-Caveat Lector- Print this page Howard a hero in Israel By Greg Sheridan 17feb03 http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,5994389% 255E401,00.html THE speaker is a young Israeli, a tall lantern-jawed, friendly young man, and his is a view I heard every day for a week in Israel.
The Prime Minister may be having his troubles at home, but there is one country where he would win a popularity contest in a canter. The Howard position on Iraq, after decades of support for the Jewish state, has made him a pin-up star in Israel. I didn't go to Israel looking for Howard, but he was everywhere - on television with US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, with his parliamentary speech on Iraq used as an opinion piece, on TV again with British Prime Minister Tony Blair - and his praises were sung by government and opposition, conservative and liberal, young and old. Israel's Foreign Minister and former prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu of the Likud party, said: "I think the position Howard's Government has taken is the right one. It's principled and clear and has the combination of prudence and boldness that's required." But don't think Howard's star shines only with the Israeli Right. Former Labour prime minister and foreign minister Shimon Peres, the august dove of Israeli politics, was even more glowing than Netanyahu. In his Tel Aviv office, he offered a reading of the Australian PM that would make Tony Abbott blush. "There are really two types of politicians - those who are concerned mainly with image, and those who are concerned with character," Mr Peres said. "John Howard is a politician of real character. "Australia has never been afraid to defend freedom. Australia chose, and it was the right choice." Significantly, Mr Peres does not believe Australia's role in the campaign against Iraq will make it more likely to be a terrorist target. "It will not change Australia's risk level," he said. "If Australia does nothing it is still a terrorist target." Israel may be the one place outside Washington and Whitehall where Australia the nation, and Australia's Government, are widely popular. Jerusalem Mayor Ehud Olmert recalls his 12 days at the Sydney Olympics as a golden time. Like other Israelis, he showers praise on the Howard Government and its leader: "I share and support the views of John Howard, Prime Minister of Australia. I believe this (the disarmament of Iraq) is inescapable." Labour Party leader Avram Mitzna sees the Howard Government's leadership on Iraq as part of a long tradition of Australian internationalism. "Australia for many years, despite its geographic position, has felt intimately a part of many peacekeeping operations and many other things," Mr Mitzna said. "It's position is very appreciated." There are 10,000 Australian Israelis, and they are popular. I went to see one, Isi Leibler, the founder of Jetset Travel, and a one-time major panjandrum in the Australian Jewish community, who now lives in an apartment in the centre of Jerusalem. He has the grandest assessment of Howard of anyone: "I think this little guy is going to come out of all this as a real man of history," Leibler said. "I think he's been absolutely outstanding on this." privacy � Herald and Weekly Times Forwarded for your information. The text and intent of the article have to stand on their own merits. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without charge or profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this type of information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe simply because it has been handed down for many genera- tions. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumoured by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is written in Holy Scriptures. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of teachers, elders or wise men. Believe only after careful observation and analysis, when you find that it agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all. Then accept it and live up to it." The Buddha on Belief, from the Kalama Sut <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance�not soap-boxing�please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'�with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds�is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html";>Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/";>ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
