Abbas crushes BDS

Well it seems that Abbas has "officially" crushed the BDS.  In his official statement on 11th December, he recognises Israel and promotes Trade, excluding those manufactured in the West Bank.

Settlements proven not to be "illegal"

I was shown this great article showing that "illegality" of West Bank settlements is not the case.

Contrary to claims made by Palestinian leadership and others in the international community, international law fully recognizes Jewish claims in Judea and Samaria. These areas were part of the Palestine Mandate, which granted Jews the right to settle anywhere west of the Jordan River and to establish a national home there.

History reminds us that the Palestine Mandate, supported by all 51 members of the League of Nations at the time, and codified in international law, is recognized as legally valid by the United Nations in Article 80 of the UN Charter. In addition, the International Court of Justice has reaffirmed this on three different occasions.

While some people argue that the Palestine Mandate became obsolete following its termination in 1947, international legal scholars claim otherwise. According to Eugene Rostow, a Dean of Yale Law School, “A trust never terminates when a trustee dies, resigns, embezzles the trust property, or is dismissed. The authority responsible for the trust appoints a new trustee, or otherwise arranges for the fulfillment of its purpose.” While the Palestine Mandate ceased to exist in Israel and Jordan when Israel and the Hashemite Kingdom obtained independence, Rostow maintains that “its rules apply still to the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, which have not yet been allocated either to Israel or to Jordan or become an independent state.”

Iranian conterfeiter caught with New Zealand passports

Well, well, well - an Iranian counterfeiter has been caught with New Zealand passports

I doubt we will get any outrage from the left on this one.

Massive BDS Fail in Parramatta

Well the Facebook page was being hammered, they were posting everywhere, had a massive list of speakers.  It was going to be a big fest against Max Brenners in Parramatta yesterday.  They even organised it to be on the Jewish Sabbath to keep opposition numbers.

The Parramatta council warned there would be fines for not obeying the rules.  "Freedom of Speech"  they shouted.  "You can't stop us!!"

They got 20 people.  Yep, that's it. 20. 
 
The main organiser is a very angry young man.  Devout Muslim. 

He must have been a bit miffed at the clientele, enjoying their nice hot chocolate:

#FAIL

This campaign is doing wonders for Max Brenners publicity, and they are laughing all the way to the bank.  I went to the Melbourne Central shop today.  The queues to order were out the door.  And yes, as always, there were many hijabs prominent. 

Thanks to Shirlee Finn for the write up and the photos.

Moon admits UN Bias against Israel

Well, surprise, surprise, Ban Ki Moon has finally admitted what was in plain sight - The UN is biased against Israel

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon met with students at the UN headquarters in Jerusalem on Friday afternoon, and admitted that his organization was biased against Israel. 

Responding to a student who said Israelis felt their country was discriminated against in the international organization, Ban confirmed that there was a biased attitude towards the Israeli people and Israeli government, stressing that it was "an unfortunate situation."

 This is, of course, no surprise and really confirms what everybody knew.

Addressing the attitude towards Israel, Ban said that the Jewish state was a UN member and should therefore be treated equally like all other 192 member states. Unfortunately, he added, Israel has been criticized and sometimes discriminated against because of the Mideast conflict.

A peace process is just a piece of paper, he said, adding that the Oslo Agreement was never implemented and remained a piece of paper. "This time I expect real peace," he said. "The Israeli and Palestinian people are neighbors and have no choice but to live in harmony and peace side by side."

Asked about the split between Fatah and Hamas, the UN chief responded that reconciliation between Israel and the Palestinians was highly important. "There can be no solution of three states – the State of Israel and two Palestinian states. The vision is of a two-state solution, and that's the reason we are trying to advance a Palestinian reconciliation process," he said.

This is important - he has acknowledged that there is only a two state solution to peace.  Not a one state or three state solution.  At least they are honest when not playing politics.

Tom Scott doesn't understand Peace Talks

Tom Scott's latest effort on the current peace talks

So its clear Tom is trying to show bias by the US, and blaming Israel for something.

Maybe he could have drawn something that demonstrates Palestinian violence and recalcitrance, but this would be inconsistent with his usual bias.  At least he wasn't anti-semitic this time, I would have hated to complain to the HRC.

Matt McCarten subverts Mandela for his own lies

How low can a person go?  Matt McCarten has no morals, and has shown that there are no depths that he will not plunge.

With Nelson Mandela gravely ill in hospital, McCarten chooses to exploit this to push his political agenda.  An agenda to villify an entire nation of people.

Nelson Mandela lies on his deathbed, rightly honoured for his sacrifice in fighting the evil of apartheid.

Unfortunately that doctrine still lingers - in Israel. It's a pity we in New Zealand were reminded of that in the week Mandela started to slip away.

Two events highlight the plight of the Palestinians. A Palestinian from Gaza, Mohammed Assaf, won the Arab Idol singing contest. He had trouble crossing borders and arrived late, but climbed a fence and convinced someone else to let him take their place. On news of his victory, jubilant crowds took to the streets throughout the Occupied Territories. Even fun-hating Hamas saluted him.

Assaf used his 15 minutes of fame by naming himself an international ambassador, calling for an end to the split between Hamas and the secularist Fatah Party. He also called for the end to Israel's occupation.

I suspect the Israelis feel deeply guilty about their abusive role and but just can't confront the reality that their treatment of the Palestinian people is similar to how their forbears were treated by others.

Israel resigns itself to blaming the victims and walling off the Palestinians in the Occupied Territories and pretending they don't exist.

Mandela called it for what it is, a form of apartheid. How else would you describe a land of 11.5 million people where 6.5 million with a certain bloodline get full citizen privileges, the few Palestinians living within Israel's recognised borders live under separate laws, and the remaining millions banished to the Occupied Territories get no rights?

Well, for a start there is no apartheid in Israel.  No separate bus stations or bus stops for Arabs and Jews.  Jews aren't allowed in other Arab countries, but McCarten neglects to acknowledge this.

Suggesting Israelis have guilt?  For what, allowing their children to be murdered in the name of Allah?  He supports anti-semitism from extremists like Hamas.

And what a lie it is.  Here's a quote from Mandela himself:

"I cannot conceive of Israel withdrawing if Arab states do not recognize Israel, within secure borders."

He visited Israel, and even recognises the right of Israelis to live securely in their borders.  Again, McCarten chooses to subvert this for his own lies.

I just wonder if why New Zealand Herald continue to employ him.  They must be so desperate to sell papers that they can print this kind of unsubstantiate rubbish as 'opinion'.  Since the Press dumped John Minto, how long before they realise that this weekly rubbish actually drives paying customers away, and brings down the tone of the entire paper.

Review - Arafat In Therapy

Jeremie Bracka's one man show "Arafat in Therapy" was released last year, but he is now taking it on a return season, with a tour through Australia, New Zealand and Israel.  If, like me, you missed it the first time, this is a great opportunity to catch up.  This is Jeremie's third one man play, his two previous being "Lox, Shmocks and Two Smoking Salmons" (2005-06), and "Enough about me... Let's talk about Jew" (2007-08).

Unlike the suggestion of the title, this is not a fictitious story about Arafat, but actually the story of Jeremie himself.  Jeremie is a Jewish boy that grew up in Caulfield that worked for Israel's Permanent Mission to the United Nations, and as a project manager for Ambassador Uri Tavir (Israel's Chief negotiator at Oslo).  As part of the experience he witnesses that the Israeli and Palestinian peoples are "joined at the hip", but unable to even talk to each other without fighting.  He has a dream that Arafat, and later Shimon Peres are in "couples counselling".

Any viewers expecting this to be a totally one-sided lampooning of political views will be disappointed.  Nobody is safe from Jeremie's sharp wit and brilliant imitations.  He starts with his own family - his Polish Mother and Jewish Egyptian Father, and then branches out to his aunts and uncles.  This generated a lot of empathy with the audience at our performance in Melbourne many of whom related quite easily to these characters.  He then turned on his Grade two teacher, Mora Tzipi "It is because of you not dancing the Hora that I can tell that you hate Israel", El Al and their uninterested security staff, and then his employer Tavir.  Along the way he tells how rebellious it was that a Jewish Boy from Mt Scopus "rebelled" by going to Morocco for three months to study Arabic.  Here we here he's never been to Melbourne's Western Suburbs, let along the West Bank, and that to him, Doncaster (a Jewish community in Melbourne's North) are the settlements.

Whilst working for Tavir, he needs to visit two people in the West Bank weekly, and Arab and a Jew.  He impersonates both in turn, and can't help notice that instead of just talking to him, its like they are talking to each other.  They both have more in common with each other than they realise.

During the play, there is a video interlude, which shows a "news" segment, with all characters on screen played by Jeremie.  Here he gives some hilarious lampooning of Shimon Peres and Saeb Erekat being interviewed by a news reporter.  There is also a brilliant segment "Socialites without Borders", where a South African lady runs a "humanitarian organisation" for Palestinians.  "I Coorn't bolieve it, the Israelis stopped me at the border and were so rough.  I mean, they asked me if I packed my own bags.  I WOULD NEVER pack my own bags!".

He then continues with the live performance, and this time lampoons the UN.  The Ghanan delegation want to insert an anti-Israel clause into a completely unrelated resolution, and we get to see how crazy the inner workings of the UN are, with lampoons of delegations from around the world, including Ireland, Italy, Russia, Japan, and the delegations of Canada, Australia and New Zealand (CANZ), which hilariously Tavir can't pronounce.

It then returns to the West Bank, where a Suicide Bomber has blown himself up, and everything changes.

This is a brilliant play.  Not everybody will relate to all the characters, especially the Melbourne representation, but anybody will easily understand the messages and jokes Jeremie is putting across.  Nothing is sacred and no stone is left unturned.  Highly Recommended!

Second Man found guilty of Auckland Grave desecrations

A second man has been found guilty in court of the Jewish grave desecrations in Auckland

Christian Landmark, 20, was charged with being a party to intentional damage after it was discovered the gravestones in a central Auckland cemetery were defaced with anti-Semitic graffiti and swastikas in october last year.

The graffiti included "f*** Israel" and "don't f*** with us".

In a police interview played at his trial in Auckland District Court, Landmark initially told Detective Sergeant Phillip Cox he had been shown a photo of the graffiti by a friend but said he didn't know anything about the man responsible except that his name was "Rob".

But after Mr Cox said police had spoken to a friend of Landmark's, he suddenly came clean.

"Ok, I think we should restart the interview. It wasn't me who did it. I was there at the time, I was absolutely drunk at the time, out of my mind with Rob."

He said he thought the graffiti was "stupid"and he was not anti-Semitic.

This is interesting - some of the graves were marked with "88".  I actually did not know this was a reference to "Heil Hitler".  Landmark must have had a lot more involvement with Neo Nazis than he is letting on.

"I would have told you everything but I felt bad for him but, man, I've had a s**tty day."

Landmark admitted being at the graveyard but said it was Rob who did the tagging.

"I didn't realise the severity of his views until he went and did that."

Earlier the court heard from Rob, whose full name is Robert Moulden.

We also know that Moulden gave evidence against his 'friend'.  Moulden was offered support by the Jewish community in a form of Restorative Justice.

He said he and Landmark had been drinking at their inner-city hostel when they decided to go out tagging.

Moulden told the court there was no plan to tag the Jewish gravestones but that's where they ended up.

"I'd say it was Chris' idea but it was probably 50/50."

That's the most lame way to try and absolve guilt.

He said they took turns spray-painting the graves and at one point Landmark took pictures.

But under cross-examination from Landmark's lawyer Tudor Clee, he confirmed that Landmark did not suggest spray-painting swastikas.

"I think in the graveyard where me and Chris were - a Jewish graveyard - a swastika was the first thing that came to mind in terms of being offensive ... I'm pretty sure he was thinking the same thing."

Mr Clee also took him through a number of text messages sent between the pair on the days following the graffiti attack.

In one of the messages, Moulden texted Landmark telling him: "awesome derailment of all the s**t you call 'fascist fantasy bulls**t'."

Moulden agreed that his message implied Landmark did not believe in fascism but did not recall sending the message and could not be sure what he meant.

Mr Clee also asked about a text message Moulden sent to Landmark after Landmark tried to sell photos of the graffiti to the media.

Taking pictures and then forwarding or trying to sell them??  These guys are clearly not rocket scientists.

Moulden texted him saying: "How dare you hijack my s**t for money".

Mr Clee pointed out that Moulden was claiming ownership for the attack.

But Moulden said he was referring to his identity.

"... It would have clearly endangered me and I would've been in trouble."

Lets hope this ends another nasty saga.  And lets hope it never happens again

Some simplified graphics for a simplified argument

The BDS people love to through around the word "apartheid".  It's easy.  A one word demonisation which is based upon a system from South Africa where whites and blacks had to sit on different seats on buses and go to different beaches.

Well here both an Israeli Arab and a South African minister explain for us.

Metiria Turei shows how to complain against racist cartoons

In her recent Frogblog post, Metiria Turei has showed us exactly how we can complain over racist cartoons.

This is my complaint to the Human Rights Commissioner. I emailed it to the HRC at 12.26pm and received an acknowledgement at 2.26pm. I’m not sure what information the HR Commissioner was using when she said her office had received no complaints by 1pm, especially as the Mana Party had also complained and received acknowledgement of it before that time. I’m also unclear as to how she can make a determination that the complaints are without substance without first reading them, giving consideration to the content of the complaints and considering the applicable law.

Bloody dismal, frankly

Dame Susan Devoy
Human Rights Commission
P O Box 6751
Wellesley Street
Auckland 1141

30 May 2013

Tēnā koe, Dame Susan

We respectfully request the Human Rights Office to address the publication of two cartoons appearing in both the Marlborough Express and The Christchurch Press today.

The cartoons concern the Government’s recently announced Food in Schools programme.

Specifically the cartoons depict a Polynesian family using the breakfast in schools programme as a method to save money for cigarettes, alcohol and gambling. I believe this cartoon may infringe the Human Rights Act, specifically section 61 which makes it unlawful to publish material which is threatening, abusive or insulting and likely to incite hostility against a group of people on the grounds of their colour, race or ethnicity.

I strongly believe in a free and independent press, whose critique of government policy is crucial to our democracy but that freedom comes with a responsibility not to incite hatred against people, let alone breach the law.

I believe that this public attack on families in need will incite hostility against New Zealand children, growing up in poverty and who will benefit from the Breakfast at School programme. It encourages the public to view them and their families, particularly Maori and Pasifika families, in a derogatory frame. This is harmful, irresponsible and unlawful.

We understand that under the Bill of Rights, offensiveness of a race related comment is not sufficient on its own to constitute an offence. Our understanding is that the comment must also be a probable cause of ethnic hostility or contempt. We believe this to be the case in this instance.

In March this year the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination welcomed the government’s recognition that structural discrimination is partly responsible for the persistent poor outcomes that the members of the Maori and Pasifika communities experience in the fields of employment, health and the administration of criminal justice.

The Committee recommended that the government intensify its efforts to improve the outcomes of the Maori and Pasifika in the fields of employment, health and in the administration of criminal justice by, among other things, addressing the existing structural discrimination.

This type of publication encourages the underlying racial prejudice that can drive structural discrimination.

Given the public interest in this matter we would appreciate a response at your earliest convenience
Yours sincerely

Metiria Tūrei
Green Party Co-leader

Now, I actually agree with Metiria here.  As some may know, I actually grew up with Metiria, she visited our house on many occasions as she was friends with my sister.

I also have the following three cartoons I would like to complain about that have been published in New Zealand newspapers from Malcolm Evans, Tom Scott and Hodgson.

http://timgoz.blogspot.com.au/2013/01/malcolm-evans-anti-israel-cartoon.html
http://timgoz.blogspot.com.au/2012/05/disgusting-hodgson-cartoon.html
http://timgoz.blogspot.com.au/2011/10/tom-scotts-latest-anti-semitic-cartoon.html

I will lodge a complaint, and see if I too get a response.

Myths and Facts: Zionism is Racism

It looks like the Myths and Facts people are now producing videos which are now being complemented with YouTube Videos.

This is an excellent one about the Myth that "Zionism is Racism:

Some points to summarise:

• Israel is not the only homeland.  Germany, Ireland, Greece and many others have similar laws for nationality
• Israel is a multicultural country which accepts and welcomes non Jewish citizens
• Arab states have similar laws, but prevent Jewish citizens from the same rights as Arabs
• Arab states have laws preventing Palestinians from becoming citizens

Fisking the propaganda with facts - dissecting the Anti-Zionism argument

5 minutes for Israel as a brilliant dissection of a piece published on Al-Jazeera "The Last of the Anti-Semites" - an opinion piece by Joseph Massad.

You will not find a better dissection - It injects facts and history into the half truths and weasel words.  Read the whole piece!

Arafat in Therapy - Comedy show coming to Auckland

The show "Arafat in Therapy", which was shown in last year's Melbourne Comedy theatre is doing a repeat run, and coming to Auckland on 6th and 7th July.  Get your tickets!

Palestinian Governments murder Prisoners

Phillippe Assouline has written another excellent blog post:   Palestinian Governments are murdering Palestinian prisoners.

You may recall the Palestinian riots (alas, it's always riots) that followed the death of Arafat Jaradat last February.  The Palestinians had kicked up a storm of violence in response to his death, alleging that Israel had tortured the man to death.  Palestinian propaganda outlets (e.g., "Students for Justice in Palestine", "American Muslims for Palestine", "Students Against [imaginary] Israeli Apartheid" and other professional whiners) put on their usual sanctimony-hysteria circus and the international press, too lazy to do their job, just parroted them. Many were hurt as a result.

Well, it turns out that Jaradat died of natural causes and that an autopsy of his body did not reveal any signs of violence. No one following the Middle East closely was surprised, or shocked at the lack of honesty of the anti-Israel set.

But today Khaled Abu Toameh is reporting on the recent deaths of 11Palestinians IN PALESTINIAN PRISONS IN 2012 ALONE!  In addition, there has been a 10% increase in complaints of torture and human rights abuses under both Hamas and Fatah governments. 
The "Pro-Palestinian" professional whiners and slanderers who call themselves activists are, of course, nowhere to be seen. That is, until they find a way to blame this on Israel too. Then, in the same breath, they will demand that these torturing governments who are never responsible for their actions be granted a state.

There's a word for that in English: Hypocrisy.  What is certain is that such an attitude isn't "Pro-Palestinian".

If the Palestinians are to rule their own lives, REAL Pro-Palestinians (who seem to only exist on the Pro-Israel side these days) MUST hold Palestinian governments to account. And the despicable game of slandering democratic Israel relentlessly while being willfully blind to Palestinian crimes must end

Exactly.  When Palestinians are murdered, dragged behind motorcycles and die in jail by acts of their government, the world seems to go silent.  Enough!

Al Dura did not die in 2000 shooting

Honest Reporting has been carrying this piece for some time - conclusive proof that Al Dura did not die in the 2000 shooting in Gaza.  He was either killed by Palestinians or, more likely, he is still alive.

This video shows it all:

They show the position of Israeli troops, and Palestinians.  This incident was before the widespread exposure of "Pallywood" to the world, and is quite likely the earliest example.

Even still, since then many Palestinians have murdered in "vengeance" of Al Dura, as part of the ongoing campaign of violence. 

This hasn't stopped New Zealand media publishing a very poorly worded description of the complaint laid against the Al Dura reporting:

Israel has demanded a French television station correct a report from nearly 13 years ago which helped fuel anger across the world and ignite a bloody uprising against the Jewish state.

Twelve-year-old Mohammed al-Dura and his father, Jamal, were filmed crouching in terror by a wall in the Gaza Strip in September 2000, bullets whizzing around them, as Israeli forces battled Palestinian gunmen days into an uprising that erupted after failed peace talks.

The boy was later pronounced dead, and his father wounded.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in September ordered an investigation into the incident, which Israel sees as a blight on its image and an enduring inspiration for violence against it.

Israel at first apologised then blamed Palestinian militants for the death of Dura, whose lifeless image was shown around the world, turning him into a martyr in Arab countries.

The 36-page Israeli report said the France 2 accusation that troops had killed Dura was "destructive" and said it had fuelled attacks for years by Islamist militants against it as well as American targets, and "served as an inspiration and justification for terrorism, anti-Semitism".

Based on its review of the film, the Israeli report said there was "no evidence that the Israeli military was in any way responsible for causing any of the alleged injuries" to the boy and his father.

"The review showed that it is highly doubtful that bullet holes in the vicinity of the two could have had their source in fire from the Israeli position," it said.

The document also questioned whether the footage supports conclusions that either Palestinian victim was hurt during the film clip.

What annoys me is that they are not actually putting any reference to the clip, which is fairly clear cut.

"There are numerous indications that the two were not struck by bullets at all," the report said.

"There remains a need to publicly correct and clarify the France 2 narrative as a first step towards moderating the report's destructive effects," it added.

In Gaza, Jamal al-Dura denounced the report as "a new fabrication". In an interview with Reuters, he demanded an international investigation, including Arab participation, into "what happened to me and my son".

In response to Israel's report, France 2 said in a statement it "has shown a willingness to participate in any official independent investigation, carried out according to international standards".

It said it was also ready to help exhume the boy's "to help clarify the circumstances" of his death.

I sincerely hope they do, but I am not holding my breath

Has Iran targeted Kooshyar Karimi's relatives with political executions?

Sad news from Iran:

Iranian authorities executed two men on Sunday convicted of working for Israeli and US spy agencies, Iran’s Fars news agency reported.

Mohammad Heidari, accused of passing security-related information and secrets to Israeli Mossad agents in exchange for money, and Kourosh Ahmadi, accused of gathering information for the US Central Intelligence Agency, were hanged at dawn, it said.

The sentence for their execution was handed down by Tehran’s Revolutionary Court and confirmed by the country’s Supreme Court. The report did not say when the pair were arrested nor when their trial took place.

Iran has in the past said it had successfully detected and dismantled spy networks operating inside the country.

It has blamed the assassinations of scientists associated with its disputed nuclear programme on Western spy agencies, especially Mossad.

The United States has denied any role in the killings. Israel has not commented

Almost certainly they are innocent.  Definitely they were tortured.

My concern is after reading Kooshyar Karimi's book titled "I Confess".  He was the Iranian Jew with a Muslim father who was kidnapped, tortured and forced to spy on his own people.  These two names are remarkably similar to real family members of his - his stepfather, Haji Heydar and his brother Koorosh.

This is state sponsored murder.  Nothing less. 

Poll - Most Israelis believe in God

An interesting thing to quote next time sometime tells you most Israelis are Atheists - A poll by YNet news show that most believe in God:

According to the results of last week's poll by Ynet and the Smith Institute, seven out of ten Israelis believe in the existence of God, and six out of ten believe it was God who created the world in which we live today.

A study conducted by Rafi Smith of the Smith Institute, examined the public’s stance on faith and Judaism. Data was collected by two simultaneous methods; a telephone survey of the older community, and an internet poll posted on Ynet which had over 40 thousand participants.

Smith explained that the internet poll contained questions on the socio-demographic background of participants, which allowed the results to be calculated in such a way that they represented the public desire of the over-18 Jewish community in Israel.

Who created the world we live in?

God: 60% (100% religious, 79% traditional, 29% secular)

Big Bang: 40%

Have you become closer to Judaism in recent years?

Yes, became closer to Judaism: 39% (78% religious, 35% traditional, 23% secular)

No, moved away from Judaism: 9% (1% religious, 6% traditional, 14% secular)

Neutral: 52%

Do you think schools should provide more traditional studies?

Yes, increase traditional studies: 53% (78% religious, 35% traditional, 23% secular)

No, decrease traditional studies: 4% (1% religious, 6% traditional, 14% secular)

No, no change necessary: 32%

Not sure: 11%

How would you like to see Israel?

More religious: 23%

More traditional: 26%

More secular: 27%

No change needed: 24%

Do you keep Kosher?

Yes: 53%

No: 36%

Sometimes: 11%

Do you keep Shabbat?

Yes: 35%

No: 57%

Sometimes: 8%

Do you fast on Yom Kippur?

Yes: 62%

No: 31%

Sometimes: 7%

Greatest Election Chokes

I was having a discussion this weekend regarding sports chokers, and it came to me also that there have been a number of election chokers as well.

I'm not talking about a political party implementing an unpopular policy, which causes them to be voted out, I'm talking about election campaigns.  If a party was so far ahead on polls in a campaign that they seemingly lost from nowhere.

I came up with five that I am familiar with, but I'm sure there are others, especially in Europe or Asia.

I'm going to start with some honourable disqualifications: Morgan Tsvangirai in Zimbabwe, 2008,  Mir-Hossein Mousavi in Iran, 2009 or any other elections where the upset candidate actually won except for electoral fraud and vote rigging.  In these instances to Robert Mugabe and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Without any further ado - here is the list:

5) Australia State elections - don't call a snap!

Jeff Kennett had been premier in Victoria for two terms, after inheriting a near bankrupt state.  He built everything and anything to turn the state into a thriving region.  He had fearlessly faced off against unions to ensure major events like the Grand Prix took place.  In 1999, the Labor party changed its leader to the little known Stev Bracks, and Kennett could not resist the urge to call a snap election.  His campaign consisted of pictures of him smiling with "www.jeff.com", and little else.  The public punished him at the poll, installing a government with balance of power held by 3 independents, who couldn't hide their glee in dumping him.  On the whole, the most arrogant campaign and forcing an election on a public who punished him for it.

Honourable mention to WA Premier Alan Carpenter, who called a snap election in 2008 when the Liberals leader resigned in disgrace.  He lost to the newly appointed Colin Barnett

4)  When Polls don't work

In the 1948 US Presidential election, the polls leading up to the election were so convincing that Republican Thomas Dewey would win, that people stopped taking notice.  In the meantime Harry S. Truman continued to campaign, and the polls showing the gap narrowing were ignored.  When the results were counted, Truman lead early and never relented.

The papers were so confident of a Dewey win, they printed the headline before the results were counted.

3) Once tagged as a loser ..

Shimon Peres was a long time Israeli Leader.  He was seen as a peacemaker and a diplomat, and was awarded the Nobel Peace prize in 1994.  Peace and Security is always the top issue at Israeli elections.  However every election Peres contested as leader he lost.  Once the people saw him as a loser, it seemed his support continued to slip away, even in the face of more marginal opponents such as Netanyahu and Sharon.  He did hold the Prime Ministers office when Rabin was assassinated, but now he holds the unelected figurehead Presidential position.

2) Small targets 

In the midst of "the recession we had to have", Paul Keating was very unpopular as Prime Minister.  The 1993 Australian Federal election was the chance to change things, and Liberal leader and Economist John Hewson thought he could change things by relying on a GST.  Unfortunately he couldn't explain it very well.  One 90 second rambling description left the whole country confused and open the door for Keating to be re-elected.  This lead to a term of "Small Targets".  If you are leading in the polls, then don't introduce anything major that is likely to make you a target for your opponent.  This term is still used today.

 1) The danger of arrogance

In the US Presidential Campaign, Al Gore was so far ahead against George Bush, it was almost a certainty that he would win.  Then came the Presidential debates.  Al Gore was supposedly the "Master Debater", and George W. Bush was not heralded as being smart, yet Bush made Gore look insincere and wishy washy.  Then the Gore Campaign went right off the rails, with policies the Bush campaign could make out as supporting "Big Government".  The election was almost too close to call with only a few votes in Florida separating the two.  What difference Gore would have had in the White House during the 9/11 attacks the following year, we can only guess.


Well, that's my list.  What have I missed?
If Tony Abbott misses out in September 2013, then he should definitely be added!