WHAT DID THE AUSSIE JOURNALISTS SAY ABOUT ISRAEL?

Eight senior journalists gave feedback of their recent visit to Israel and the territories to a gathering of 300 members of the community at the Sydney Holocaust Museum on Thursday 17th October. The weeklong trip was led and organised by Vic Alhadeff, CEO The Jewish Board of Deputies. It included briefings with journalists, military experts, a former Prime Minister and visits to the West Bank and the borders of Syria, Lebanon and Gaza.

I was struck by the emotion and honesty of the team. Georgina Windsor, Editor of the Weekend Australian Enquirer summed up the sentiments of the group – ‘the trip broadened both my head and my heart’.

I resonated with many of the comments. “I didn’t realise how small Israel is – how vulnerable.” “I felt for the Palestinians.” “The situation is more complex than I imagined.”

Stories from a resident of a Palestinian refugee camp revealed his lack of understanding or a distortion of the reality of the constant rocket attacks by Hamas.

The most disturbing comment for me came from 2GB newsreader, Amie Meehan. “The sad reality is we no longer report the rocket attacks on Israel from Gaza, which happen almost daily, unless someone is killed or injured.”

That answered a question that’s plagued me for ages - the silence of mainstream media on the issue … it’s no longer news.