Call To Prosecute Australians Recruited By Israel

MEDIA RELEASE

3 June 2002

Call to prosecute Australians recruited by Israeli army

For Immediate Release

ATTN: Chiefs of Staff, Current Affairs & Ethnic Editors

The Head of the General Palestinian Delegation to Australia, Mr Ali Kazak today condemned Israel’s recruitment of Australians of Jewish background to work with the Israeli army.

The Australian Jewish News of 31 May 2002 confirmed these recruitments and reported the departure of the first group of 20 persons who “will be assigned to army bases under the Israel Defence Forces Sarel program and will be provided with uniforms.”

Mr Kazak said this breaches Section 9 of the Crimes (Foreign Incursions and Recruitment) Act of 1978 which states “It is an offence to recruit persons to serve in am armed force in a foreign state.”

Mr Kazak said in recent correspondence with the Hon. Darryl Williams, Attorney-General, Mr Williams wrote “Australians who engage in armed conflict overseas, or prepare for engagement in armed conflict overseas, other than as part of the Australian Defence Forces, risk prosecution under Australian law.”

Mr Kazak said these recruitments to serve and train in the Israeli army have been going on for quite a long time. He said it is an open secret that some of those recruited are channelled into the Israeli security service, MOSSAD, to spy and serve Israel’s interests in their home countries and around the world. The American Jonathan Pollard who was spying on Israel’s behalf, against the United States, is but one example.

Mr Kazak said while Israel recruits Australians to help consolidate its brutal occupation and oppression of the Palestinian people, which directly contravenes Australian government policy and law, it deliberately shot at the Australian human rights activist, Kate Edwards, in Bethlehem two months ago, and yesterday arrested another Australian human rights activist, Liam Barry, both of whose presence in Palestinian cities is legal, while Israel has no sovereignty upon those territories.

Mr Kazak said at a time when Australians of Jewish background unashamedly go to help the bloody Israeli army, hundreds of Israelis are refusing to serve in that army in the occupied Palestinian territories and are calling for an end to Israel’s occupation.

The Australian government which supports the prosecution of those Australians who were allegedly working with the Taliban, should implement the same law on those Australians who are working with the Israeli army. There are religious and ideological parallels between the two.

Mr Kazak called on the Australian Government and law enforcement agencies to prosecute both the recruiting body working on behalf of the Israeli army, the ‘Jewish Agency’, and those individuals recruited.

For information/interviews please ring the General Palestinian Delegation on (02) 6295 0222

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