Radical left-wing Israeli organizations Breaking the Silence and the New Israel Fund held a book launch for a collection of essays titled "Kingdom of Olives and Ash: Writers Confront the Occupation" in Melbourne on Thursday.
The New Israel Fund's Australian branch invited Jewish youth movements and Zionist organizations from the local Jewish community to the launch. Among those who refused to take part in the anti-Israel event were members of the World Betar Movement, which accused event organizers of trying to encourage people to "judge the IDF and join the chorus of Israel haters."
Betar organized a protest against the event outside city hall, not far from the site of the book's Australian launch. Members of the Zionist youth movement handed out flyers detailing the political agenda of both Breaking the Silence and the New Israel Fund and accusing them of inciting the Jewish community against the policies of the Israeli government. The Australian Jewish Association also took part in the prowwww.
Betar Director Naria Meir said, "After Breaking the Silence lost its legitimacy in Israel, they are [now] trying to incite the Jewish communities in the Diaspora. Betar puts an iron wall up against the treacherous subversion of Breaking the Silence.
"We will not allow this ephemeral organization to harm Israel-Diaspora ties. With courage and strength, we will defend the integrity of the state and the land," she said.
In a statement, the New Israel Fund said, "Just as with Israel, Diaspora Jewry also holds lively and critical discussions on the Israeli occupation in the territories. We are pleased to cooperate with the Zionist youth movements in Australia and regret there are movements that refuse to recognize reality for what it is. It would not harm the glory of Betar and the spirit of [Betar Movement founder Ze'ev] Jabotinsky to grapple with reality instead of silencing it."
Breaking the Silence, an advocacy group which is dedicated to exposing alleged wrongdoings by the IDF, also issued a statement, saying, "With courage and with strength, we meet with hundreds of people from the Jewish community and around Australia to talk about our [military] service in the territories and to fight for an Israel that does not occupy.
"We were pleased to discover Betar Australia exists, and remind them there are two banks to the Jordan [River] – and they do not live in either one of them."
