Hezbollah is a voice ofextremism, murder and hate

by Geoffrey Zygier
Tuesday June 26, 2007
from The Australian

Printable version

Twitter Updates

News

Oscar-winning director Oliver Stone in an interview decried what he called the Jewish lobby's control over Washington's foreign policy and said that Hitler's actions should be put "into context."

A day after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would not extend a West Bank building freeze, violence broke out in an outpost there following the demolition of an illegally built home.

A former American spy chief says the path to U.S. military action against Iran is inescapable.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu slammed the team named by the United Nations Human Rights Council to investigate the Turkish flotilla incident.

New Zealand's Jewish community is mounting a legal case against the country's new law banning kosher slaughter.

The Obama administration will allow the PLO office in Washington to fly the Palestinian flag and assume the title of "delegation."

The elected leader of Australian Jewry blasted his Christian counterpart over an "ill-considered" resolution asking churches to boycott goods produced by West Bank Jews.

Yemen's Supreme Court has upheld the death sentence of a Yemeni man who killed a Jewish fellow citizen after demanding that he convert.

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak is returning to Washington to coordinate ways to isolate Iran.

Vandals painted red swastikas on the walls of the Jewish Museum of Greece in Athens.

Haredi Orthodox youth are being blamed for a massive fire near Jerusalem that nearly led to the evacuation of Hadassah Hospital.

U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) called on her opponent in their congressional election to stop writing for Andrew Breitbart's conservative website.

The president of Egypt's Jewish community allegedly has fled the country after being convicted of fraud and ordered to prison.

Israel lost to Turkey in the Euroleague women's volleyball bronze medal game in an empty arena amid tight security.

A Chabad rabbi has become the first rabbi since World War II to join the Canadian armed forces full time.

Israeli airstrikes reportedly destroyed a weapons manufacturing site and two smuggling tunnels in the Gaza Strip.

A firecracker exploded on the steps of the synagogue in Malmo, Sweden, a day after a bomb threat was taped to the building.

Israel's Cabinet agreed to send a group of police officers to Haiti to maintain public order.

A Netanya man was arrested for murdering his three young children.

Ahead of midterm elections, a Democratic leader distributed talking points to fellow House Democrats stressing support for Israel by President Obama and the party.

Two Jewish schools were ranked among the best high schools in Brazil.

The Palestinian Authority has granted travel documents and honorary citizenship to Irish anti-Israel activists who participated in a Gaza aid flotilla.

Tell us what you think

My reply to criticism in the Australian. Not published "Geofrey Zygier writes as the spokesperson for every major Jewish organisation in Ausralia, and I can assure everyone that any opposition by Jews to his statements comes from a noisy minute splinter group, whose leaders attract media attention by opposing the silent majority, almost all of whom support Israel, even if not active zionists. I was born in Austrailia, served as a medico for 4 years in the AIF and since have done much of service to the Australian community, as have multitudes of Jews in their other countries. Never for a moment have I considered myself as other than Australian, but as a Jew, I am very proud of the achievements of Ancient and Modern Israel, in benefitting and advancing civilisation, and the poeples of the world in general. As an indication, just scan the list of Jewish Nobel prizewinners.[ google 158 of 750] I consider with gratitude the rebirth and establishment of Israel in its ancient homeland as one of the most amazing and wonderful events of my lifetime. Harry Segal. Sydney

Posted by Harry Segal on 2007-07-02 02:01:40 GMT

Are we preaching to the converted? it's OK to raise the voice of moderation within a moderate thinking community, but how does it get out there Should we encourage more of our youngsters to become journalists? What is being done to dialogue with the wider community?

Posted by Maimon@mac.com on 2007-07-01 03:33:12 GMT

How fine a line is it that separates the community leaders supporting an outlawed terrorist movement, and terrorists who are part of the outlawed group. It would appear to be a fairly wide line, for Trad and Mousselmani to escape prosecution.

Posted by Danny on 2007-06-27 13:26:52 GMT

Well done and thank you for communicating the concerns of the Jewish community about the growing danger of Islamists in Australia preaching hate and violence. Let's hope your important article in the Australian will be widely read. A further damning evidence of the growing danger of Islamists in Australia had been revealed by the recent capturing of several terrorists fighting with Fatah al Islam in Lebanon who have been identified as "Australian citizens". It concerns me that in the media those Islamists holding Australian passport fighting Jihad overseas are called "Australian" and expect the government to provide them with support and taxpayers' money to rescue them.

Posted by rachel on 2007-06-27 03:55:51 GMT

Hezb'Allah and Hamas are terrorist groups, made more radical by their self segregation. They perpetuate hate by concentrating on their "victimhood." Ignorant of their "roots" they don't know that Islam derived and strayed from Judaism and Christianity. God is not a pimp, rewarding killers with sex. Civilized people do not perform "honor killings," non-Muslims are not "infidels". Radical Islamists are wild beasts. Anyone who believes them or supports them is a fool.

Posted by R. E. D. on 2007-06-27 02:50:49 GMT

Geoff's letter is very good, particularly his last sentence, in which he calls on Australians, especially Muslim leaders, to condemn Trad's and Mousselmani's statements. The silence that greets Geoff's call is a clear indication of Muslim attitudes in a society where PC rules. So are we going to play along with this Muslim hostility until it threatens all Australians, or will we, at long last, start telling our fellow citizens that we have among us a group whose loyalty is to jihad and the proposed caliphate?

Posted by paul2 on 2007-06-26 13:54:05 GMT

The Australian published 4 letters from apparently non-Jews the previous day, which were in a similar vein. It was apparent that this was the overwhelming reaction from the public, as no contrary letter appeared, except one mild one today.

Posted by Malvina on 2007-06-26 13:48:22 GMT

Well Done Geoffrey what an excellent letter,if only The Age or SMH would publish such letters,then if only only israel had Oil!

Posted by Michael on 2007-06-26 08:48:18 GMT