This is just a diatribe, full of utterly hysterical abuse. In fact it is so bad that it was impossible to get to the end of the article. But, for the writer's future reference, “Australian Workers Union boss Paul Howes said he found their behaviour "mimicked those of Nazi thugs". When it comes to thuggish behaviour I don't think I would be quoting Paul Howes! The issues here are no doubt complicated but it helps no one when every criticism of Israel is immediately met with this sort of nonsense. The On-line Opinion is really going down hill.

Here we go again, the usual sophistry that equates criticism of Israel with anti-Semitism. If those admittedly dopey protesters can't distinguish the nation state of israel from the Jewish community neither can the author, apparently. It's an old propaganda ploy to accuse critics of Israel of anti-Semitism.

"And just as they did in September, these protesters will repackage their anti-Semitism as the allegedly less pungent fume of "anti-Zionism". But just who are they kidding?"

Zionism is a colonialist ideology and as any other ideology it's fair game .

David G

Where is all the "balancing" pro-Palestinian propaganda?

Dear Scribbler,

A good and measured reply, made more so by the fact you refrained from falling into the language that so permeates the author's piece.

Those against the BDS actions are so intent on peppering their responses with 'Jews', 'Jewish businesses', 'Jew-hatred', 'hate', 'anti-Semitism', and 'Jew-baiting'.

I hate what the Israeli government is doing to the Palestinian people. They stand condemned by most of the world and by International law including the Geneva convention. They are more than deserving of sanction and if it were virtually any other country instead of Israel there would be universal support. I do not hate Jewish people.

What Mister Ariel is doing is despicably libelling my fellow Australians, who being aware of the plight of the Palestinian people are prepared to act to sanction an Israeli owned business operating in our country, as Jew haters.

That libel needs to be confronted whenever it is deployed. For me personally the fact that the Strauss Group is Israeli might not have precluded me from having a coffee in one of their shops, but the hate filled slander from the likes of Mr Ariel directed at those who are on the whole concerned and caring Australians now ensures my patronage will be withheld.

That this action will ensure I am now labelled as an anti-Semitic by those who inhabit his world should inform most reasonable people just how pernicious, dangerous, and fraught his message is.

But I further condemn Mr Ariel for his casual deployment of terms such as 'Jew-hatred', 'anti-Semitism', and 'Jew-baiting'. These phrases rightly have great power to evoke emotional responses yet his disrespectful use only serves to devalue the power that an unfortunate and horrendous history has served to bestow upon them.

For this act alone he should be ashamed.

"Balancing" pro-Palestinian propaganda?"

I did read something along those lines five or six years ago but nothing since, Mac!

We live in a pro-Israeli world as far as propaganda goes. I try to balance things up a bit on my blog but it's only a drop in a very large, very polluted ocean and truth seems to be whatever the MSM and America says it is!

Just checked and verified that the Strauss group operates all from within Israel-proper, NOT from the occupied territories.

Enjoy your ice-cream!

Yuyutsu, you use the term 'Israel-proper'.

'Israel proper' includes parts of Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, etc, plus all of what used to be the Palestinian Territories.

It's just that Israel hasn't got around to taking these other parts yet but, after it gets rid of the Palestinians, it will!

Poor bastards, the Palestinians.