THE Archbishop Tutu has penned a letter of praise to Marrickville Council over its support for a boycott of Israel http://www.abna.ir/data.asp?lang=3&Id=246004

His most welcome letter of solidarity with the ethical stance taken by the Marrickville Mayor Fiona Byrne and the Councillors who want to hold Israel to account for the long history of injustices it has visited on the Palestinian people, should have Australians thinking long and hard. After all, it was not that long ago that Australians were asked to support the mass struggle for freedom from an Apartheid regime in South Africa.

Even then politicians, the media and many interest groups wanting to maintain their relations with the apartheid regime, railed against the call for boycotts. They did not prevail because ordinary people everywhere were prepared to take extraordinary measures in support of human rights and the humanity that binds us together. Who would have thought we would face such a moment in history again? But, the purveyors of exclusivism and racism lurk in every generation and it is only our indifference that allows their malignant ideology to enter the mainstream and be seen as normal and acceptable.

[ALSO SEE...Dr Gideon Polya, Melbourne-Letter to Australian MPs & Media re pro-Zionist Australia, Apartheid Israel & latest Israeli atrocity http://bellaciao.org/en/spip.php?article20829