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Follow Us on TwitterSarah Haynes (WA) writes to the West Australian newspaper re Australia-Israel joint issue stamps 25Jun13 June 26, 2013
Dear Sir,
One of Australia’s, and WWI’s, greatest military victories was fought at Beersheeba in 1917. Australia’s light horse brigade enlisted the local Palestinians which was pivotal in the success of that campaign (in fact it was a Palestinian that lead the charge from the East to secure the city).
Why now does Australia Post have a joint stamp with Israel, a country that didn’t exist in 1917, commemorating that occasion as a joint history?
Where is the acknowledgement of Palestinian bravery and sacrifice? It has been wiped clear by the Hebrew text on the stamp, a language that was not spoken or read by the Palestinians of 1917, a language that has now been enforced on Palestinians since Israel’s creation in 1948.
The Jews of the diaspora and Israel have a proud right to celebrate their Jewish history and culture – but this is not their battle to commemorate and is another indication of Australia’s complicity in the Palestinian denial crusade (an apt word given the history of colonial conquest of the territory).
Regards,
Sarah Haynes
Thank You.
