Australian Activists Give Olmert an Unwelcome Reception

The Australian government recently received former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and current Israeli Vice Prime Minister Silvan Shalom as part of the Australia Israel Leadership Forum. The forum was to strengthen the already close relationship between the two states. Shalom and Olmert were welcomed with a gala dinner in Melbourne's ritzy Park Hyatt Hotel on 6 December 2009, attended by Australian Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard. Given Olmert's role as Prime Minister during the attacks on Gaza, he is seen by many as guilty of war crimes; it is perhaps no surprise that the Australian media seemed keen to bury the fact that Olmert was in the country and being welcomed by our government. Pro-Palestinian activists on the other hand were intent on holding him to account and letting him know he is not welcome here in our town.

Several groups, including Students for Palestine, Australians for Palestine, the Federation of Australian Muslim Students and Youth, and the Palestine Community Association, came together to organize against these war criminals. Around 200 persons attended a lively, loud and angry demonstration outside the Park Hyatt. We displayed a sample of items banned from entering Gaza due to the siege, to highlight the basic necessities that people in Gaza are denied. Speeches spoke of the apartheid nature of Israel and the reality of living under occupation. Melbourne-based pro-Palestinian hip hop group The Brothahood performed songs about life under occupation, and racism in Australia. We carried placards reading: "Silvan Shalom: Minister for Land Theft," "Ehud Olmert: War Criminal," and "Gillard Why do you support genocide?" We also took inspiration from the Iraqi shoe thrower Muntazer al-Zaidi and hurled shoes over the police line.

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