Purely tragic. A Sydney synagogue has cancelled a March 23 appearance by Jeff Halper, of the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions, because the synagogue had wanted to limit Halper's presentation to Jews in a bible study. Said the executive director:
“Our rabbi thought that for a regular class to hear his views about the demolition of Palestinian homes was important. He certainly never intended it as a forum for the community.”
Jews against the Occupation spokesperson Vivienne Porzsolt said the synagogue’s reversal was due to “the noxious culture of silence, fear and suppression that dominates the organised Jewish community in relation to Israel” and said the organisation would set up an alternative meeting between Prof Halper and the Jewish community.
So the Jewish community is deeply corrupted everywhere by the occupation. Note that Halper's group opposes the demolition of Palestinian houses in the occupied territories. This should be easy. Tragic news –but there are Jewish heroes in this story, too.
