Management consultant. Husband/father of 3 daughters. Proud Zionist and fighter of anti semitism. Golf and Carlton tragic. retweet does not imply endorsement.
I’m an Australian Jew and I’m not ok
A thread
I’m 61 years old ,born in Melbourne and I love this country. But I’ve never been so concerned as I am now about the safety and well being of our Jewish community 2/
@AdamBandt
@bobjcarr
@BarnsGreg
@abcnews
@SenatorWong
@AlboMP
13/. I’ve been attacked on social media for supporting the eradication of
#hamas
. I want to be clear. Hamas is ISIS. Hamas will never accept a Jewish state. They want us all dead. If that does not stand as a signal for moral clarity nothing will 14/
How about this for an idea?We Jews are just 16m in the world.Israel is a tiny slither of land surrounded by massive Muslim states. In Australia we are just 140k How about you just leave us the fuck alone to raise our families & contribute to our communities as we’ve always done
18 months of no outdoor transmission but the day after
@DanielAndrewsMP
and
@VictorianCHO
ban kids from playgrounds they mysteriously uncover a playground transmission. I’m calling bullshit
#CovidVic
9/. Protests that were ugly “has the Jews” “kill the Jews” and our politicians remained silent and the police stood back and watched. The same thing happened in Melbourne. And the outpouring of solidarity turned into an attack on Israel and our local Jewish community 10/
5/. They love peace and hate war. They have chutzpah. They bring the world incredible innovations that make the world a better place. They’ve offered peace with the Palestinians at least 5 times. Each was rejected. They are part of a liberal democracy with all freedoms 6/
4/. And here are some things I know about the beautiful but imperfect israel. Israelis are warm and aggressive at the same time. They live under constant threat. They love life and mourn death. They welcome all peaceful people inc the 2.2m Arab Israelis that enjoy equal rights 5/
2/ I grew up as a traditional Jew. We weren’t orthodox but I went to a jewish scholl, participated fully in jewish holidays and traditions and participated with jewish sporting clubs. I face anti semitism especially on the sporting field but generally felt safe growing up.
6/. The idf (again not perfect) goes to incredible lengths NOT to target civilians. They call civilians individually to warm them of impending attacks. They withdraw fire if they see kids and other civilians. They act within and go over and above to act within the laws 7/
3/I want you to understand that Israel is central to who I am as a person and central to my Jewish identity. I met my wife in Tel Aviv. I’ve travelled there on prob 15 occasions. I’ve been in the disputed territories. I saw Gaza before israel withdrew. I know Palestinians 4/
@AdamBandt
@bobjcarr
@BarnsGreg
@abcnews
@SenatorWong
@AlboMP
14/. I want everyone to understand we are the only group that needs armed guards at our kids school, security to go and pray at synagogue and guards to look after our kids on Sunday morning sport. This in the country I love. /15
10/ statements by
@AdamBandt
became victim blaming. Statements by
@bobjcarr
@BarnsGreg
and so many others focused on supposed “war crimes” by Israel. The
@abcnews
incited anti israel and anti Jewish hatred by falsely accusing Israel of bombing a hospital. 11/
@AdamBandt
@bobjcarr
@BarnsGreg
@abcnews
@SenatorWong
@AlboMP
17/. So I’m not ok. Im not ok because in the country I love I am attacked as a Zionist and a Jew. Im worried for my kids and my grandson. We want peace. We want to live and contribute. But I will never cower in the face of lies and in the face of antisemitism. 18/
@AdamBandt
@bobjcarr
@BarnsGreg
@abcnews
@SenatorWong
@AlboMP
12/. So called academics and journalists jump on the bandwagon and accuse israel of genocide and ethnic cleansing. How quickly they turned against us.They are now saying the quiet part out loud. The cloak of anti Zionism has been well and truly lifted. It is purely antisemitism13
8/. I was mourning and grieving for 48hrs. And I was buoyed by the outpouring of support from the community and our major political parties. But that all changed from October 9 While we were still grieving and BEFORE any military response from israel we had protests in Sydney9
7/. Everything changed for me on October 9. Not only on October 7. On October 7 I was devastated for friends, family and the loss of loved ones. I was appalled and sickened by the barbarity and inhumanity of what
#hamas
did esp to women and children 8/
@AdamBandt
@bobjcarr
@BarnsGreg
@abcnews
@SenatorWong
@AlboMP
15/. Australia is my physical home which I love and cherish and israel is my spiritual home. My indigenous home. You cannot wipe 3000 years of history. You cannot wipe the fact that our bible contains hundreds of references to israel and Jerusalem 16/
Given the president of the bar association has called the
#pandemic
bill the greatest threat to the rule of law in our history, would
#journalists
please do your job and hold
@DanielAndrewsMP
to account
Yesterday was one of my great days. 3rd daughter married in a beautiful jewish ceremony. Lots of love and calls for peace and the return of the hostages. Lots of Israeli music and food. A day of pure joy
#beingthemhome
I’m seeing a lot of criticism of the protesters and I’m not condoning them but I cannot believe that people are more critical of protesters than of
@VictoriaPolice
using tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse unarmed protesters and shutting down media fro@ reporting from the air
Horrible scenes outside a synagogue in south Caulfield. Anti israel protesters gather in large and vocal numbers chanting anti semitic slogans as congregants leave the shul. Punches thrown. Tell me how anti Zionism isn’t anti semitism
#BringThemBackHome
#AmYisraelChai
Once again I pose a genuine question to all those who support
@DanielAndrewsMP
Given the news that the mental health impacts were advised prior to lockdown 4 and the ombudsman declaring the border policy unjust and inhuman, how do you continue to support
@DanielAndrewsMP
Amazing how quickly construction workers were branded right wing extremists by
@sallymcmanus
by the union leadership and by
@DanielAndrewsMP
It’s almost as if they discussed the terminology
So the
@DanielAndrewsMP
govt will not confirm it will release the advice it’s been ordered to. That’s all you need to know about this tyrannical govt
#Dictatorship
#covid
How can anyone with any intelligence support
@DanielAndrewsMP
who will have presided over the longest lockdowns in the world? Who has decimated lives and livelihoods? Who has been the cause of record business closures? Who has not released health advice, mental health reports
The
@DanielAndrewsMP
govt made a deal with
#victorians
. Achieve 80% double dose vaccination and restrictions would be lifted. We kept our part of the bargain
#COVID19
Has any journalist asked
@DanielAndrewsMP
why 10 weeks ago he was after eradication and that was the justification for the 7 day lockdown but now with 2300 cases he’s determined to open up? I’m all for opening but by his logic the last 10 weeks have been an absolute waste
#covid
Corruption in the
@DanielAndrewsMP
govt is now endemic.
#worksafe
make 58 charges against
#dhhs
but not against 1 individual minister of public servant. Taxpayers will foot the bill. It’s equivalent to shareholders being penalised for the actions of company directors
#corruption
Australian
@Greens
MP
@jennyleong
accused Jews of using their “tentacles” to infiltrate different communities and “influence power.”
Literal neo-Nazi propaganda. Absolutely sickening.
@AdamBandt
expel her. Now.
#auspol
Was an absolute honour and privilege to host
@DouglasKMurray
today. A true intellect. A voice of reason, seeker of the truth and all round mensch of a man. Thank you for being with us
If
@JaneCaro
@lisawilkinson
@deemadigan
and all the other so called “feminists” do not support the
@DanielAndrewsMP
minister who has been tormented and bullied how can they ever speak again about “believe all women”. Shouldn’t the bullying of females be non partisan?
To all
@VictorianLabor
MP’s. There must be some of you who disagree with the dictatorial actions of
@DanielAndrewsMP
. Parliament suspended. Reports not released to public. Your state is dying, people are at breaking point. Please be on the right side of history
Germany spent $50billion on renewables over the last 5 years, closed coal fired plants. Result = emissions went up and they are now reliant on Russia for power
To all
#victorians
of good conscience.
@DanielAndrewsMP
has introduced a bill that would give selected public servants unprecedented power to arrest and detain us based on what we might be thinking. This is not a democracy with rule of law. This is his own private militia
#covid
My mother arrived in Australia as a 7 year old in 1939 having left Poland and escaping death at the hands of the
#nazis
. Her and my grandparents came here with nothing and made a life.
#australia
gave them no handouts but a free country and an opportunity. Forever grateful
Could a journalist at the
@DanielAndrewsMP
lectures ask why he was so confident of the short and sharp hard and fast 7 day lockdown only 8 weeks ago but now admits we have to open up and live with
#covid
?In essence he’s admitted that all the lockdowns this year have been futile
1960 cases today in
#victoria
. Masks for grade 3-6. Child abuse. Curfew. No affect. Mandatory vaccines except for politicians and judiciary. Police whistleblower. Icook foods scandal. Work safe charges.
#ICAC
investigation.
#victoria
under
@DanielAndrewsMP
I’m still struggling to believe that in a rule of law democracy
@DanielAndrewsMP
and his government ministers refuse to cooperate with a police investigation. WTAF
#redshirts
If the virus has a 99.5% survival rate and we know elimination is virtually impossible why can’t we, protect the most vulnerable through vaccines and limited movement, vaccinate all those who want it. And then open up before year end. Current strategy not viable
To all those in the west condemning
#israel
after the
#hamas
atrocities of October 7 I have one question. If your kids were taken hostage by a terrorist group what would you expect your government to do to get them back?
#BringThemBackHome
So Barry O’Farrell resigns over a bottle of wine.
@GladysB
is forced to resign by
#ICAC
. But
@DanielAndrewsMP
responsible for over 800 deaths and the longest meanest lockdown in the world? Nothing to see here.
#corrupt
#vicpol
Do you think
@DanielAndrewsMP
first appearance at the metro tunnel was a clear message to his union mates? Not the Dandenong ranges recently ravaged. Not small business decimated. Big union business
#COVID19Vic
A genuine question to those anti Israel protesters. so many conflicts in the world. so many Syrians, Sudanese, people from Congo, muslims in China etc etc being killed and tortured in numbers vastly higher than Palestinians in the current conflict, why focus on that one conflict?
For all those defending
#McGowan
by quoting covid death numbers in the eastern states your logic is terribly flawed. Every death is tragic and the vast majority of covid deaths are with not from covid. People die every day
Many
@DanielAndrewsMP
supporters say he kept us safe. Disappointing that he won’t keep his female ministers safe from bullying and intimidation. Anyone who continues to support him is complicit. This must be a bipartisan issue
#vicpol
#auspol
#springst
Lockdown 6. “7 days hard and fast. We can’t let this get away from us. Otherwise we’ll end up like NSW”.
10 weeks later and 1700 cases, how’s that working for you
@DanielAndrewsMP
and
@VictorianCHO
#COVID19
I frankly don’t care wether it was “gas” or “where” (which frankly makes no sense). What I care about is that 2 days after October 7, BEFORE Israel responded to the attack, there was an antisemitic demonstration in my home country
#Australia
. Why?
#BringThemBackHomeNow
At 80% fully vaccinated
#victoria
will still be under major restrictions
@DanielAndrewsMP
is an unconscionable person who seems to really want to put the final nails in this states coffin
#COVID19Vic
Questions I wish journalists would ask of
@DanielAndrewsMP
and demand a straight answer:
1. Do you admit that our HQ failed again?
2.. why is our contact tracing not up to standard after 12 months
3. While you say you take responsibility what does that mean in tangible terms
@DanielAndrewsMP
This is disgraceful. You treat us with contempt. Your catastrophic failures have led to this. 6 million in terrible pain due to your failures. We don’t need to be told again!!! Do you have no sense of the mood of the community.
Genuine question. If a vaccinated person can transmit and get covid (likely with less severe symptoms) why do we need segregation from the unvaccinated? Isn’t it their choice how much protection they want?
#CovidVic
We’ve all had our bad takes in this pandemic, but this takes the biscuit for me. There are actions that simply save lives; simple measures that are about protecting ourselves and others. Masks, ventilation, boosters, testing.
Can anyone from
@DanielAndrewsMP
govt please explain the science behind forcing spectators who came from
#Queensland
to leave the stadium but players and officials were exempt? Does the virus know the difference
#COVID19Vic
Why has
@DanielAndrewsMP
declined an invitation to be interviewed by
@abc730
? Is it because he can’t stage managed it like his press conferences. Is it because he wants to avoid scrutiny? Another example of his opaque leadership
#CovidVic
Just putting it out there. The only state in lockdown. With curfew. Limits on our movement. 500 dead. If
@DanielAndrewsMP
is so good why is
#victoria
the only state in this position? To those who say
#IStandWithDan
are you suffering Stockholm syndrome
#COVIDVIC19
So it’s becoming clearer how incompetent and stubborn the
@DanielAndrewsMP
govt is. All states use
@Salesforce
for contact tracing. Vic was offered it and declined. 6 months later now installing it. Incompetent and negligent
#COVIDVIC19
We need strong
#journalists
now! Hold
@DanielAndrewsMP
to account. Strong follow up questions that have to be answered. This lack of transparency must stop. Democracy dies in the darkness
#CovidVictoria
The victims of the
#nova
musical festival seem to have been forgotten. Remember
#hamas
murdered over 260 innocent people. Their crime was living life and dancing at a party. Many were raped and then set alight. There is no moral equivalence between
#hamas
and
#israel
We must be the “unluckiest” state on earth. Longest lockdown in the world. Most cases and deaths in
#Australia
Most draconian restrictions. Most opaque
@DanielAndrewsMP
govt. police using firearms and tear gas against unarmed protesters. Parliament not sitting. So “unlucky”
NSW 660 cases.
#victoria
1200 cases.
@DanielAndrewsMP
was so quick to criticise
@GladysB
Longest lockdown in the world. Cases still rising. Protest or dissent heavily squashed by his police force. He’s out of control and continues to punish he good people of
#victoria
#COVID19
I’m officially done listening to
@DanielAndrewsMP
He never answers a direct question. “The enquiry were lol determine that”. “ I won’t comment on a police matter”. If you don’t want your head kicked in “don’t protest”. This is not authentic leadership. This is a dictator
So, my parents came here to make a better life for themselves and future generations. They succeeded because they didn’t have a choice and because
#australia
gave them that opportunity. I’m one of millions of similar stories. Isn’t that worth celebrating?
#AustraliaDay
Great leaders inspire hope of a better future. When
@DanielAndrewsMP
said even at 80% vaccinated I won’t rule out further lockdowns, he crushes the hope of a brighter future
#COVID19Vic
To all those who
#standwithdan
can you honestly support him after
#ibac
found an institutional culture of corruption in his party? And leadership endorsed that culture?
@GladysB
resigned as soon as she was under investigation
#auspol
#vicpol
Ok. So after 2 years of failure with HQ, contact tracing, longest lockdown, shooting protesters, hiding health advice, highest debt , worst performing health system and now the
#ibac
report please tell me why anyone can rationally support
@DanielAndrewsMP
#vicpol