voice at the ballot box last October.

“Oh, no, no, no, no, very important to call that out. I am not Indigenous so it wasn’t a loss to me,” the Labor leader said.

“That stays exactly the same the way it is. I do think that it was disappointing for First Nations people but they’re used to you know, getting the, they’re used to hardship. It’s been the case for 200 years, and they are resilient and we will continue to do what we can to provide for closing the gap.

“But it’s one of the things about this debate, it was never about politicians, it was actually about the most disadvantaged people in our society.”

One figure in the Yes ­campaign criticised Mr Albanese for claiming no sense of personal loss after championing the referendum, ­including in his election-night victory speech in May last year.

Another called on Labor to commission a review of the ­“referendum debacle” and the ­Albanese government’s role in it.

“Blacks did the work for seven years and Labor killed it,” one said.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/indigenous/noel-pearson-breaks-silence-on-indigenous-voice-referendum-on-stage-with-stan-grant-at-woodford/news-story/e80bc89ac8bce1fc145391506c398693

https://twitter.com/birdnoises/status/1740899135430230355

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20152674 (301346ZDEC23) Notable: Trump-Biden rematch bodes ill for US and world - "What a miserable year for American politics and democracy worldwide a Trump victory in 2024 would be. What message would it send to Russia and Ukraine? What would it do to the US relationship with China? Would it put nations such as Australia in an awkward position balancing relationships? Could US allies be even remotely certain Trump would have their back in a crisis? And what would the return of Trump say about the decline of US hegemony? The biggest risk of Trump returning to the presidency isn’t the short-term chaos. It is the long-term cultural impact such a result would have - a profound shift in how the US did business, and what might come next. This is why Trump is a threat to democracy. He represents yet another erosion in support for its ideals because if he wins he’ll do so legitimately." - Peter van Onselen, professor of politics and public policy at the University of Western Australia and Griffith University - theaustralian.com.au

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>>137343

>>137373

Trump-Biden rematch bodes ill for US and world

PETER VAN ONSELEN - DECEMBER 30, 2023

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As we usher in a new year, electoral politics will take centre stage, but not the contest here in Australia. The US presidential showdown will be the hit show – or more likely miss – of 2024, as the odds of a Joe Biden v Donald Trump showdown shorten.

The notion of this pair of ageing has-beens squaring off would have seemed absurd four years ago when Biden sent Trump packing after one term. It is hard to overstate the ignominy of a US president serving only one term. That was Republican George HW Bush’s fate, courtesy of a recession as well as a three-cornered contest against Democrat Bill Clinton and independent candidate Ross Perot in 1992. Democrat Jimmy Carter also lasted only one term before Reaganism took over.

The odds of a Trump resurgence might have seemed even longer than either of these one-term presidents making a comeback were it not for the Donald’s cultlike following. US primaries are geared towards populism, in a form that appeals to the party base. This is the case for both Democrats and Republicans but especially the latter. Trump’s style of campaigning suits the modern world of mistruths and social media.

Trump’s actions around Biden’s inauguration were appalling at best, treason at worst. The courts soon will decide where his actions sit on that spectrum.

But even if court decisions precede primaries or the general election, it is unlikely even adverse findings will diminish Trump in the polls. In fact his resurgence has been built on regular polling bumps each time proceedings are issued against him.

Before charges began being laid there was a sense that Trump the one-time loser went against his brand and his supporters would look for a younger alternative to support next time. Now that brand has been restored, bizarrely, as he again positions himself as an outsider fighting the Washington establishment. Except he is also part of the establishment, having set himself up as the established face of the Republican Party. Trump has money (not necessarily his own), momentum and the capacity to damage opponents mortally when targeting them.

Biden is especially susceptible to Trump’s take-down tactics. Four years on from their last showdown, Biden must carry the weight of incumbency like a crown of thorns atop of his head.

The economy is struggling, Biden also appears to be struggling, cognitively. His age has caught up with him in ways his detractors unfairly sought to target last time. Now, more voters want Biden to pull out than to contest the next presidential election.

Trump and several other Republican candidates lead Biden in the polls. And those feelings are echoed by Democrats. But so far no Democrat of note has been prepared to call time on Biden’s career and challenge him. Challengers are also-rans, ensuring Biden will win his party’s nomination, which only elevates Trump’s chances of victory at the general election.

What a miserable year for American politics and democracy worldwide a Trump victory in 2024 would be. What message would it send to Russia and Ukraine? What would it do to the US relationship with China? Would it put nations such as Australia in an awkward position balancing relationships? Could US allies be even remotely certain Trump would have their back in a crisis? And what would the return of Trump say about the decline of US hegemony?

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20157935 (311052ZDEC23) Notable: ‘Deafening silence’ from government on Indigenous affairs: Sean Gordon - Anthony Albanese is facing calls from both sides of the voice ­debate to lay out his “plan B” for reconciliation early in the new year, with Liberals for Yes leader Sean Gordon accusing Labor of “deafening silence” on Indigenous policy since the referendum.

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>>137349

>>137375

‘Deafening silence’ from government on Indigenous affairs: Sean Gordon

SARAH ISON and PAIGE TAYLOR - DECEMBER 31, 2023

Anthony Albanese is facing calls from both sides of the voice ­debate to lay out his “plan B” for reconciliation early in the new year, with Liberals for Yes leader Sean Gordon accusing Labor of “deafening silence” on Indigenous policy since the referendum.

The comments follow Noel Pearson breaking his three-month silence at the Woodford Folk Festival on the weekend to say Indigenous affairs were in a worse state than before the October 14 vote.

One audience member at the Woodford event said Mr Pearson – a key figure in the Yes campaign – said the Prime Minister was “running away” from Indigenous affairs.

Mr Gordon, who supported the voice in an alliance with constitutional conservatives, said there were no clear solutions being posed by Labor to address inequalities between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.

“The silence has been deafening from the government on Indigenous affairs,” he told The Australian.

“It’s difficult to see what their solution or response (is) to the high vote among Indigenous people wanting the voice.”

Mr Gordon said the Coalition had also failed to offer a viable alternative to a voice to parliament.

“The government nor the ­opposition have put forward a sensible solution to address the disparity challenges facing Indigenous people,” he said.

Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney said in October “the really important thing is the first few weeks of next year, to make sure that we’ve got a road map forward” and left the door open to rolling out local and ­regional voices using an existing model and without legislation.

Members of the Coalition have been pursuing their own “tangible solutions” to challenges facing Indigenous Australians, including calling for an audit of how millions in funding were being spent by Indigenous organisations.

Opposition spokeswoman for child protection and the prevention of family violence Kerrynne Liddle said it had become clear Labor never had “a plan B” for the Indigenous voice to parliament.

“We’ve got nothing from the Albanese government,” she said.

“My view is until we get to a position where we stop duplication of funding … and get simple audits, nothing will change.

“I cannot believe what I see and hear that doesn’t get addressed in terms of funding ­accountability. That’s where you are going to get the biggest outcomes.”

Mr Pearson’s comments on the voice defeat were made during a talk hosted by journalist Stan Grant, which also went to whether major political parties would continue to serve the ­advantaged, according to a summary of the event posted on LinkedIn by Danielle Ireland-Piper, academic director of the Australian National University’s National Security College.

“Noel shared his sense that the Australia we saw on 14 October was an Australia he knew, but not the Australia he hoped for,” Dr Ireland-Piper wrote in her post after attending the event.

“He’d hoped we could be immeasurably better and that the urging he gave Indigenous Australians to trust hadn’t ended in the heartbreak of rejection.

“Where to from here? Can conventional politics from the major parties even help or will both continue to simply serve the advantaged because it gets them re-elected? How do we use love and kindness in community to walk forward together?”

Ms Burney was not available when asked about Mr Pearson’s comments, while Woodford Festival organisers said there had been a glitch with the recording of the talk and that they would not provide any vision or audio without the permission of the speakers.

Mr Albanese last week said that he did not consider the failure of the voice in October a personal loss.

“Oh, no, no, no, no, very important to call that out. I am not Indigenous so it wasn’t a loss to me,” he said.

“That stays exactly the same the way it is. I do think that it was disappointing for First Nations people but they’re used to … hardship … but it’s one of the things about this debate, it was never about politicians, it was actually about the most disadvantaged people in our society.”

A number of Yes campaigners criticised Mr Albanese for claiming no sense of personal loss after championing the referendum, ­including in his election-night victory speech in May 2022.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/deafening-silence-from-government-on-indigenous-affairs-sean-gordon/news-story/b8cdcafab2171f97ea1b65d62fd305dc

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20158451 (311335ZDEC23) Notable: Radical left-wing political journalist John Pilger dies in London aged 84 - Renowned radical left-wing political activist and journalist John Pilger has died aged 84. Mr Pilger, born and raised in Sydney, gained international fame for his long career as a writer and documentary filmmaker waging war on what he saw as political and economic injustices in the world. He was a fierce and relentless critic of Australian, British and American foreign policy.

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Radical left-wing political journalist John Pilger dies in London aged 84

DUNCAN EVANS - DECEMBER 31, 2023

Renowned radical left-wing political activist and journalist John Pilger has died aged 84.

Mr Pilger’s family announced his passing to X on December 31.

“It is with great sadness the family of John Pilger announce he died yesterday December 30, 2023 in London aged 84,” his family said. “His journalism and documentaries were celebrated around the world but to his family he was simply the most amazing and loved Dad, Grandad and partner. Rest In Peace.”

Mr Pilger, born and raised in Sydney, gained international fame for his long career as a writer and documentary filmmaker waging war on what he saw as political and economic injustices in the world.

He was a fierce and relentless critic of Australian, British and American foreign policy.

He produced documentaries about wars in Cambodia, East Timor and Iraq and Afghanistan and wrote eight books, including Heroes, which celebrates the people he met throughout his years as a reporter.

Mr Pilger was also a staunch supporter of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

ABC broadcaster Phillip Adams took to X to express his sadness at the news.

“Vale John Pilger. Friend of mine, Julian Assange and of the truth. A sad end to a bad year,” he wrote.

The official WikiLeaks X account said the world would be poorer for his passing.

“The veteran journalist, writer and filmmaker was a ferocious speaker of truth to power, whom in later years tirelessly advocated for the release and vindication of Julian Assange,” the organisation stated.

British politician George Galloway expressed his sorrow at the news, writing: “This is extremely sad news and millions around the world will feel they lost somebody special”.

“To his family and to Australia his loss will be felt most keenly of all. A Great journalist, a fine man, a tower of strength has fallen.”

Irish actor Liam Cinningham, who has starred in films such as The Wind That Shakes the Barley and The Guard, praised Mr Pilger as a “magnificent thorn” in the side of authority.

“If you are considering becoming a real journalist, study this man’s work,” he wrote.

Pink Floyd musician Roger Waters called Mr Pilger a “great man”.

“We will carry you in our hearts forever, you will always be there to give us strength. Love R,” he wrote.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/breaking-news/radical-leftwing-political-journalist-john-pilger-dies-in-london-aged-84/news-story/d3719769635e0bcee873da7fb5b3ccda

https://twitter.com/johnpilger/status/1741419322449215716

https://twitter.com/wikileaks/status/1741427332676509781

https://twitter.com/rogerwaters/status/1741438218636042686

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20163152 (010829ZJAN24) Notable: Crown Prince Frederik, Princess Mary to become rulers of Denmark following surprise abdication by queen - Tasmanian-born Mary Donaldson will become queen of Denmark following a surprise announcement from the country's reigning monarch, Margrethe II, that she would be stepping down.

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Crown Prince Frederik, Princess Mary to become rulers of Denmark following surprise abdication by queen

Reuters / abc.net.au - 1 January 2024

Tasmanian-born Mary Donaldson will become queen of Denmark following a surprise announcement from the country's reigning monarch, Margrethe II, that she would be stepping down.

Queen Margrethe II will abdicate on January 14 after 52 years on the throne and will be succeeded by her eldest son Crown Prince Frederik, she announced on Sunday.

The 83-year-old, who ascended the throne in 1972, made the surprise announcement on live TV during her traditional New Year's Eve speech, which is viewed by many in the country of 5.9 million people.

Referring to a successful back operation she underwent in February, she said, "The surgery naturally gave rise to thinking about the future — whether the time had come to leave the responsibility to the next generation".

"I have decided that now is the right time. On 14 January 2024 – 52 years after I succeeded my beloved father – I will step down as queen of Denmark," she said.

"I leave the throne to my son, Crown Prince Frederik," she said.

Frederik married Mary Elizabeth Donaldson, an Australian, in 2004.

'Margrethe the epitome of Denmark'

The queen became the longest-serving monarch in Europe following the death of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022. In July, she became the longest-sitting monarch in Denmark's history.

In Denmark, formal power resides with the elected parliament and its government. The monarch is expected to stay above partisan politics, representing the nation with traditional duties ranging from state visits to national day celebrations.

Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen thanked the queen for her life-long dedication to duty.

"It is still difficult to understand that the time has now come for a change of throne," Ms Frederiksen said in a statement, adding that many Danes had never known another monarch.

"Queen Margrethe is the epitome of Denmark and throughout the years has put words and feelings into who we are as a people and as a nation," she said.

"In the new year, Crown Prince Frederik will be proclaimed king. Crown Princess Mary will become queen. The kingdom will have a new regent and a new royal couple," she said in his statement.

"We can look forward to all of this in the knowledge that they are ready for the responsibility and the task."

Born in 1940 to Denmark's former monarch King Frederik IX and Queen Ingrid, Margrethe has throughout her life enjoyed broad support from Danes, who are fond of her tactful and yet creative personality.

She is also known for her love of archaeology and has taken part in several excavations.

She became heir to her father in 1953 at the age of 13, after a constitutional amendment allowed women to inherit the throne.

In 1967, she married French diplomat Henri de Laborde de Monpezat, who served as her royal consort until his death in 2018.

The couple's two sons are Crown Prince Frederik, who will become King Frederik X, and Prince Joachim.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-01-01/denmark-queen-margrethe-announces-abdication/103276384

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20163169 (010834ZJAN24) Notable: How Australia’s Mary Donaldson went from commoner to Danish Queen - An unconventional journey from Australia’s middle class to European royalty began in an unremarkable bar in Sydney in 2000. Twenty-three years later, in what has been called a “real-life fairytale”, Mary Donaldson, a former real estate manager from Tasmania, is poised to become the queen of Denmark.

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>>137379

How Australia’s Mary Donaldson went from commoner to Danish Queen

An unconventional journey from Australia’s middle class to European royalty began in an unremarkable bar in Sydney in 2000

Virginia Harrison - 1 Jan 2024

It started with a discussion about chest hair. Twenty-three years later, in what has been called a “real-life fairytale”, Mary Donaldson, a former real estate manager from Tasmania, is poised to become the queen of Denmark.

Her unconventional journey from Australia’s middle class to European royalty began in an unremarkable bar in Sydney in 2000. At the Slip Inn that night, amid Olympic fever, two young women met a group of young men.

A report from the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper described the group as Prince Frederik of Denmark, his cousin, Prince Nikolaos of Greece, his brother, Prince Joachim, and Princess Martha of Norway.

It quoted a friend of Mary’s, Beatrice Tarnawski, who said: “All the girls around the table were discussing what is best – the man with a hairy chest or a man without hair and the princes were wearing open shirts.

“We were allowed to touch Prince Frederik and Prince Nikolaos. I liked Prince Frederik best because he was so smooth. Prince Nikolaos had a lot of hair and that really wasn’t my type.”

Mary, then 28, apparently had no idea who she was talking to.

“The first time we met, we shook hands and I didn’t know he was the crown prince of Denmark. An hour or so later someone came up to me and said, ‘Do you know who these people are?’” she said in 2003.

“From the very first moment that we started talking, we never really stopped talking,” she told Australia’s 60 Minutes. “[Due to] our geographical distance, everything was through words, so we really established a strong relationship to begin with.”

Born in Hobart in 1972 to Scottish parents, Mary’s father was a mathematics professor and her mother an executive assistant at the University of Tasmania. The youngest of four, she went to local schools and later studied commerce and law in Tasmania. She moved to Melbourne and Sydney to work in advertising and then worked in real estate, not long before the unlikely meeting in a pub changed everything.

After meeting at the Slip Inn, the pair began a secret, long-distance romance. Frederik travelled to Australia several times over the next year. Then in 2001, a Danish royal magazine Billed Bladet followed the prince to Sydney to find out about his “secret Australian girlfriend”. According to the ABC, the magazine broke the news that it was Mary, a “pretty, outgoing, gifted and perhaps future crown princess”.

Frederik soon invited her to move to Copenhagen. Ahead of the move, she hired a style consultant, to begin her transformation from commoner to future queen. The couple became officially engaged on 8 October 2003.

Denmark’s Queen Margrethe, whose surprise abdication has opened the way for Frederik to take the throne this month, had advised Mary to learn Danish ahead of their marriage in 2004. At the time, Australia media was awash with the story of a real-life fairytale princess. The Slip Inn screened the wedding, offering free Carlsberg to anyone with a Danish passport.

The prince and princess have four children. Alongside motherhood, the 51-year-old has taken on humanitarian work on a number of causes including women’s and LGBTQ+ rights.

“I’ve always had a strong sense of justice: that everyone should have the same opportunities, no matter where you come from,” she told the Financial Times in 2022.

The crown princess’s own mother, Henrietta, died in 1997, before she met her future husband.

“I’m sure she would be very happy to see me where I am, not only happy in my family life and as a mother, but also to see that I’ve used my new situation and the resources and skills I have to form a platform to make a difference where I can,” the crown princess told the Australian Women’s Weekly in 2013.

“And I think she’s probably smiling.”

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/jan/01/how-australias-mary-donaldson-went-from-commoner-to-danish-queen

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20163221 (010900ZJAN24) Notable: Revealed: How anti-Jewish activists plot to stop Israeli cargo - Radical anti-Israel activists targeting Jewish interests have ­obtained a sophisticated strategy developed in the US for tracking and blockading boats and engaging unions and the trucking ­industry, to stifle the shipping company ZIM.

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>>137327

>>137374

Revealed: How anti-Jewish activists plot to stop Israeli cargo

JOHN FERGUSON - DECEMBER 31, 2023

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Radical anti-Israel activists targeting Jewish interests have ­obtained a sophisticated strategy developed in the US for tracking and blockading boats and engaging unions and the trucking ­industry, to stifle the shipping company ZIM.

Israel-based ZIM has been the target of an offensive in ­Australia by hard-left activists who have staged lock-ins at ports and water-based activities to ­retard ship progress and undermine the company’s operations.

The tactics have escalated since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, when about 1200 people were killed, raped and tortured and hundreds of people abducted.

The Australian has seen a ­series of documents in the possession of activists, including Block the Boat’s US strategy for harming ZIM interests, which was originally stored in encrypted form. “This is a toolkit for tracking ships owned by Israel’s ZIM Shipping, and offers a starting point for organizing a port blockade with the Block the Boat movement,’’ one document says.

“Palestinians are under threat as they face ethnic cleansing, forced evacuation, apartheid and genocide.’’

The document, which is not dated, urges protesters to build ­relationships with unions and to use the trucking industry as a means of achieving results.

The Weekend Australian revealed on Saturday that radical groups in Australia were circulating and sharing guides for anti-­Israel activists, unionists and educators to sabotage and vandalise property and evade police by using encrypted communications and special codes.

One document details a running sheet for a non-violent direct action training session in Newcastle, NSW, which was published on November 10 but the event may have been held earlier.

The document names Blockade Australia and states as its strategy: “The Australian system relies on the flow of goods and ­labour through roads, ports and rail networks. Prolonged disruption of these bottlenecks threatens the ongoing function of policies of economic, political and social value, creating a political crisis around climate response.”

There is now an Australian version of Block the Boat, called Block the Dock, which has ­become one of the main protest groups against Israel, highlighting the large human toll in Gaza after the war was sparked by Hamas. Socialists have accused maritime unionists in Australia of failing to do enough to block the Israeli-owned ships.

A ZIM cargo ship, which has been off the NSW south coast, was diverted from Melbourne to defeat the Block the Dock campaigners and last week another ZIM ship was met by campaigners on kayaks.

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20163322 (011002ZJAN24) Notable: Video: Radical Sydney cleric labels Australia’s New Year’s Eve celebrations a ‘celebration of foreskin’ - On the eve of Sydney’s biggest fireworks displays in recent years, cleric Abu Ousayd - also known as Wissam Haddad - gave an incendiary sermon at Bankstown’s Al Madina Dawah Centre on Friday, slamming the celebrations and claiming that in Judaic tradition the event was instead a “day of circumcision”.

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>>137326

>>137327

Radical Sydney cleric labels Australia’s New Year’s Eve celebrations a ‘celebration of foreskin’

ALEXI DEMETRIADI - JANUARY 1, 2024

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Australia’s peak Jewish body has slammed the anti-Semitism and “stupidity” of a radical cleric’s latest incendiary sermon, in which he said Israelis were “descendants of pigs and monkeys” and called New Year’s Eve festivities a “celebration of foreskin”.

It comes as a cleric known as “Brother Ismail”, who previously called for jihad, revealed that ASIO and counter-terrorism squads visited him before dropping their probes, as he criticised Islamic leaders for not standing up for him.

On the eve of Sydney’s biggest fireworks displays in recent years, cleric Abu Ousayd – also known as Wissam Haddad – gave an incendiary sermon at Bankstown’s Al Madina Dawah Centre on Friday, slamming the celebrations and claiming that in Judaic tradition the event was instead a “day of circumcision”.

“In essence, and I’m sorry to say this, you are celebrating (on New Year’s Eve) a piece of foreskin,” Mr Ousayd said.

“How low can the Muslim community stoop that we are celebrating a piece of flesh that is cut and thrown away.”

This publication revealed in November how Mr Ousayd was actually radical Islamic cleric Wissam Haddad, who had boasted about his friendship with men such as Khaled Sharrouf and Mohamed Elomar, who went on to commit atrocities in Syria.

It followed this masthead revealing the incendiary sermons by both Mr Ousayd and Brother Ismail, and how their contents were the subject of both federal and state police investigations, both of which were later dropped.

“Muslims should not celebrate or get involved in New Year’s Eve,” Mr Ousayd said in his Friday sermon.

“Flocking to watch the fireworks, staying up until midnight in the city.

“The kuffar (non-believers or faithless in Arabic) on New Year’s Eve turn and kiss each other at midnight … keep away from them.”

Mr Ousayd said New Year’s traditions had been invented by the Chinese, to ward off evil spirits, and urged Muslims to reject them as “paganism” and not “stand shoulder to shoulder with unbelievers”.

“The Chinese are the first to come up with fireworks to scare off evil demons ... another pagan origin,” Mr Ousayd said, who added that Israelis and Jews were “descendants of pigs and monkeys”.

“Let us not forget what has been happening to our brothers and sisters (in Palestine),” Mr Ousayd said.

“These (Israelis and Jews) descendants of pigs and monkeys are stealing the organs of our brothers and sisters.”

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20168965 (020955ZJAN24) Notable: Freed asylum seeker Mohammed Ali Nadari back behind bars in Sydney - Mohammed Ali Nadari, 45, was one of the 148 asylum seekers released under a landmark High Court decision that ruled that indefinite detention was unlawful. On New Year’s Eve, the AFP revealed it had arrested Nadari for allegedly failing to comply with his visa-mandated curfew.

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>>108621 (pb)

>>108708 (pb)

Freed asylum seeker Mohammed Ali Nadari back behind bars in Sydney

ALEXI DEMETRIADI - JANUARY 2, 2024

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Two more freed asylum seekers have been arrested by the Australian Federal Police over the festive break after alleged curfew breaches, bringing the total number of arrests since a landmark High Court ruling to at least seven.

A “high-risk” detainee is back behind bars after he was arrested again over the weekend in Sydney while the force arrested a 38-year-old Iranian man in Perth on Christmas Eve.

Mohammed Ali Nadari, 45, was one of the 148 asylum seekers released under a landmark High Court decision that ruled that indefinite detention was unlawful.

On New Year’s Eve, the AFP revealed it had arrested Nadari on Saturday, before he appeared at Parramatta Local Court the following day for allegedly failing to comply with his visa-mandated curfew.

Nadari was arrested in early December after he was allegedly caught in possession of 2g of cannabis.

It signifies another arrest for the federal government after the High Court’s November ruling that the 148 asylum seekers had to be released.

At least seven people, including Nadari, have now been arrested since the ruling.

They include 65-year-old ­Aliyawar Yawari, who faces two counts of indecently assaulting a woman in an Adelaide motel, and Emran Dad, 33, an ex-ringleader of a child exploitation group that preyed on children in state care, who appeared in Dandenong Magistrates Court in December on nine charges that included making contact with a child without a reasonable excuse.

Sudanese-born 45-year-old Abdelmoez Mohamed Elawad became the fourth former detainee to be arrested, with the AFP charging him with a failure to comply with his curfew and one count of theft for attempting to steal luggage from a sleeping traveller at Melbourne Airport.

William Yekrop, 39, was arrested in Queensland, NSW Police confirmed on December 7, “on an outstanding NSW revocation of parole arrest warrant”.

On December 8, 36-year-old Eritrean-born man Temesgen Tsegay Gebreyonas was arrested in Victoria and charged by the AFP for allegedly breaching his curfew conditions.

The seventh man, the 38-year-old Iranian, was arrested on Christmas Eve in Perth by the AFP.

Nadari remains in custody after officers rearrested him in the western Sydney suburb of Merrylands, the AFP said in a statement.

“It will be alleged the man breached the conditions of his commonwealth visa between 15 and 28 December, by failing to observe his residential curfew obligations,” the federal police said.

“The man has been charged with 10 counts of failing to comply with a curfew condition… this offence carries a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment and a $93,900 fine.”

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20169001 (021013ZJAN24) Notable: ‘This will be unsettling’: Victorian court hack may expose sensitive witness testimony - Sex abuse victims and underworld informers could be at risk of exposure after a cyberattack on Victoria’s court system gave hackers access to video recordings provided under witness protection and at trials protected by suppression orders.

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>>137344

>>137366

‘This will be unsettling’: Victorian court hack may expose sensitive witness testimony

Cameron Houston, David Swan and Lachlan Abbott - January 2, 2024

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Sex abuse victims and underworld informers could be at risk of exposure after a cyberattack on Victoria’s court system gave hackers access to video recordings provided under witness protection and at trials protected by suppression orders.

The compromised records include key evidence from a murder trial involving a Melbourne underworld figure, which is the subject of a strict suppression order.

Court Services Victoria (CSV) chief executive Louise Anderson confirmed on Tuesday the statutory body had discovered on December 21 that cyber-criminals had accessed the audiovisual archive of the state’s court system. CSV only notified the public for the first time on Tuesday, after media reports were published.

“Recordings of some hearings in courts and tribunals between November 1 and December 21 may have been accessed,” Anderson said in a statement. She also conceded that some hearings before November could have been hacked, but potential access was confined to recordings stored on the CSV network.

CSV is the latest Australian organisation to fall victim to a cyberattack, after ransomware group DragonForce last week claimed to have stolen 95 gigabytes worth of data from probiotic drink maker Yakult, according to its blog on the dark web.

CSV said it would begin notifying people whose hearings might have been accessed.

“We understand this will be unsettling for those who have been part of a hearing,” Anderson said. “We recognise and apologise for the distress that this may cause people.”

Cybersecurity specialists speculate that the CSV hack is likely the work of Russian ransomware group Qilin or one of its affiliates. Qilin to date has primarily targeted critical sector companies, and its attacks typically involve the use of phishing emails with malicious links to gain access to targets, followed by the encryption and theft of sensitive data.

A prominent criminal barrister, who asked not to be identified because of the potential impact on their legal practice, said the potential release of any witness evidence, particularly from trials protected by strict suppression orders, could have “dire implications” for the administration of justice.

“This is obviously a problem for the courts and you have to wonder why it’s only been made public almost two weeks after they [Court Services Victoria] became aware of it,” the barrister said.

“There will be some witnesses, who have agreed to give evidence on the condition of anonymity, who will be very nervous, but you also have victims of sex crimes in the County Court, who could potentially have private, intimate details of their assaults released.”

The barrister was not aware of anyone who had been contacted by CSV over the breach.

Actor Madeleine West, who gave permission to the court to identify her as a victim of Peter Vincent White, said she was deeply distressed that recordings of confidential evidence from the recent trial in the County Court could now be in the possession of hackers.

White, 73, was handed a 15-year prison sentence on December 20 over the horrific abuse of seven children between 1977 and 1978. West, who read out her victim impact statement in the County Court on December 5, said the security breach could discourage other victims of sexual assault from providing evidence.

“It obviously doesn’t change my position, but I know there are other people involved in that case, who would never have spoken out had they been aware of this vulnerability,” she told The Age.

“We all provided the court with deeply personal evidence, which caused further trauma. It was done on the condition that this information would be treated with the strictest confidentiality. My fear is that this will dissuade other victims from making disclosures, without which the prosecution of some of Victoria’s most heinous criminals will not be possible.”

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Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20174745 (031011ZJAN24) Notable: Video: Anti-Semitic Sydney cleric: ‘Jews bloodthirsty monsters’ who ‘ran like rats’ - Footage has emerged of another southwest Sydney cleric in a raging anti-Semitic sermon, calling Jews “monsters” and “thirsty for bloodshed”, and how they “ran like rats” from Hamas terrorists on October 7. The footage shows Sydney sheikh Ahmed Zoud at Lakemba’s As-Sunnah mosque on December 22, who gave a 35-minute sermon in Arabic on, what he called, “the truth of the Jews”.

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>>137327

>>137326

>>137382

Anti-Semitic Sydney cleric: ‘Jews bloodthirsty monsters’ who ‘ran like rats’

ALEXI DEMETRIADI and MOHAMMAD ALFARES - JANUARY 3, 2024

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Footage has emerged of another southwest Sydney cleric in a raging anti-Semitic sermon, calling Jews “monsters” and “thirsty for bloodshed”, and how they “ran like rats” from Hamas terrorists on October 7.

The footage shows Sydney sheikh Ahmed Zoud at Lakemba’s As-Sunnah mosque on December 22, who gave a 35-minute sermon in Arabic on, what he called, “the truth of the Jews”.

The sermon, and the anti-Semitism it peddled, has been condemned by Jewish and political leaders, who have asked why it appears that nothing can be done in NSW to clamp down on the rise of radical preachers reciting anti-Semitism.

“Who are these terrorists… these monsters… who have removed mercy from their hearts,” sheikh Zoud told the crowd at As-Sunnah.

“These (people) are the Jews, not all of them, but most of them.

“The most important characteristic of the Jews is that they are thirsty for bloodshed.”

The sermon was published in full on As-Sunnah’s social channels before monitoring service the Middle East Media Research Institute circulated it on Wednesday.

Sheikh Zoud said the Jews “love to shed blood” and accused them of raising their children on “violence, terrorism and killing”.

“The Jews (will always) remain the Jews, the days nor years change them,” he said, calling them “bloody and vengeful people” with “global and international bonds”.

“Another characteristic of Jews is betrayal and treachery, an inherent trait.”

Appearing to refer to Hamas’ attacks on October 7, which killed more than 1200 Israelis, sheikh Zoud said civilians and Jews “ran like rats”.

“The cowards fell before the attacks of the mujahideen… you (ran) like rats,” he said.

The sheikh’s sermon comes after The Australian revealed the hate-fuelled sermons at the nearby Al Madina Dawah Centre, where clerics Abu Ousayd, Brother Ismail and Brother Mohammed called for jihad, a Muslim army to wipe out the West, and encouraged people to spit on Israel “ so the Jews would drown”.

NSW Police and its federal counterpart started but dropped inquiries into Mr Ousayd and Brother Ismail’s sermons, but said in each case it had not breached the criminality threshold.

The Australian understands NSW Police are aware of the sermon.

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20174768 (031031ZJAN24) Notable: Video: I’m evil no more: Abdul Nacer Benbrika’s first interview after prison release - Australia’s most notorious terrorist has broken his silence, claiming he is a changed man and Australians should no longer be afraid of him. Abdul Nacer Benbrika and his loved ones said their family was “just like any other”.

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>>108502 (pb)

>>137342

I’m evil no more: Abdul Nacer Benbrika’s first interview after prison release

Speaking exclusively to the Herald Sun, Australia’s most notorious terrorist says the public has “nothing to worry about” following his release from prison.

Olivia Jenkins - January 3, 2024

Australia’s most notorious terrorist has broken his silence, claiming he is a changed man and Australians should no longer be afraid of him.

In an exclusive interview with the Herald Sun following his release from prison, Abdul Nacer Benbrika and his loved ones said their family was “just like any other”.

Speaking publicly for the first time after more than 15 years behind bars for plotting to blow up the MCG, Benbrika told this masthead: “I’ve thought about it and I have learned a huge lesson”.

“People should know that Nacer (himself) is not what he was,” he said.

Benbrika said his message to those who were losing sleep over his release from prison: “Listen, just sleep. Don’t worry about it, you nothing to worry about from him (Benbrika) now”.

Benbrika’s younger son said he wanted people to know that they were a regular family who were grateful to be reunited.

“It’s completely different now. We just want to tell people we are like any other family,” he said.

He said loved ones have rallied around his father, with the family hosting several gatherings since his Benbrika walked out of Barwon prison flanked by relatives on December 19.

“We’re just happy as a family. “It’s great. It has been a long time,” he said.

Benbrika spent 15 years behind bars for conspiring to attack the MCG on Grand Final Day, Melbourne’s rail network and Crown Casino in 2005.

But an ongoing detention order kept him behind bars for another three years after his sentence ended amid fears he still posed an “unacceptable” risk to the community.

Benbrika was released from prison into the care of his wife and son, 23-year-old Ibrahim Benbrika, who is facing charges for allegedly trying to take an imitation pistol onto an aircraft.

Speaking from his Dallas home in Melbourne’s northern suburbs, Benbrika said he was slowly getting used to life as a free man.

“After 18 years, it’s an adjustment,” he said.

“It’s from zero to the complete opposite.

“There are different places, different people and different things. It’s totally different.”

“I still need time to be able to absorb all this, after that amount of time.”

The Benbrika household remained a hive of activity amid the terror leader’s release.

Scores of relatives and friends descended on the home for celebratory lunches and dinners.

Benbrika’s lawyer Isabelle Skaburskis also attended lunch with her client at the house.

The federal government did not contest Benbrika’s release, instead placing him under a strict extended supervision order, limiting who he can contact, where he can go and who is allowed to visit the family home.

Under the 30 conditions of the ESO, he must wear a tracking device and is banned from sending any mail.

He must also reside at his Dallas home with his wife and four of his children, including sons Bakr and Oussama, who have ties with convicted terrorists and underworld figures including gangster Ahmed Elomar.

The terror leader’s release last month ignited fierce debate about whether the bomb plotter had reformed.

A leading national security think tank said it was “highly unlikely” that Benbrika was no longer a public threat, while terrorism expert Greg Barton said the Muslim cleric had likely realised his extremist ideals were futile.

But Victorian Supreme Court Justice Elizabeth Hollingworth ruled that he was a low enough risk to public safety to be released under the ESO while continuing to attend a deradicalisation program.

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said that the Commonwealth’s application to release Benbrika under the ESO with advice from authorities including police “was the strongest possible action under law”.

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/lesson-learned-abdul-nacer-benbrikas-first-interview-after-prison-release/news-story/a3903fc88878b964cd7c38e58a8c78a1

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20174777 (031037ZJAN24) Notable: Anthony Albanese demands release of documents containing details on the Iraq War - Anthony Albanese has demanded the National Archives release unpublished records on the Iraq War, warning Labor will “take further action” if the 20-year-old documents that could shed led on why Australia joined the conflict are not made public.

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Anthony Albanese demands release of documents containing details on the Iraq War

SARAH ISON - JANUARY 3, 2024

Anthony Albanese has demanded the National Archives release unpublished records on the Iraq War, warning Labor will “take further action” if the 20-year-old documents that could shed led on why Australia joined the conflict are not made public.

The Prime Minister’s call for the documents to be released was backed by former Liberal Foreign Minister Alexander Downer, who was on the National Security Committee when the 78 separate materials on the war were presented in 2003.

“I see no reason why not. They should be released,” Mr Downer said.

Mr Albanese slammed the Morrison government for its “failure” to properly transfer the files to the archives in 2020, after the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet confirmed a small number of documents were missing from the transfer due to what it claimed to be “administrative oversight”.

“The head of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet has commenced an independent review that will be conducted by Dennis Richardson, as to how this failure in 2020 to provide all the appropriate documentation occurred,” Mr Albanese said.

“Australians have a right to know the basis upon which Australia went to war in Iraq. Australians lost their lives during that conflict and we know that some of the stated reason for going to war was not correct in terms of the weapons of mass destruction that was alleged Iraq had at that time. Australians do have a right to know what the decision-making was and my government believes that this mistake should be corrected.”

Mr Albanese dodged questions on whether he believed the documents were missing because of an intentional cover up and said only “that’s why we have asked Dennis Richardson to do the review”.

“I’m not aware of the circumstances, obviously. I wasn’t a member of the Cabinet or the NSC in 2003,” he said.

“There is no reason why these documentations should be, with the exception of putting people in danger, should be not released in a transparent way. So we… have asked that this occur, and if this doesn’t occur we’ll look at whether the government needs to take further action to ensure that there’s transparency here.”

But Mr Downer said he was confident the missing documents were purely due to “a bureaucratic stuff up” by one or two public servants and that the then-Coalition government had not intentionally kept them from the Archives.

“Having been a minister for nearly 12 years, you don’t give a thought to the release of these documents,” he said.

“Albanese is just trying to play politics by blaming the Liberals for not releasing these documents. It’s childish… he knows the Liberals didn’t need to deal with it. Why would we mind for these 20-year-old documents to be released? I certainly don’t.”

National Archives director-general Simon Froude said his agency planned to have a decision on whether to release the documents or not “within 90 business days”.

“National Archives is proactively examining these additional records as a matter of priority. Access decisions will be made in line with the Archives Act 1983,” he said.

Cabinet historian David Lee – who was denied the NSC documents on Iraq by the Archives in January last year – said the Prime Minister’s intervention in the matter was welcome.

“I have not seen any list of the NSC documents on Iraq,” he said.

“But in view of what we know from published sources about the importance of the NSC in the 2000s and in view of the compelling public interest in Australia’s decision to join the Iraq War, it would be appropriate for the Government and the National Archives of Australia to initiate the release and digitisation of the eligible NSC records on Iraq as a bloc rather than simply listing the records on the NAA ‘record search’ website and allowing public researchers to apply for them individually.”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/anthony-albanese-demands-release-of-documents-containing-details-on-the-iraq-war/news-story/e5e5644310edef7ba9ecf21812df09ab

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20180437 (040750ZJAN24) Notable: Donald J. Trump Truth - Happy New Year. It will be a historic one. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!

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Repost from Q Research General #24756

>>>/qresearch/20174225 (pb)

ICYMI Q+ was here yesterday

https://8kun.top/qresearch/res/20174182.html#20174225

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Repost from Q Research General #24743

>>>/qresearch/20164191 (pb)

V2.

Nothing Can Stop What Is Coming.

https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump

Happy New Year. It will be a historic one. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!

https://8kun.top/qresearch/res/20163461.html#20164191

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Donald J. Trump Truth

Happy New Year. It will be a historic one. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!

https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/111681559221097426

Nothing Can Stop What Is Coming.

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20180647 (040953ZJAN24) Notable: ‘Urgent need’: Albanese pushed on alternative to legislated Voice following referendum defeat - A top Indigenous group has urged Labor to act quickly after the Voice referendum to counter Indigenous disadvantage while Australians remained focused on the issue, and pushed to mandate consultation with First Nations leaders.

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‘Urgent need’: Albanese pushed on alternative to legislated Voice following referendum defeat

Paul Sakkal - January 4, 2024

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A top Indigenous group urged Labor to act quickly after the Voice referendum to counter Indigenous disadvantage while Australians remained focused on the issue, and pushed to mandate consultation with First Nations leaders.

But nearly three months after Australians overwhelmingly voted No to the Voice, Labor has said little about its agenda to improve living standards among First Australians.

Pat Turner, head of the coalition of peak Indigenous organisations, wrote to Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s department head days after the October 14 referendum.

In her letter, she argued the benefits that would have been created by the Voice – embedding Indigenous advice in decision-making – could be achieved by changing the Commonwealth Public Service Act to force bureaucrats to consult Indigenous representatives “on matters that significantly impact” them.

Albanese ruled out the politically risky option of legislating the Voice throughout the referendum campaign, but Turner said her suggestion provided a neat alternative to a legislated Voice to ensure Indigenous people were “heard by government”.

The Yes and No camps’ advocacy contributed to greater public awareness of Indigenous suffering and increased acceptance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people influencing policymaking, Turner said in the letter.

“It is important that the government takes early action on these issues to leverage current public understanding, support and expectation. Early action is also needed to tackle the [division] that has been perpetuated by the No campaign,” said the letter, released under freedom of information laws.

“Demonstrating strong practical action will also support healing in the nation. It is also fair to say that many other initiatives to support [Indigenous] wellbeing have been put on hold for the referendum campaign and there is an urgent need to accelerate”.

Turner’s Coalition of Peaks is made up of more than 80 Indigenous-controlled member organisations and represents 800 organisations.

Turner thanked Burney, whose performance was criticised during the Voice campaign, for her “courage and conviction”.

“A devastating outcome and we are all grieving. Please know that I am here to support you both professionally, in my role as lead convenor of the Coalition of Peaks, and also as a friend,” the letter said.

On the night of the referendum, Burney said, “in the months ahead, I will have more to say about our government’s renewed commitment to closing the gap”.

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Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20180655 (041000ZJAN24) Notable: Serbian army officer Zeljko Badza accused of war crimes including killing footballer’s granddad - A former Dubrovnik army officer who fled to Australia ten years ago has been charged with war crimes committed during the Balkans conflict in December 1991. Zeljko Badza, now 63, is accused of the murder of six civilians including the grandfather of the Croatian national football team captain Luka Modric.

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Serbian army officer Zeljko Badza accused of war crimes including killing footballer’s granddad

JACQUELIN MAGNAY - JANUARY 4, 2024

A former Dubrovnik army officer who fled to Australia ten years ago has been charged with war crimes committed during the Balkans conflict in December 1991.

Zeljko Badza, now 63, is accused of the murder of six civilians including the grandfather of the Croatian national football team captain Luka Modric.

Modric’s grandfather, who has the same name, was killed while grazing goats on December 18 in Zaton Obrovacki near the road leading to the hamlet of Meki Doci and beyond across Velebit towards Sveti Rok, the indictment says.

The Zadar Public Prosecutor’s Office said it sought to question Mr Badza in Australia, but the Dalmatian website has reported that “this was not granted”.

Instead the website reported that Mr Badza’s son told the Australian Federal Police that his father was in Croatia and that he had contacted him to inform him of the police inquiries.

It is unclear where Mr Badza is now.

Footballer Modric was six at the time of his grandfather’s murder. He used to stay with his grandparents and was his grandpa’s “assistant” while his parents were at work.

When he was just 10, Mr Modric wrote about the fear and upheaval of that time.

“Even though I’m still little I have experienced a lot of fear in my life. The fear of war and shelling is something I’m slowly putting behind me. The event and the feeling of fear I will never forget took place four years ago when the Chetniks killed my grandfather. I loved him so much. Everyone cried, and I just couldn’t understand that my dear grandpa was no more. I used to ask if those who did this, and who made us run away from our home, can even be called people?”

The Zadar Public Prosecutor’s Office initiated the case against Mr Badza at the end of last year in absentia and he has been sentenced to pre-trial detention.

The indictment says that Mr Badza was the commander of a Special Platoon stationed at the Public Security Station in Obrovac.

Together with unknown members of his unit, he is alleged to have intercepted 61-year-old Luka Modric, who was grazing goats near the family home who was shot and killed in December 1991.

After the alleged murder of Mr Modric, Mr Badza and his unit members drove to Meki Doci and opened fire on civilians they encountered on the way, killing six elderly people.

A key witness in the case is the nephew of the victim, who had been hiding in the forest and was 200m away from the goats. He has testified that a Land Rover and a police car arrived from the direction of Obrovac and he heard someone shout ‘Come on!’, and a little later, ‘Go ahead!’ Then he heard gunfire from automatic weapons, and then one shot, followed by silence. He stayed hidden in the forest and saw the vehicles return in the evening and he went deeper into the Zrmanja canyon.

His mother told him of the death of Mr Modric from gunshots to the head and he later discovered the Meki Doci residents had been killed by the Special Platoon members, whose commander was Zeljko Badza.

Another accused Balkans war criminal who sought sanctuary in Australia, Zoran Tadic, left his western Sydney home and fled to Serbia in 2019 upon learning of war crimes charges that had been laid against him.

Mr Tadic is accused of leading a group of men to kill 30 villagers at Skrabrnja in Croatia and torturing and murdering 13 soldiers. Mr Tadic’s trial is expected to begin later this year with the defendant in absentia. There is no extradition treaty between Serbia and Croatia.

One of the highest profile Serbian commanders was Dragan Vasiljkovic, also known as Captain Dragan, who was sentenced to 15 years jail for war crimes in 1991 in Knin, during the same Balkans conflict. He had been found working as a golf instructor in Perth.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/croat-army-officer-accused-of-killing-footballers-granddad/news-story/7284da7b24192c927e524049c4aa1f5b

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20187569 (051556ZJAN24) Notable: Sheik Ahmed Zoud’s hate rants must stop, says Tony Burke - One of Labor’s most pro-Palestine ministers, Tony Burke, has called on hate preachers in his electorate to face the full force of the law over their radical sermons and said he hoped his own government would soon legislate stronger protections against anti-Semitic hate speech.

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Sheik Ahmed Zoud’s hate rants must stop, says Tony Burke

ALEXI DEMETRIADI - JANUARY 4, 2024

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One of Labor’s most pro-Palestine ministers, Tony Burke, has called on hate preachers in his electorate to face the full force of the law over their radical sermons and said he hoped his own government would soon legislate stronger protections against anti-Semitic hate speech.

Local tensions over the Israel-Hamas war have heightened after two southwest Sydney clerics called Jewish people “monsters” and “descendants of pigs and monkeys” – one within Mr Burke’s Watson electorate – but police have been unable to charge either over the diatribes.

Mr Burke, the Arts and Employment Minister, said he wanted “legal protections” to be used against the clerics and signalled his support for a ban on religious-based hate speech in the Attorney-General’s upcoming draft of a religious discrimination bill, due before July.

“There are legal protections against racist hate speech and I hope they are used,” said Mr Burke, whose electorate encompasses As-Sunnah mosque, where sheik Ahmed Zoud gave a sermon calling Jews “monsters”.

“We don’t yet have legal protections under commonwealth law against hate speech directed against people for their faith. I hope we see that change soon.

“I consistently condemn hate speech in all its forms – (the sheik’s) comments should be rejected without reservation.”

Mr Burke’s condemnation comes after he supported a council in his electorate flying the Palestinian flag – which “represented grief in that community” – and Labor’s backing of a ceasefire at the UN General Assembly. The minister has condemned Hamas and previously urged “everyone to keep the situation in Australia as calm as possible”.

NSW Police confirmed on Thursday that it reviewed the sermon but was unable to proceed further given the parameters of relevant legislation, “and it was ascertained that it did not meet the threshold of any criminal ­offence”.

NSW criminal provisions outlaw “incitement of violence” on the basis of race and religion, and has civil provisions that outlaw “incitement of contempt or hatred” on the same grounds, although this requires complainants to put forward a case to Anti-Discrimination NSW.

The federal Racial Discrimination Act outlaws similar acts on the basis of race or ethnicity, but not religion.

The Australian revealed on New Year’s Day how Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus could include hate speech provisions in Labor’s new religious discrimination bill, which would make it illegal to ridicule someone for their faith, although leaders held concerns about its usage in practice.

The Australian understands for state police to charge under the criminal act it would require a specific call for violence against a specific person or group, such is the legislation’s narrow scope.

Mr Burke said it was “important to note” that As-Sunnah was not one of Watson’s more widely attended mosques, adding: “Our community has a strong record of rejecting hate speech.”

He said although everyone had a right to views on the war, he wanted to ensure those didn’t stoke societal tensions.

“It’s important that people’s views on the horrors they are seeing overseas don’t affect how we treat each other,” he said.

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20187714 (051626ZJAN24) Notable: Sydney Mardi Gras ‘no longer safe’ for gay Jews - A key organisation representing Sydney’s gay Jewish community says it is reconsidering its participation in this year’s Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras and Fair Day events, amid fears for its members’ safety following the release of an open letter to Anthony Albanese regarding the Israel-Hamas war by Mardi Gras chief executive Gil Beckwith.

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>>137327

Sydney Mardi Gras ‘no longer safe’ for gay Jews

RACHEL BAXENDALE - JANUARY 4, 2024

A key organisation representing Sydney’s gay Jewish community says it is reconsidering its participation in this year’s Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras and Fair Day events, amid fears for its members’ safety following the release of an open letter to Anthony Albanese regarding the Israel-Hamas war by Mardi Gras chief executive Gil Beckwith.

Not-for-profit group Dayenu, which has had a float at Mardi Gras for the past 24 years, says its members are reporting “feelings of distress and a sense of isolation”, which have been compounded by the conduct of the Mardi Gras offshoot group, Pride in Protest.

Pride in Protest, which has members on the Mardi Gras board, recently wrote to its supporters, celebrating the fact Mardi Gras had “ruled out Israeli sponsorship” of the event, and had “written an open letter to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to call for a permanent ceasefire in Palestine”.

“This indicates the impact of our campaign on this front,” the group said, announcing that it will be marching with a “Trans Pride, Not Genocide” float at the March 2 Mardi Gras parade “as a symbol of the work that has been and must still be done to bring about a just and equal society”.

Pride in Protest’s actions, and the failure of Ms Beckwith’s letter to mention Hamas, its October 7 killing of 1200 civilians in Israel, its taking of 240 hostages, and its role in breaking ceasefires, has left many Jewish members of the LGBTQIA+ community feeling deeply uncomfortable. “At a time when our members are reporting feelings of distress and a sense of isolation from the LGBTQIA+ community and the wider community it is disappointing that Mardi Gras did not reach out to Dayenu prior to posting an open letter to the Prime Minister,” Dayenu said.

“Dayenu would like to remind our LGBTQIA+ community that Israel offers sanctuary and continues to offer sanctuary to members of our community fleeing oppression and indeed the death penalty at the hands of the internationally recognised terrorist group Hamas within Palestine.

“The rights of the LGBTQIA+ community in Israel are set in law. Due to an aggressive and ongoing anti-Semitic campaign by Pride in Protest, and a lack of consultation from Mardi Gras, Dayenu is reconsidering our involve­ment in Fair Day and the Mardi Gras Parade. We are concerned for the safety of our members in Sydney’s Queer spaces.”

Gay Jewish man Mordechai Aryeh Levin said Ms Beckwith’s open letter and Pride in Protest’s plans for a “trans rights, not genocide” float made him feel like there would not be a place for him at the event, as a proud Zionist, who has Moroccan-Israeli heritage on his mother’s side, and a paternal grandmother whose family inhabited pre-mandate Palestine for several generations in the 1800s.

“If we’re not in a place where we can feel safe to express our views and identities to the same degree and with the same freedoms as another group, then this is a serious concern for the future of a multicultural Australia,” Mr Levin said.

Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Alex Ryvchin said it was “heartbreaking to see Jewish members of the LGBTQIA+ community feeling afraid and marginalised”.

“They have overcome immense challenges because of their LGBTQIA+ identities and now they are facing exclusion in the LGBTQIA+ community because of their Jewish identities. This cannot be allowed to happen,” Mr Ryvchin said.

“LGBTQIA+ Jews are an inseverable part of our community and this attack on them is an attack on us all. We will not allow a band of fanatics who have sided with violent jihadists to intimidate our brothers and sisters.”

Australian Jewish Association CEO Robert Gregory described the open letter as “outrageous”.

“Israel is the only place where LGBT people are safe in the Middle East. Members of the LGBT community face severe persecution under both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority. Israel provides a refuge to gay Palestinian Arabs who may otherwise be murdered,” Mr Gregory said.

Mardi Gras organisers did not respond to a request for comment.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/sydney-mardi-gras-no-longer-safe-for-gay-jews/news-story/1923a6b4b46ffc4643107df81fb3b3f5

https://www.mardigras.org.au/sydney-gay-and-lesbian-mardi-gras-shares-open-letter-to-pm-supporting-a-ceasefire-in-gaza/

https://www.instagram.com/p/C1qQCjkhOA8/

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20187748 (051633ZJAN24) Notable: Kerryn Phelps and wife Jackie Stricker-Phelps join chorus of concerned gay Jews over Mardi Gras letter - Veteran gay rights campaigners Kerryn Phelps and Jackie Stricker-Phelps have joined a chorus of members of the LGBTIQA+ Jewish community expressing dismay at an open letter on the Israel-Hamas war issued by the chief executive of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.

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Kerryn Phelps and wife Jackie Stricker-Phelps join chorus of concerned gay Jews over Mardi Gras letter

RACHEL BAXENDALE - JANUARY 5, 2024

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Veteran gay rights campaigners Kerryn Phelps and Jackie Stricker-Phelps have joined a chorus of members of the LGBTIQA+ Jewish community expressing dismay at an open letter on the Israel-Hamas war issued by the chief executive of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.

The couple, who led the marriage equality movement in Australia, say the conduct of Mardi Gras leadership has made them feel marginalised, after Dayenu – a key body representing Sydney’s gay Jewish community on Thursday warned that it was reconsidering participating in this year’s famous event due to concerns over the safety of its members.

Dr Phelps, a GP and former AMA president and independent federal MP, said she had contacted Mardi Gras organisers after chief executive Gil Beckwith last month released an open letter to Anthony Albanese calling for “an immediate and enduring ceasefire in Gaza.”

“I was really not satisfied with the response,” said Dr Phelps, who converted to Reform Judaism more than 20 years ago after committing to her relationship with now wife Ms Stricker-Phelps, who was born Jewish and had many family members killed in the Holocaust.

“The statement was silent on the atrocities committed by Hamas on October 7, and its ­impact on Israel, and on the Australian Jewish community. They only spoke of violence in Gaza.

“There was no statement about Hamas, or the treatment of the LGBT+ community in Gaza, or in Palestinian culture.

“I have yet to see a statement from Sydney Mardi Gras about life for LGBTIQ people in Iran, or Saudi Arabia, or Yemen or ­Afghanistan.

“Where are the statements about other conflicts, and where are the statements about countries where the LGBT+ community risks the death penalty, persecution, and violence?

“The best that can be said about this statement is that it is well-meaning but highly selective. As a humanitarian, I understand the distress about all people affected by the October 7 attacks and its ­aftermath. Realistically, there can be no lasting ceasefire unless all hostages are safely returned, and Hamas is disarmed.”

Ms Stricker-Phelps said the letter mentioned violence only in Gaza, making no mention of the October 7 attack on Israel.

“They are advocating for a culture where they would not last five minutes as an out and proud gay or lesbian person. The Israeli gay and lesbian community, by contrast, has the support of their government and culture, so it is a false equivalence,” she said.

“I have fought hard for equality for the LGBT+ community for over 20 years, and am shocked at the statement by Mardi Gras, which further marginalises the Jewish gay and lesbian community. It is at best misguided, and at worst reckless.”

Mardi Gras organisers did not respond to a request for comment.

New body formed to fight ‘threats and exclusion’

Queer Israeli woman Ofra Ronen, who has lived in Australia since 2003, founded new national group “Jewish-Israeli Pride Australia” late last year, “out of the need to counter the threats and exclusions that LGBTQI Jews face in online and offline spaces, especially from those who deny Israel’s right to exist.”

“It is in my opinion a much bigger issue than do we feel safe to go to Mardi Gras,” Ms Ronen said. “We haven’t felt safe since October.”

Sydney-based Ms Ronen said she had been working with the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies on ways to ensure the safety and wellbeing of queer Jews during Mardi Gras celebrations, which take place during February and March, as well as in the LGBTIQA+ community more broadly.

She said a Melbourne cell of JIPA was working with Victoria’s Pride Centre to discuss concerns over the safety of Jewish community members at the upcoming Midsumma festival.

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20187811 (051648ZJAN24) Notable: ‘Let teens access assisted dying’, says ACT Human Rights Commission - The ACT Human Rights Commission has called for teenagers to be allowed to access voluntary assisted dying, arguing that capping the scheme at the age of 18 infringes on young people's right to receive health care “without discrimination”.

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‘Let teens access assisted dying’, says ACT Human Rights Commission

RHIANNON DOWN - JANUARY 3, 2024

The ACT Human Rights Commission has called for teenagers to be allowed to access voluntary assisted dying, arguing that capping the scheme at the age of 18 infringes on young people's right to receive health care “without discrimination”.

The territory’s Human Rights Commissioner, Penelope Mathew, Children and Young People Commissioner Jodie Griffiths-Cook and Discrimination, Disability, Health and Community Services Commissioner Karen Toohey have argued that terminally ill minors should have the right to “voluntarily end their life with dignity in the same circumstances as adults”.

Anti-euthanasia advocate Brendan Long — a former ACT Labor candidate — said it was “scandalous that an agency funded by ACT taxpayers is advocating for children to be offered assisted suicide”.

“It is well established that only an adult can give informed consent and it gives mixed messages as we seek to fight the epidemic of youth suicide,” he said.

The ACT Labor-Greens government’s voluntary assisted dying framework, which is being examined by a parliamentary committee, will form the foundation of the most liberal scheme in the country if it becomes law. It does not have a requirement for a predicted time of death and includes provisions that allow social workers and counsellors to initiate conversations about euthanasia.

ACT Human Rights Minister Tara Cheyne told The Australian in June she was considering ­allowing teenagers as young as 14 to access the euthanasia scheme. The controversial push was later abandoned with the promise to review the age limit after three years.

In a submission written on behalf of the three commissioners, the ACT Human Rights Commission said the legislation for the most part contained “appropriate safeguards to provide equal access to VAD” but raised concerns that by excluding teenagers it did not respect the rights of young people to have their views taken into account.

“It is the commission’s view that this extends to decisions for a child or young person to voluntarily end their life with dignity in the same circumstances as adults: namely where they have a ­condition that is advanced, ­progressive and expected to cause their death, where they are ­suffering intolerably, where they are acting voluntarily, and where they have demonstrated maturity and capacity to make such a ­decision,” the commission said in its ­submission.

“We recognise that there may need to be additional steps and safeguards for children and young people, particularly where the views of parents and carers differ from the young person or from each other.”

The commission raised concerns the bill did not contain provisions for patients who have suffered a “loss of capacity or an inability to communicate” to lodge a prior voluntary directive requesting access to the VAD scheme, conceding that this was fraught with ethical issues.

“The inability of those facing a painful or prolonged death to ­determine their own future care once they lose capacity may ­engage the rights to equality and non-discrimination and the right to privacy, due to the lack of autonomy,” the commission said.

It said it was worried health practitioners were given just two days to lodge all paperwork after assisting with a terminally ill patient’s death.

Advocacy group Exit International’s ACT branch described the exclusion of minors from the euthanasia scheme as “nonsense”, arguing that assisted dying might be the “only way to mitigate their suffering”.

“The bill requires children to suffer when adults need not,” the group’s submission said.

The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation ACT branch has warned about the inclusion of 43 strict liability offences for health workers, saying their inclusion was “excessive and may have direct ramifications in respect of accessibility to VAD in the ACT”.

“The ANMF notes the nursing and midwifery workforce … in the ACT continue to grapple with ­severe staffing issues,” the ­submission said.

“As such, the ANMF considers it to be not unforeseeable that nursing and midwifery workers (or other healthcare practitioners) could be unable to complete the relevant obligations within two working days, due to ­circumstances beyond their ­control.”

An ACT government spokesman said it had been “clear about its position on the bill … in that accessibility for minors will be considered in the statutory review three years from the bill’s commencement”.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/let-teens-access-assisted-dying-says-act-human-rights-commission/news-story/8ee8f2426aa05c00e10757daf17f4673

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20187942 (051714ZJAN24) Notable: OPINION: If Trump returns to the White House, should we rethink the US alliance? - "We know what a second Trump administration would look like - Trump and his supporters have told us. Of particular concern to our own security alliance should be Trump’s plans to pack the military and Department of Defence with loyal toadies and then use them to attack the rule of law." - Dr Emma Shortis, senior researcher in the International & Security Affairs Program at independent think-tank, The Australia Institute - theage.com.au

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OPINION: If Trump returns to the White House, should we rethink the US alliance?

Dr Emma Shortis, Historian and writer - January 5, 2024

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Last year, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s second American visit coincided with the resolution of yet another paralysing domestic political crisis for the United States. Having unseated the Speaker of the House for the first time in history – leaving the position empty for an unprecedented (expect to get very tired of that word this year) three weeks – Republicans finally elected Louisiana congressman Mike Johnson.

Though the timing of the Speaker’s election meant that Albanese was unable to address a joint session of Congress, he was able to meet briefly with Johnson.

Sitting in front of a grand fireplace on a slightly too deep, cream-coloured wooden chair, Albanese offered his congratulations, warmly describing the Speaker’s election as “terrific”. As Johnson nodded politely, the prime minister moved to his biggest priority: the “important legislation required for AUKUS.” “We are,” he continued, “certainly hoping that the Congress can pass that legislation this year.”

Johnson came through for Albanese a few weeks later, shepherding legislation through Congress that will theoretically allow a future presidential administration to transfer the necessary technology for Australia to acquire nuclear-powered submarines. AUKUS was saved, for now. But at what cost, and at what risk?

What went unsaid in that October 2023 meeting is that the Australian government’s desperation to get AUKUS “institutionalised” before the end of the year was prompted at least in part by concerns that Johnson’s ideological ally might well be on his way back to the White House.

The man the Australian prime minister asked very nicely for help with AUKUS is a key Trump ally. In 2020, he wrote an amicus brief supporting efforts to overturn the election results. He is a Christian nationalist. The “appeal to heaven” flag that hangs outside his office signals his direct connection to the right-wing and religious mobilisation that led to the attempted insurrection on January 6, 2021.

He is now the highest legislative officer in the US government and third in line for the presidency. He will play a central role in the election this year, and whatever comes after.

Johnson and Albanese’s awkward meeting could be understood as yet another example of the strength of Australia’s alliance with the US, which, as the meeting itself demonstrates, retains its rock-solid bipartisan support. That alliance has long been understood as something that must sit well above the vagaries of domestic politics. But it could also be interpreted another way.

On the morning of January 7, 2021, then opposition leader Albanese quote-tweeted incoming President Joe Biden. Apparently agreeing with Biden’s assessment of the violent assault on the United States Capitol as “bordering on sedition”, Albanese wrote: “Democracy is precious and cannot be taken for granted – the violent insurrection in Washington is an assault on the rule of law and democracy. Donald Trump has encouraged this response and must now call on his supporters to stand down.”

Three years later, Albanese was sitting next to a key supporter and architect of that violent insurrection, chatting politely for the cameras, all in the name of getting the AUKUS pact legislated.

Talking to people who do not share your politics is, of course, an integral component of diplomacy and a prime minister’s job. The fact that the Australian government was desperate to get the AUKUS legislation through before the US election season at least hints at concerns over having to deal with Trump again.

But the Australian government’s fixation on locking AUKUS down should not come at the expense of what we are frequently, but unconvincingly, assured is one of the core components of that alliance: shared democratic values.

On the third anniversary of a violent and nearly successful assault on those values, anxieties about what a victorious Trump might do with AUKUS – itself a short-sighted, outrageously expensive and poorly thought-through agreement – should be placed firmly alongside an examination of what is actually at stake for Australia and the alliance as the United States faces the biggest test of its democracy in generations.

Johnson gave the Australian government the legislation it so desperately wanted. What if he also helps give the White House back to Trump? What then? Will the Australian government describe that election (or otherwise) as “terrific” too?

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20193851 (061356ZJAN24) Notable: Republic on ice after Indigenous voice referendum failure - Labor has junked plans to hold a republic referendum in the next term of parliament, with the ­Albanese government vowing to keep its focus on the cost of living after losing public support during the voice debate.

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>>137349

Republic on ice after Indigenous voice referendum failure

GREG BROWN - JANUARY 5, 2024

Labor has junked plans to hold a republic referendum in the next term of parliament, with the ­Albanese government vowing to keep its focus on the cost of living after losing public support during the voice debate.

Assistant Minister for the ­Republic Matt Thistlethwaite said the failure of the voice had made it “a lot harder” to hold a referendum on the republic if the government won a second term, as was initially planned.

“It’s not a priority at the ­moment,” Mr Thistlethwaite told The Weekend Australian. “The priority for the government at the moment is obviously dealing with cost-of-living pressure and assisting households and businesses to get through this difficult time.”

But Mr Thistlethwaite said an Australian republic remained Labor policy “for the longer term” and it was something that should be discussed with the public “at some stage”.

The government’s delay on pursuing a republic comes as ­Anthony Albanese this week confirmed King Charles would visit Australia this year.

Monarchists have accused Mr Thistlethwaite of showing dis­respect to Queen Elizabeth, after documents obtained under freedom of information showed he met senior bureaucrats to discuss referendums just six days after the former monarch died.

Mr Thistlethwaite said the meeting with senior officials from the Attorney-General’s Department on September 14, 2022, had been planned before the queen died and they decided during discussions it was the wrong time to pursue a republic referendum.

“This was a longstanding meeting that had been organised, prior to the queen’s passing, with departmental representatives,” he said. “It was the first meeting I’d organised with the secretary of the department and other representatives, and it was mainly to discuss ­resources (and the role) I would play in the voice referendum.

“In terms of the republic, given that the queen had just passed, we agreed that it wasn’t the appropriate time to discuss the republic and that the priority for the government was the voice referendum.”

A briefing paper prepared ahead of Mr Thistlethwaite’s meeting, obtained via a FOI ­request by former Liberal MP Nicolle Flint, showed he discussions were supposed to focus on the “process, authorities, timing and other matters of relevance to referendums and plebiscites”.

The briefing note – cleared by Attorney-General’s Department secretary Katherine Jones, who also attended the meeting – said progressing a republic would “require strong support from the government, particularly the Prime Minister and the Attorney-General”.

The department also prepared advice on holding plebiscites, which Mr Thistlethwaite had considered using to choose a republican model that could be put to a referendum.

Ms Flint said it sounded “fanciful” that the timing of the meeting was coincidental.

“I find it astounding that a new minister in a new government would wait 3½ months – from 1 June, 2022, until 14 September, 2022 – to receive preliminary briefing on their portfolio,” she said. “If this was in fact a ­coincidence … why didn’t the ­assistant minister postpone the meeting out of respect?”

Australian Monarchist League chairman Eric Abetz said he did not believe Mr Thistlethwaite used the meeting to talk about the voice referendum rather than the republic.

“That explanation seems completely and utterly implausible,” he said.

Mr Thistlethwaite conceded he held “general” discussions with officials about the rules of plebiscites, despite this never being proposed as part of the voice referendum process.

The assistant minister said he was entitled to speak to department officials about the voice, given his formal title was the Parliamentary Secretary to the ­Attorney-General.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/republic-on-ice-after-indigenous-voice-referendum-failure/news-story/01f2044ef753659d44f9839c5f80170b

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20193868 (061400ZJAN24) Notable: Anthony Albanese confirms King Charles visit later this year - A government spokesperson told The Australian that “the Prime Minister enjoys a warm relationship with the King, and looks forward to welcoming His Majesty to Australia later this year”. The royal visit would be the first since King Charles’s accession to the throne and the first visit to Australia by the sitting monarch since Queen Elizabeth II in October 2011.

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>>137397

Anthony Albanese confirms King Charles visit later this year

NOAH YIM - JANUARY 2, 2024

Anthony Albanese has confirmed King Charles will visit Australia later this year as the Prime Minister faces pressure to dump an outer ministry role for an Australian republic.

A government spokesperson told The Australian that “the Prime Minister enjoys a warm relationship with the King, and looks forward to welcoming His Majesty to Australia later this year”.

The royal visit would be the first since King Charles’s accession to the throne and the first visit to Australia by the sitting monarch since Queen Elizabeth II in October 2011.

The King’s visit is tipped to be in the second half of the year when he is scheduled to be in the Pacific to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa in October.

Ahead of the scheduled visit, the Australian Monarchist League has called on the Albanese government to abolish the position of Assistant Minister for the Republic, held by NSW MP Matt Thistlethwaite.

“The incongruity of the Prime Minister basking in the reflected glory and publicity of welcoming King Charles to Australia while funding a minister committed to the abolition of Australia’s constitutional monarchy is obvious to all,” Australian Monarchist League chairman Eric Abetz said.

“The assistant minister, who personally gets over $260,000 per annum plus travel, plus staff, plus accommodation, is an abuse of taxpayers’ money.

“There is no doubt the propaganda machine for the republicans is fed well over half a million dollars each and every year by the taxpayer at a time when cost-of-living pressures are substantial.”

Mr Thistlethwaite is also Assistant Minister for Defence and Veterans’ Affairs.

The debate for and against a republic has been bubbling along despite 55 per cent of voters rejecting a republic in the 1999 referendum. The debate flared up again after the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.

Mr Abetz, a former long-serving Liberal senator for Tasmania, said Australian voters in the 1999 referendum “rightly and overwhelmingly repudiated an attempt to change their Constitution by those seeking to abolish not only our heritage but our stable democracy, which is envied around the world”.

“While Australians harbour doubts about their elected representatives from time to time, they are resolute in their support of their Constitution, which has served them so well,” Mr Abetz said.

“Australians are rightly suspicious about politicians who want to change their Constitution because it is always about giving politicians greater power.”

Before the unsuccessful voice to parliament referendum, Mr Thistlethwaite set out a possible pathway for a second-term Labor government to hold a referendum on a republic.

The assistant minister told The Australian at the time that he saw the voice as “an important stepping stone for the success of a republic referendum”.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/anthony-albanese-confirms-king-charles-visit-later-this-year/news-story/7152ee7a84622686de25c24d6d9cc677

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20199945 (070932ZJAN24) Notable: Khawaja appeal against armband sanction denied by ICC - Usman Khawaja’s reprimand for wearing a black armband onto the field during the first Test against Pakistan in Perth will stand after the International Cricket Council rejected his appeal against the sanction.

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>>137330

>>137332

Khawaja appeal against armband sanction denied by ICC

Daniel Brettig - January 7, 2024

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Usman Khawaja’s reprimand for wearing a black armband onto the field during the first Test against Pakistan in Perth will stand after the International Cricket Council rejected his appeal against the sanction, according to a source close to the situation who wished to remain anonymous ahead of any public announcement being made.

Khawaja wore the armband in a personal gesture of mourning for children killed in Gaza during the conflict that has taken place since early October, and told the ICC that he had done so for a personal bereavement.

He did so after an initial plan to wear shoes emblazoned with the slogans “All lives are equal” and “Freedom is a human right” was also rejected.

The ICC was contacted for comment.

“They asked me on day two what it was for and [I] told them it was for a personal bereavement,” Khawaja said last month. “I never ever stated it was for anything else. The shoes were a different matter, I’m happy to say that. The armband makes no sense to me.

“I followed all the regulations, past precedents, guys that put stickers on their bats, names on their shoes, done all sorts of things in the past without ICC approval and never been reprimanded. I respect the ICC and the rules and regulations they have.

“I will be asking them and contesting they make it fair and equitable for everyone and they have consistency in how they officiate. That consistency hasn’t been done yet.”

Following the Perth Test and the decision to reprimand Khawaja, he workshopped an idea for another humanitarian symbol to wear, ultimately settling on the image of a dove and olive branch alongside a reference to article one of the universal declaration of human rights.

That concept was approved by an emergency sitting of the Cricket Australia board, following discussions with the CA chief executive and his counterpart at the Australian Cricketers’ Association, Todd Greenberg.

“I feel strongly about the right of every human being to enjoy peace, freedom and equality in dignity and rights regardless of their gender, age, colour, race, language, religion or national or social origin,” Khawaja wrote in the submission. “Some human rights are inalienable and transcend all our differences.

“These rights are enshrined in the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) that has been ratified by all member states of the United Nations.

“At a time when there is such a loss of life and liberty in the world – most recently in the Middle East – I would like to promote a personal message of peace, freedom and equality by displaying an internationally recognised symbol of peace and freedom – a dove with a sprig – on the back of my bat together with the phrase “01: UDHR” (Logo).”

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20199972 (070943ZJAN24) Notable: Melbourne Free Palestine protest marks 13th week of rallies - Thousands of protesters have braved the pouring rain to attend the pro-Palestine rally in Melbourne’s CBD for the 13th week in a row.

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>>137327

Melbourne Free Palestine protest marks 13th week of rallies

Jessica Wang - January 7, 2024

Thousands of protesters have braved the pouring rain to attend the pro-Palestine rally in Melbourne’s CBD for the 13th week in a row.

Protesters, draped in ponchos and armed with umbrellas, gathered outside the State Library of Victoria at midday on Sunday, before marching down Swanston St, and along St Kilda Rd, where they continued protesting outside the Victoria Barracks.

Attendees were undeterred by the inclement weather, with the Bureau of Meteorology forecasting increasing rain of up to 20mm plus the chance of a thunderstorms.

A Victoria Police spokeswoman said about about 4000 to 5000 people attended the rally. No arrests or “major incidents of note,” were recorded.

Sunday’s rally coincided with the 93rd day of conflict between the Israeli government and Palestinian-occupied Gaza Strip, following Hamas’ deadly attacks in October.

Organiser Muayed Ali of the Free Palestine Melbourne group demanded the Australian government withdraw its support for Israel.

“This is a very dangerous time for Australia,” he said prior to Sunday’s demonstration.

“20 years ago the Howard Government joined in the invasion of Iraq at the bidding of the United States and the Australian Israel lobby. Now Israel is doing its best to get America and Australia into another war in the Middle East.”

“We are demanding that Australia stay out of Israel’s wars and cease its support for the Gaza genocide by halting all arms sales to Israel and all co-operation with the Israeli military.”

It’s estimated nearly 22,000 Palestinians have died in the conflict since October, which has also killed about 170 Israeli soldiers.

On Tuesday, Israeli officials said it would be withdrawing some of its reservists troops from Gaza, however a government official told Reuters they believed the military operation would continue for at least another six months.

Escalating tensions between Iran-backed Hezbollah and the Israeli government is also threatening an expansion of war in Lebanon.

Tensions between the two countries escalated after the assassination of senior Hamas figure Saleh al-Arouri in Beirut, Lebanon’s capital, on Tuesday.

While Israel have not claimed responsibility for the attack, the cross-border conflict led to Hezbollah retaliating with rocket fire in northern Israel on Saturday.

https://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/news/melbourne-free-palestine-protest-marks-13th-week-of-rallies/news-story/decc41a7a9a603ec166e32bc5174bff5

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20199983 (070949ZJAN24) Notable: Voice campaigner Thomas Mayo calls to legislate the same sort of body the country voted against - One of the most prominent ­Indigenous “Yes” campaigners at last year’s defeated referendum has backed a legislated Voice to Parliament, less than three months after Australians rejected the plan to entrench one in the constitution.

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>>137349

Voice campaigner Thomas Mayo calls to legislate the same sort of body the country voted against

James Campbell - January 7, 2024

One of the most prominent ­Indigenous “Yes” campaigners at last year’s defeated referendum has backed a legislated Voice to Parliament — less than three months after Australians rejected the plan to entrench one in the constitution.

Thomas Mayo, a trade unionist who sits on the board of Australians for Indigenous Constitutional Recognition, the peak body behind the Yes 23 campaign, told News Corp that while Indigenous conditions had improved since the election of the Albanese government, the defeat of the Voice had left a hole that would need to be filled.

He also called on the Coalition to offer bipartisanship and to stop playing politics with Indigenous affairs.

“I think in practice, on the ground things have improved under Labor,” he said, pointing to the increase in the numbers of renal chairs in the Northern Territory as well as improvements in housing.

“Labor is more genuine about making progress. The Coalition had almost 10 years in power and in that time things went backwards. They had ample time to make progress on Closing the Gap but failed to do so.”

But, despite the improvements, Mr Mayo said there was still a need for a representative body for Indigenous Australians.

“We’re at a low point now because there is no representative body that can work with the parliament with some authority and process to be bringing solutions from the grassroots,” he said.

The rejection of the Voice had not diminished the need for such a body.

“Something needs to be legislated regardless of whether it is in the constitution or not,” he said.

Any such body would need to be created in consultation with Indigenous leaders, who are still smarting from the ­defeat of the Voice.

“What that will look like is something that Indigenous leadership is going to have to work amongst themselves on,” he said.

“People need to understand that this is going to be difficult.”

Mr Mayo said there was truth to Prime Minister ­Anthony Albanese’s recent comments that defeat of the Voice referendum “wasn’t a loss to me”.

“In some ways he’s right … non-Indigenous people lost nothing personally out of the referendum defeat. Not compared to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, who will see entrenched disadvantage continuing on to their children and so on if the government does not tackle the issues with greater urgency, and if the ­Coalition doesn’t stop using ­Indigenous people’s lives as an opportunity for political ­conflict,” he said.

He said that, going forward, “the crucial thing is the ­Coalition stop using Indigenous people as a political battleground and get back to some genuine bipartisanship on finding solutions from ­communities”.

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/voice-campaigner-thomas-mayo-calls-to-legislate-the-same-sort-of-body-the-country-voted-against/news-story/2c8e73c4c7f002a6e511501c7549d7c9

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20205258 (080909ZJAN24) Notable: Jewish leaders take on hate clerics amid government, law enforcement inaction - Radical hate preachers face being hauled in front of the nation’s courts and human rights tribunals in a new legal push by Jewish leaders, who said they can no longer rely on governments and police to prosecute against anti-Semitism.

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>>137327

>>137326

Jewish leaders take on hate clerics amid government, law enforcement inaction

ALEXI DEMETRIADI - JANUARY 8, 2024

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Radical hate preachers face being hauled in front of the nation’s courts and human rights tribunals in a new legal push by Jewish leaders, who said they can no longer rely on governments and police to prosecute against anti-Semitism.

It comes as two Sydney clerics called Jewish people “monsters” and “descendants of pigs and monkeys” – but police have been unable to charge either over the diatribes.

The Executive Council of Australian Jewry, Australia’s peak Jewish body, said it would take legal action against some of the clerics and their sermons, given an apparent inability to lay charges on – or put a stop to – the hate-fuelled rhetoric.

The council’s co-chief executive, Alex Ryvchin, said that the organisation and Jewish community were “not going to wait”.

“Our history shows us again and again that when preachers and clerics use their platforms to incite against us, lives are lost,” he said.

“We’re not going to wait for that to happen.”

In the past, the ECAJ has brought similar cases to the Australian Human Rights Commission and Federal Court under section IIA and 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act, which outlaws racial or ethnic hatred – including insulting, offending, intimidating and humiliating on those grounds.

The Australian understands that this was one possibility being actively considered by the body – but that all legal options remained open – and the ECAJ would soon announce what specific legal path it had chosen to pursue.

“We have called for those who hold positions of influence to denounce anti-Semitism as un-Islamic and un-Australian, and governments to combat this peril through the law and education,” Mr Ryvchin said.

The Australian has previously revealed the slew of anti-Semitic sermons across Sydney’s southwest and that investigations into some of the clerics’ comments had been dropped by police, given it hadn’t breached the criminality threshold.

The ECAJ president Daniel Aghion said that the body hoped that taking legal action would “discourage” further anti-Semitic behaviour, and “support Australia’s future as a peaceful and cohesive society”.

“Although we still have hope that the authorities will act, our organisation will pursue the legal remedies that are available to us against those who have preached hate and promoted violence,” he said.

“We must protect our own community. In doing so, we will be protecting all Australians from racist behaviour.”

Mr Aghion revealed that the Jewish community was “disappointed and distressed” that no action had been taken on the “grossly anti-Semitic sermons”.

“If existing laws are not fit for the purpose of dealing with this hate-filled bile, and the stoking of violence, then the law should be reformed as a matter of urgency,” he said.

“One can only imagine the entirely justifiable outcry if any such rank vilification were expressed from a Synagogue pulpit about Muslims.”

The Australian revealed how Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus could include hate speech provisions in Labor’s new religious discrimination bill, which would make it illegal to ridicule someone for their faith.

Although the ECAJ’s legal route is likely to go down the federal path, state-based criminal and civil protections against hate speech do exist and remain an option for Jewish leaders.

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20205266 (080918ZJAN24) Notable: Politicians have failed to grasp ‘new reality’ of anti-Semitism - "This is not just a concern for the Jewish community. We are society’s litmus test. If Jews are not free to go about their daily lives with a sense of safety and security, then ultimately no citizen is safe." - Peter Wertheim, co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry - theaustralian.com.au

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>>137327

>>137326

>>137402

Politicians have failed to grasp ‘new reality’ of anti-Semitism

PETER WERTHEIM - JANUARY 8, 2024

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There is something in Australia’s down-to-earth culture that looks with suspicion, even derision, upon fanaticism of any kind.

Anti-Semitism, although not a new phenomenon in Australia, is rightly seen as a pathological obsession of ideologues of the extreme political right and left, and of religious extremists reflecting the worst of their faith traditions.

Since the 1960s racism generally, and anti-Semitism in particular, have been seen as shameful and socially unacceptable. Yet anti-Semitism is a light sleeper. It remains as deeply entrenched in Middle Eastern cultures as it once was in Western culture, and is infinitely adaptable.

A shared hatred of the values of Western liberal-democratic society has brought together an unlikely alliance of Western “progressives” and Islamist extremists. The first group is, for the most part, anti-religious and supportive of gender and sexual diversity. It would most likely not survive if the second group achieved its avowed aim of establishing a theocratic dictatorship.

The two groups have fictionalised history into a Manichean struggle between oppressors and the oppressed, colonialists and anti-colonialists, white Europeans and people of colour.

Israel does not fit this picture. Jewish people, once vilified as Middle Eastern “Semites” who were seen as alien and a threat to European societies, have now been recast as white European colonial oppressors. Never mind that the Jews have an unbroken 3500-year history in the land they have supposedly “colonised”, or that most Jewish Israelis are of non-European background.

On the basis of this fiction, a new social licence has been manufactured for anti-Semitism. On social media, in the arts and culture sector, and in academia, Jews are now routinely vilified.

In their maniacal determination to maintain the idea that the babies, children, the elderly and other victims of Hamas’s murders, rapes, mutilation and torture on October 7 were “oppressors”, anti-Israel groups and individuals began to mobilise politically within hours of the atrocities, targeting Jews around the world, even before Israel began to respond.

As early as October 8, a Muslim cleric in Lakemba, Sydney told a crowd celebrating the Hamas atrocities, “I’m smiling and I’m happy. I’m elated”.

On October 9, at a rally held by anti-Israel Muslims and left-wingers at the Sydney Opera House, numerous witnesses have attested that they heard protesters chant “F..k the Jews” and “Gas the Jews” as they burnt an Israeli flag.

Anti-Israel protesters even confronted and verbally abused family members of Israeli hostages in their hotel in Melbourne while they were on a tour in Australia.

As the Executive Council of Australian Jewry subsequently reported, the Australian Jewish community faced a massive 738 per cent increase in the number of anti-Semitic incidents in October and November 2023 compared to the same two months in 2022.

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20205283 (080927ZJAN24) Notable: Pro-Palestinian Bluey shirt removed after BBC warning - A kids’ T-shirt showing the Bluey cast wearing Palestinian scarfs has been taken down from an online marketplace after the commercial owners of the children’s show said it was a counterfeit product, and criticised the “unauthorised use” of the Australian children’s character.

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>>137327

Pro-Palestinian Bluey shirt removed after BBC warning

JOANNA PANAGOPOULOS - JANUARY 8, 2024

A kids’ T-shirt showing the Bluey cast wearing Palestinian scarfs has been taken down from an online marketplace after the commercial owners of the children’s show said it was a counterfeit product, and criticised the “unauthorised use” of the Australian children’s character.

A leading civil rights group fighting anti-Semitism claimed the print “exploited a much-loved Australian children’s icon” for a “warped … cause”.

The “Freedom Fighter Bluey” T-shirt, created by Australian volunteer organisation Free Palestine Printing, showed the children’s character Bluey and his friends wearing keffiyeh, and holding Palestinian flags with a banner that reads “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!”.

“This is an unlicensed seller, and counterfeit product,” a BBC Studios spokesman said, before the product was taken down on Monday afternoon.

While the ABC has the Australian broadcast rights to Bluey, which was originally developed by the public broadcaster, the BBC owns the global commercial and broadcast rights to the children’s show.

All the proceeds of sales from Free Palestine Printing products “go to supporting Palestine”, the website states.

The T-shirt was made in both kids and adult sizes, unlike other shirts sold on the website, with Chair of the Anti-Defamation Commission Dvir Abramovich saying it was “weaponising” kids to spread a “hateful agenda”.

“These agents of division are corrupting our children’s hearts and minds and are exploiting a much-loved Australian children’s icon that represents kindness, fun and innocence, for their warped, ugly cause,” he said.

Free Palestine Printing was contacted for comment.

In Brisbane, pro-Palestine supporters stormed a defence and aerospace manufacturing company, carrying banners reading “Stop arming Israel” and “Ferra spreads terror”.

The Brisbane-based defence parts supplier, Ferra Holdings, provide specialised military aviation, defence and automotive products for international defence forces and Boeing.

In November last year, Israel announced it was stockpiling spare parts for its F-35 ‘Adir’ fighter jet.

A statement from the protest group said Ferra “makes essential parts for bombs currently ­deployed by Israel against Palestinian civilians”.

Ferra Holdings has been ­approached for comment.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/propalestinian-bluey-shirt-removed-after-bbc-warning/news-story/374e0980874b2124429a5cd7ca63d591

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/20205303 (080935ZJAN24) Notable: Video: Australia bans Nazi salute and public display of terror group symbols - Laws banning the Nazi salute and the display or sale of symbols associated with terror groups came into effect in Australia on Monday 8th January as the government responds to a rise in antisemitic incidents following the Israel-Gaza war.

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