DANGEROUS MIDDLE EAST DEVELOPMENTS

With the Soviet Union now adopting a completely new and friendly attitude towards Saudi Arabia, and Saudi Arabian representatives visiting Communist China to court support for an independent Palestinian State, the Middle East crisis is entering a new and more dangerous phase.

Both Moscow and Peking, currently engaged in high-level negotiations, have attempted to exploit the Middle East unrest stemming from the establishment of the Zionist State of Israel. Saudi Arabia has, until recently, been the West's major ally in the Middle East. But the Saudi leaders have become progressively disenchanted with Western policies, charging that the U.S.A. in particular has adopted a pro-Zionist stance as a result of an enormous Zionist pressure in Washington.

While large numbers of Israelis have been shocked by the Beirut massacres, the Zionist machine in the U.S.A., as in Australia, continues to attempt to whitewash Israel's policies. Distinguished American Jewish expert on the Middle East, Dr. Alfred Lilienthal, writing in his "Middle East Perspective" for October, says "When Yasir Arafat reached his decision in early July to leave Beirut, his announced major concern was the security of thousands of Palestinian refugee civilians who would be left without PLO protection. An integral part of the Habid negotiated PLO exodus from Beirut was the understanding that Phalangist militiamen would not accompany Israeli tanks entering West Beirut and that the international peacekeeping force of the U.S., France, and Italy would be deployed in the western sector until the Lebanese Army was able to take over to enforce law and order.
"The agreement was violated when the Israelis used the assassination of Lebanese President elect, Bashir Gemayel, in September as an excuse for re-entering West Beirut from the eastern sector and elsewhere in Lebanon in the guise of 'preventing the danger of violence, bloodshed and anarchy', according to the Israeli Cabinet pronouncement.

Gemayel's Christian Phalangist militiamen, long bitter enemies of Palestinian and Lebanese Muslims, did accompany the Israeli returnees, as did trained militiamen of Major Saad Haddad, Tel Aviv's ally who rules the Israeli enclave in south Lebanon. These militiamen entered the two camps, in whose hovels and wreckage Palestinian and Lebanese refugees had returned after the siege of Beirut was lifted, with the full knowledge of the Israeli army which provided them with at least some of their arms and provisions and helped them with flares for night time operations."

After describing the frightful massacres which took place with Israeli connivance, Dr. Lilienthal charged that the U.S. media must share much of the blame for building a false picture of the former terrorist Begin, and for helping to build a "compliant American public and an enslaved Jewish community."

"In their relentless quest for the Jewish vote and dollars to sustain themselves in office, the supine politicians in Congress must also share in the guilt of the Lebanese massacres. They sent the weapons with which the camp inhabitants were murdered." The so-called "Christian Militia" are Zionist creatures killing Christians, Moslems and anyone else that Israel orders them to go against. The use of the term "Christian" is designed to confuse gullible Christians who, in spite of the Beirut massacres, are still trying to justify Zionist terrorism.

The future of the Middle East depends upon Western nations demonstrating that they are no longer prepared to adopt a pro-Zionist stance. Unless this is done, Communist influence right throughout the Middle East must continue to grow. When even the Saudis are forced in desperation to turn to Moscow and Peking, it is time for the West to take stock.

THE FLINDERS BY-ELECTION

The political commentators are having yet another "field day", attempting to justify their existence with their discourses on why the Labor vote was not greater. Saturday Extra of "The Age", Melbourne, of December 4th, publishes an in depth investigation of what political views were held by the electors in a street in Karingal, a housing estate, which we feel sheds light on the thinking of middle class Australians. The essence of what emerged was that "while...even confirmed Liberal voters are willing to believe Mr. Fraser has not given good government, very few people will make the leap of faith that is required before you can say Mr. Hayden would do any better ... We had trouble finding anyone in Karingal who believed the result of the Flinders by-election would matter to Canberra, or that anything alone in Canberra - including the election of Hayden Labor government could much affect Flinders. No party inspired faith or hope.

Not surprisingly, some electors said they might switch their support to Labor if Mr. Hawke were the leader, a reflection of the influence of the media, which has consistently promoted Mr. Hawke, and a degree of wishful thinking - "Mr. Hawke is a more forceful man than Mr. Hayden and demonstrated as President of the ACTU that he can solve problems." Those expressing such views will get a bad shock if Mr. Hawke ever becomes Prime Minister.

Federal Treasurer Howard and other Federal government spokesmen have, of course, gone through the ritual of claiming that the Flinders vote was an endorsement of government policies. The Liberal vote was in fact down 4.75 percent, but most of this went to the minor parties, including the incredible "Deadly Serious" party, which recorded 1.6 percent.

Mr. Bill Hayden is probably correct when he says that the government's wage freeze policy affected the vote. In the absence of any clearly defined Labor alternative economic policy, the government did appear to be trying to do something. But it can be predicted with complete certainty that any "wage freeze" policy will, in the absence of any reversal of inflationary financial policies, not only be a failure, but will worsen the overall economic situation.

The commentators are undoubtedly right on one point: Prime Minister Fraser will see the Flinders by-election result as preparing the way for an early general election following a double dissolution, hoping that this will enable the Coalition to gain control of the Senate. Once again we stress the importance of the Senate in the long-term battle for Australia.

BRIEF COMMENTS

Generally overlooked in the growing controversy concerning the damming of the Franklin River in Tasmania, is that the most important issue is not whether a hydro-electric scheme should be established on the Franklin River, but whether Tasmania is a self-governing State of the Federation. There may be good reasons why the Franklin River should not be dammed, but there are no good reasons why the Federal Constitution should be further eroded. Most of the opinion concerning the Franklin dam, as expressed in the 40 percent who wrote "no dams" on their ballot paper at the Flinders by-election, is the result of a highly organised campaign backed by much of the media. Rightly or wrongly, the majority of the people of Tasmania have indicated they want a hydroelectric scheme established on the Franklin River. If one quarter of the State of Tasmania is to be declared a wilderness area with no development possible without the permission of an international organisation, then self-government in Australia is in its death throes.

West Germany has always insisted that it is a non-immigrant country. Despite the fact that large numbers of foreign workers have come to West Germany, it was assumed by the politicians that their presence would only be temporary. They were guest workers, not immigrants. There were relatively few problems while there was little unemployment. But now there are mounting racial tensions. The behaviour of some of the Turks, who have brought to West Germany some of their political feuds, and have engaged in acts of violence within their own community, is causing concern amongst the German people. Another failure for "multiracialism".

The election of Mr. Bill Gunn as new deputy leader of the Queensland National Party was a major rebuff to the media, which has been attempting to promote the trendy Primary Industry Minister, Mr. M. Ahern. The Gunn election was also a defeat for National Party President Sir Robert Sparkes, and Secretary Evans.

News that the U.S.A. unemployment figures have now passed 12 million and is still increasing, further contradicts the predictions of the economic ''experts'' who have been saying that the ''indicators'' suggested that the depression was easing. Now comes the projection of the Commonwealth Banking Corporation that there could be "a mild upturn" in the U.S.A. during the second half of 1983, and "some revival" by 1984. The key to what will, or will not happen, depends upon monetary policy. Expansion of the money supply at a much faster rate would stimulate the economy. But under orthodox financial policies it would also stimulate inflation. No one lacking in an understanding of the elementary facts about money creation can offer any constructive suggestions. One observer says that the world is now faced with either a major war or revolution. Either would be a major disaster. (Essential reading at this time of crisis: "The Money Trick". Price $2.55 posted).

From Hansard
Heritage Properties Protection Bill: Senate (Nov.25): Senator MacGibbon (Qld.):
"I was always opposed to this World Heritage Properties Protection Bill 1982 but having heard the speakers for it I am now very opposed to it, and I find that I cannot contain myself in the face of this heresy. The point at issue is not that the Commonwealth has power to legislate in the area as Senator Evans spent hours trying to tell us. There is no argument that the Commonwealth can legislate in this area if it wants to. The real point is that we should not have to legislate in this area at all; we do not have a need to do so. Therefore we do not need this Bill. Stripped to its basics there is just a very simple little ploy going on here. The ploy is just one of the things where, if a person does not have a majority position or a position where the majority of people in the Australian community support him, he tries to outflank the whole deal by appealing to a supernational body, in this case the World Heritage Commission, and thus avoid in the process the wishes of people whom he represents. "
This is one of those paths that we are going down increasingly in Australia on many issues where we are being tied into being signatories to overseas bodies and when we do not examine all the consequences of what is involved by signing on the dotted line, let alone looking at how the decisions were arrived at or at the people who arrived at those decisions. The impression somehow is created that all overseas bodies are much more ethical, much more honest, and much more responsible than national bodies. The logic of that escapes me but it is a line that is sold very consistently by people who want to get support for issues for which they do not have support in their own countries.
I take the view that the converse is often true, having had quite a bit of experience with overseas bodies. The composition of international organisations is nowhere near comparable with the composition of national bodies. That is not surprising because people only come together for a few days at a time, once a year, once every two years or once every five years. Their internal communications and cohesion is very poor. One always has communications problems through language difficulties and translation and all the rest of it. The intimate meeting of minds for a highly technical or a well-reasoned argument is often missing. I am not saying that it cannot be attained but very frequently it is not attained and the broadcast of communiqués or resumes of meetings are put out because they are the only ones on which people can reach agreement…."

Senator Matyr (W.A.):
"Will this Senate, founded in the concept of States' rights and responsibilities allied with Commonwealth rights and responsibilities, now seek to destroy the very foundation on which it rests? I hope every citizen is listening to what is happening. This debate is not about world heritage; it is about the abandonment of the States to an all-powerful Commonwealth. I am not suggesting that our Government will assume this role of an all-powerful government and destroy the States. The very essence of the Liberal Party's philosophy and policy is against that concept, but as so often has been said before, we may not govern forever. Of course the Australian Labor Party will support this Bill. It knows that the more the States' authority is broken down the more a centralist, specialist concept will be possible. This Bill is bad. It is ill drafted and ought to be thrown into the deepest part of the river, along with the A.L.P. amendments. It seems to me that Senator Harradine and Senator Crichton-Browne have already suggested, very strongly and wisely, that these world heritage concepts are world government concepts and that they cut across… established. boundaries of interest and jurisdiction...."