"Brand Israel" isn't doing all that well this week, as anybody who listened to ABC News this morning would be aware.

<< Israel plays down diplomat's expulsion

Australia's decision to expel an Israeli diplomat over the use of faked Australian passports in the Dubai assassination of a top Hamas commander has met with varying reactions in the Jewish state.

Many Israelis are simply fed up with what they see as their growing isolation from the West, but Israel's government is playing down the diplomatic tussle and says its relationship with Australia will only grow stronger. >>

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/05/25/2908252.htm?

<< Israel denies plan to sell nukes to apartheid regime

Israel never "negotiated the exchange" of nuclear weapons with South Africa, president Shimon Peres said, denying a report that he personally offered missiles to the apartheid regime in 1975.

The report, published by Britain's Guardian newspaper, quoted minutes from a series of top secret meetings in which Mr Peres, who was then defence minister, allegedly offered his then South African counterpart PW Botha warheads "in three different sizes". >>

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/05/25/2908210.htm

Israel is the greatest threat to world peace at the moment.They lead the USA around by the nose getting them to do their dirty work.

They will need a lot more than an image make over to change the world's perception of them.

What amazes me is that Israel continues to try to fool the world when Blind Freddie could see through the infantile spin and duplicity it engages in.

The attempt to sell nukes to South Africa, the sixty years of brutal occupation of the Palestinians, the genocide when 1,400 Gazans were killed (including 400+ children), the looming attempt to block the aid convoy, Jenin, etc, all show what Israel is.

That nuclear-armed Israelis believe they are some icon of democracy and human rights shows how truly delusional they are.

And how dangerous!

A few things, firstly a reply to both posts. No, actually, cut that. Leftists rarely listen because they argue from emotion rather than reason, so as much as it pains me, there is no point.

I would ask the post above to kindly elaborate on exactly how the only liberal democracy in a region full of tribal, illiberal, racist, homophobic, and misogynistic cultures - who have repeatedly tried to invade it and - realising even their combined efforts militarily amounts to nothing more than impotence - now funds proxy terrorist groups to attack it, is such a major threat?

And if you indeed believe Israel is the world's biggest threat, how? It almost seems as if you are arguing from emotion rather than reason, because reason doesn't support such a view - even for a moment.

This tiny nation, which has been the recipient of a half dozen invasion attempts by it's nearest neighbours; daily terrorist attacks until the wall went up (stopping 90%, have you heard of any suicide bombings lately); is entitled to protect itself I think.

The arguments about Israel being a monster state are laughable. During the trouble between Fatah and Hamas, AND when Israel bombed Lebanon, AND when Israel bombed Gaza......in every instance, there were two land borders the Palestinians could have fled to. But....instead of trying to get into Egypt, Palestinians wanted to get into Israel! Gee they must treat them bad. Well no, even leftist pin up boy Chomsky acknowledged that Arabs are treated better in Israel than any Arab country.

And when that evil wall went up, Israel had tens of thousands of applications from Palestinians wanting to live on the Israeli side of the wall, because they have better hospitals, schools, and so on. That is not the action of people who are terrified of Israel, sorry, it's the opposite...

I think if Israel so clearly can run the place better than the Arabs, i.e. there is not even 1 successful Arab state, all are dictatorships, or...even worse, where they have had elections the racist genocidal public have voted in Hamas terrorists!

Israel should run the region, the Arabs would live happier lives. They turned Israel from a backward desert into a first world country in 50 years. That's why the Arabs hate them so much, it's envy.

I don't think the fraud of Australia's passports was a good idea though, but when one considers the reason the Israeli's did so, I.e. to kill a senior Hamas commander, I have no problem with it.

Oh, and I hope Israel bombs Iran's nuclear facilities soon...

In the article by Neve Gordon, it states clearly the positive things that are high on the list of brand Israel. What wasn't said was that Israel is the only apartheid state in the world, it believes in ethnic cleansing, it has little humanity for anyone who is not a Jew, it killed 43 US sailors in 1967 and covered it up, it engineered the Iraqi war and now the Afghanistan war, it promotes hate and malice towards Iran and is trying to start a war there as well, it tried to sell nuclear weapons to South Africa in 1975, it has foreign policy control over the US Senate and Congress, it is a pariah state, the most hated nation in the history of the world, WWII Germany included.

So if you are building on Brand Israel showing achievements don't forget assassinations, 9/11 complicity, control of the media and entertainment, corruption of politicians all over the world and the world's most successful marketing campaign, the 'Holocaust' Campaign, in force for 60 years and still going but with a noticeably diminished 'ani-Semitism' themesong, now seen as a the badge of honour for thinking peoples everywhere, instead.
So, Neve, one could continue for some time, so disgraceful have been the actions of this pariah state, well on the path to self- destruction, and for those in the world who would like to see news reports that are positive and friendly for a change and not hateful and one-sided, pushed along by the likes of people like Fox News, such an action cannot come soon enough for the peoples of the world.
The know-how that is the trade mark (brand) of Israel, is inhumanity, death and destruction.

Benjam1n, you have no problem with the abuse of a foreign powers citizens, the abuse of a foreign countries good name and the political bad blood between supposed allies generated by such an event for murder? And let’s be clear here, Assassination is Murder - State sanctioned yes but murder none the less! I find that I must seriously question your own credibility. You condone murder, you condone the abuse of people, you condone the use of an ally as an unwilling accessory to murder. So I must now respectfully ask why on earth should anyone listen to your previous tirade?

Ultimately it is the hate of the God of Israel that leads to the hatred of Israel by many. Thankfully they are well and truely on the losing side.

Runner:
Stop trying to blame God , you brat .
Israel's psychotic behavour is reason enough to explain the escalating
hatred of Israel .

Benjam1n thinks it's OK for Israel to attack Iran.Iran has attacked no one and has yet to develop one nuke, while Israel has illegaly got over 200 nukes.Iran is the prize for it's oil.

They got the US to invade Iraq under false pretenses.There were no weapons of mass destruction.Why would we believe anything that Israel says now?

Israel has many powerful friends in the Banking,Wall St,Congress,arms dealers,oil companies etc.This is a group of elites trying to gain absolute power by stealing the oil from Arab Nations.

When Israel, with or without America's help, nukes Iran, which could happen at any time now, I guess some of the pro-Israeli commenters will probably disappear.

I guess too, we'll have a flood of Singer-type articles gilding the lily, trying to excuse Israel's insane actions, seeking to cast Israel in a victim role despite the fact that it initiated the attack on Iran without any provocation.

Iran is doing all it can to do what the West is urging by working with Brazil and Turkey. Yet Israel is deaf and blind and so is America (both by choice). Israel has its own agenda and that is to get rid of Iran so that it can be the sole military superpower in the Middle East and advance its plans for Greater Israel.

I suppose the world will wake up one morning to find the nukes are falling. Within weeks the situation will escalate into a world conflict. As with Germany prior to WW2, people will say: "How come we didn't notice? How come no one told us?"

It will be too late then.

Kiss your children.

http://www.dangerouscreation.com

It is a shame, and testament to the idea that this conflict won't be over soon, that criticism of Israel cannot be taken on board in a positive way self-reflective way rather than the usual "if you are not with us you are against us" knee jerk response. Criticism of Israel does not make someone pro-terrorist. This is an instrinsic fault in Brand Security Israel.

Picking up on Benjamin's comments about misogynistic, tribal, racist dogma; that is also a trend in some parts of Israel with the more extreme (Hasidic?) Jews. Some women spoke of being stoned by these men if they did not conform to their standards. There are also many brave Jews who openly condemn Israel, many who stood with Palestinians as they picked their crops to reduce being targeted by militant settlers.

Extremism is the enemy here not race or religion. There is no leftist liberal conspiracy.

Israel has to accept the latest criticism for what it is - disdain at the betrayal of friendship with Australia and the UK and the forging of passports to carry out an assassination.

If...I remember rightly.. Goldstone alleged BOTH ISRAEL and HAMAS committed war crimes.

The author is far to selective for this article to be anything other than thinly disguised anti semitism of the most odious and loathesome kind.

Add in a bit of PC socialism and you have all the tent pegs in for this poor offering of an 'opinion' piece.

Not worth 30 seconds of reading time I reckon.

Arjay, it is so interesting that way back when the Western world allowed Israel to illegally go militarily nuclear, it was Henry Kissinger Minister of State at the time who warned his boss Richard Nixon, that an atomic Israel as the only nuclear power in the Middle East, and with US Jewish influential backing might easily bring on WW3.

One thus right now must ask, Arjay, is there still such a danger?

brushbred,I think the danger is greater now than ever.We have all the economic conditions and more that existed before WW2.

George Bush and Obama have dismantled the US Constitution which makes the climate right for a facist dictatorship.We have Obama's preventative dentention in which suspected terrosists can be indefinitely detained without trial.Now Obama wants to make political assassination legal.

Israel will happily use forged Aust passports to assassinate Hamas leaders.Israel offered nuclear war heads to a South African Apathied Govt,yet tries to get the USA to attack Iran on the meer suspicion of developing one.

It's encouraging to note that with the exception of one apologist, most posts produced enlightened comments.

Particularly since operation cast lead where Israel went too far in retaliation for the annoying Kassam rockets Hamas elements were firing into Settlements and the deafening silence from the US to rein in this Apartheid State, There has been growing support for action in Boycotts,Divestment & Sanctions against Israel remeniscent of the sanctions against South Africa.

Now with a flotilla of relief vessels about to converge on Gaza with relief from the Israeli siege, the world is again watching closely.

Public opinion in the US is increasingly swinging away from support for Israel and the time is fast approaching when the Zioinist regime will be forced to abandon their goal of a Jewish State in favour of a secular state in Palestine ,governing for Palestinians and Jews in a truly DEmocratic State

Israel is an ally of Australia and the US, you stick by your allies. Some of these posts make me sick in their poisonous hatred.

The palestinians demonstrate regularly their views on "democracy"

I wonder how we would react if we had "annoying Kassam rockets" falling on Australias.

That's the point of the rockets isn't it? Terror? So they are terrorists who are not reigned in by a rogue government in Gaza.

So we have the usual apologists for terrorists as ever.

It's interesting that the precautionary principle is a favorite of some people when talking about climate change (i.e. it suits them there) but not for dealing with Iran.

Let's face it, we know they hate Israle, have said they should not exist, are developing long range rockets .. hmmm, what should we do - form a committee, oh yes, that's us, Australians in action.

No, we know they are a threat and make it very obvious they will act if they get a bomb, so let's take them out now, let's not do what the allies did in WWII with Germany. If we don't take out Iran, it will be a disaster, if we do we keep peace in the world, and remove a threat.

There will be mch hand wringing by the usual apologists for terrorists, as ever. (that's what Iran is doing isn't it, threatening terror?) and so what, the usual poisonous terror supporters will find another cause to hate the free world for, nothing new there.

odo
"Israel is an ally of Australia and the US, you stick by your allies. Some of these posts make me sick in their poisonous hatred."

Where has there been poisonous hatred or support for terrorists? I can only see calls for peace and resolution. It cannot happen without Israel.

Did Israel stick by their friends and allies in forging Australian and UK passports? It is interesting that Israel has not yet forged US passports in fear of ruining their strongest support base - that clearly indicates a conscience that what they were doing was ill-advised.

What about those innocent people whose passports were forged. They were not consulted and had no say. You may think that is justified collateral damage but this is the slippery slope of when someone wants to play God.

This is the problem with the whole Israel/Palestine debate. Instead of courteous discourse it is filled with biased emotional and one-eyed rhetoric.

odo.People are rapidly finding out who the real terrorists are.Behind the scenes Israel,plays one country off against another.It is contriving stories about Iran so justify its invasion.

Admiral Mike Mullen has been to Israel and told them that Iran is no threat.Mullen has also told Israel to behave itself on several occasions.General Petraeus backs up Mullens views.Israel has illegally amassed over 200 nuclear war heads and the means to deliver them.

Brand Israel is only conecerned about it's own security/power and the safety of the planet can go to hell.That is the reality.

Odo, I suppose if Israel nukes Iran, you will describe it as land-clearing.

Speaking as an Australian citizen, I don't want my country to be 'friends' with a nation that has done what Israel has done for the last sixty-years.

Supported by America,it has got away with blue murder, genocide, war crimes, atrocities, brutality, cruelty, collective punishment, human right abuses, you name it, Israel has done it!

With friends like Israel, who needs enemies?

http://www.dangerouscreation.com

David "Odo, I suppose if Israel nukes Iran, you will describe it as land-clearing" - here's a tip, don't suppose you know what I or anyone else wil describe anything as - you try to twist things and then complain about Israeli "spin", but you are happy to "spin" yourself?

I didn't mention nuking Iran,but thanks for the suggestion, I see you like to go full scale when considering your enemies, like most terrorists do so I understand your defence of them now.

I said "let's take them out now" and I still do, so let's get some bunker bombs with serious penetration capability as I'm sure the Iranians have dug in their capability, and remove that capability. there's no need to bomb anything else is there? Is there something you're not telling us David?

Israel is a friend of Australia, and previously to this government we dealt with their faux pax and what some might consider mistakes - but we also recognise they are surrounded by murderous and treacherous terrorists who would not hesitate to kill Israelis given a chance.

Thank goodness they did not listen to the liberal bleating and built of the walls to protect themselves, have there been any suicide bombings lately?

No one is going to listen to fools who wring their hands and promote hatred, and no, I'm not interested inyour hate sites either, I have a life and do not spend it hating long term friends of my country.

You think Australia is "your" country do you, odo? And that Israel is its long term friend? Well, we have had stupid prime ministers make similar claims in the past... but we know they are just politicians and don't expect them to tell the truth. If they, or you, would dare conduct a referendum on the subject, the truth would emerge.

Odo, you made mention of my site being a 'hate' site.

What you failed to mention was that it is a site that hates: injustice, racism, elitism, militarism, war, imperialism, collective punishment, religious fanaticism, oppression, genocide, deliberate cruelty (like keeping people under siege), etc, all the things that Israel is guilty of in spades and has been for sixty years.

http://www.dangerouscreation.com

David G.
I just checked out your blog on the link you provided for the D ODO
contributor who emerges as yet another apologist for Israel.

Unfortunately D ODO has a mindset which will not allow him to use reason or history to comprehend the tragedy of the Palestinians since the Holocaust survivors were migrated to Jerusalem in 1948 under the Balfour agreement, nor the intention of the Zionists amongst them to employ genocide to clear the whole of Palestine of Arabs in order to establish an Apartheid Jewish State, posing as a Democracy which in reality is simply a Zionist State that will not tolerate any form of free thinking even amongst their Jewish citizens.

Most recently Noam Chomsky,a world respected Jewish writer and Commentator was refused permission to visit Israel on a Lecturing invitation because of his views on the Zionist abberation

Professor Norman Finkelstein, an outspoken Jewish man whose family were holocaust victims, is also banned .

Anyway, I appreciate your blog which is quite up to date with notes on the flotilla of humanitarian aid from many countries attempting to break the siege of Gaza.

I would like to post that on my Facebook page if you have no objection. I recognise there is a great need for young people who are completely unaware of the history of Israel to understand the reasons for Palestinian resistance which is best described as analogous to the colonisation of Australia and the genocide which was practiced on the Indigenous people who are the legitimate owners of this land

So what if Israel is a long-term ally and "friend" of Australia? What have they ever done for us?

Given Israel's increasing isolation as a dangerous rogue State, I don't think we need friends like that.

Maracas1, thanks for your kind comments about my blog and please post the post on your Facebook. Cheers.

What has Israel done for us? They provide the ADF with the bulk of their .50" and 9mm ammunition for one...

As to "brand Israel", anyone who writes a report saying "targeted strikes" are war crimes, whilst indiscriminately raining rockets on population centers, are not, is clearly hypocritical. As to the strikes being crimes, let's wait and see if they have any effect? In order for a crime to be committed, a criminal must be proved to beyond a reasonable doubt, to have acted illegally under the rules of Land Warfare. I don't like your chances.

As to Israel faking passports, I've yet to see anyone, let alone any Country, found guilty of assisting the wannabee Martyr to become a true Martyr. Prove it to beyond a reasonable doubt & we'll see.

With regard to the peace flotilla, Israel should mine the approaches to the exclusion zone and offer to provide pilots. AFAIK, soldiers were being hit with bars & projectiles, and reacted to protect themselves. Prove different

If "Brand Israel" was on the nose last week, their murderous act of piracy on the high seas yesterday has increased its stench.

<< What has Israel done for us? They provide the ADF with the bulk of their .50" and 9mm ammunition for one... >>

That's a commercial relationship, not a friendship. Indeed, Australia should probably look for another supplier under the current circumstances.

So CJ, if the Israeli's stop the boats, that are deliberately provoking them and smuggling weapons, it's murder.

Can you see from the average Israeli citizen's POV if they do not stop them, it's suicide? What if they are smuggling more rockets?

It's all so easy from the other side of the world to condemn a nation who is continually provoked and threatened isn't it?

Do Israel recognize the international border, my impression was they do not - and they warned the boats coming in, who then armed themselves .. peace flotilla indeed.

So they were armed, in case of Israeli aggression - the Israelis arm against everyone's aggression - from the video I saw, it is well founded isn't it.

They are our friends, CJ and others, have been for years through thick and thin - though this turncoat government may turn on them so PM Rudd can get a seat at the UN. Everything will be done by PM Rudd including destroying relationships for his own ego.

Do you expect our own allies to treat us in such a cavalier manner if we were in trouble, how would we feel about that? If countries start to drop us when we are in need, for political pr populist expediency?

Amicus, if Australia started behaving with the contempt for international law and human rights that Israel does, I would expect it to cop the same isolation and censure that Israel is currently experiencing.

<< They are our friends, ...have been for years through thick and thin >>

Like I said, what have they ever done for us? The only reason we're "friends" is that both Australia and Israel are entirely dependent on the US for protection. Having a "friend" like Israel is starting to give us a bad name.

Ah CJ, I see now your criteria for friendship .. do all your "friends" know they are only your friends because they have done something for you?

"Like I said, what have they ever done for us? The only reason we're "friends" is that both Australia and Israel are entirely dependent on the US for protection. Having a "friend" like Israel is starting to give us a bad name"

So what has
Hamas
Palestine
Fatah
Al Quiada
Sri Lankan refugees
Irqi refugess
all refugees

done for us?

by your definition, they are not our friends and not worthy of consideration, and even then you go further and say having them as friends will give us a bad name.

Goodness - that's terribly shallow, but I can see that fits a lot of the posts now, the anti Israel glee club, and all the haters.

Me, I just think objectivel, that there is a beat up going on, they are at war with Hamas, and even then treat them very well, and constantly come under unprovoked attack. Israel does good and not so good things, like any friend you occasionally cringe at some of their behavior, you don't drop them though in favor of some populous set up for the benefit of terrorists. As long as you tolerate terrorism, you reward it .. don't you?

But, don't you worry about it .. because they haven't done anything for you!

Tell me, who has done something that warrants our/your friendship, please explain how a terrorist organisation like Hamas has been a friend of Australia, that warrants your friendship.

I look forward to your response.

Amicus, so many straw men. I haven't suggested that any of those other groups you mention are not Australia's "friends". Neither did I say that those who are not our friends are "not worthy of consideration".

What I have suggested is that with "friends" like Israel, Australia doen't need enemies.