FOI Launch
1500 West Australians, including over 100 Federal and State Parliamentarians and community leaders converged on the Victory Life Centre in Osborne Park at 4 PM Sunday 8 August 2010 to
Support Israel as the State of the Jewish people
Defend Israel’s right to live in peace and security
Ensure accurate and fair reporting on the Middle East
The Centre's main auditorium, which seats 800 was quickly filled to capacity, and the second overflow auditorium (linked by video to the proceedings) was also soon overflowing, requiring a third overflow room to be hastily set up in the lobby of the centre.
Attendance at the pre-Launch seminar and book launch were also attended beyond all expectation. Clearly there is a quiet but powerful bond between Western Australia and and Israel. All that was needed was an opportunity to express that feeling, and Western Australia responded resoundingly.
The Friends of Israel (WA) Inc was launched by
- Chairman The Hon. Bob Kucera, former Minister for MultiCultural Affairs
- Vice Chairman Ray Halligan, former Member of the State Legislative Council (Upper House)
- Hon Rev Dr Margaret Court AO, MBE, Phd LLD
- Foreign Minister, Stephen Smith
- Michael Keenan MP, Federal Member for Stirling; Shadow Minister for Justice and Customs
- Chairman The Hon. Bob Kucera, former Minister for MultiCultural Affairs and Musical Interlude
- Mr Michael Sutherland MLA BA, LLB, DipEd, Deputy Speaker of the State Legislative Assembly
- Hon. Kate Doust MLC, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the State Legislative Council; Shadow Minister for Energy; Science and Innovation
- Ambassador Yuval Rotem, Israel Embassy to Australia to a standing ovation
- Danny Ayalon, Israel's Deputy Foreign Minister addressed the gathering by video and Closing Remarks
...and over 100 dignitaries including 40 Federal and State Parliamentarians and 60 other community leaders. Click here to see the full list.
See here to see a summary report, with photos.
Pre-Launch Seminar
Support Israel: if it goes down, we all go down
José María Aznar, former Prime Minister of Spain
Click here to see a report of a recent march of Friends of Israel in Finland, and here to see the rally in New York City.
Click here to read a statement made at the recent global launch of Friends of Israel by:
- Jose Maria Aznar, former prime minister of Spain.
- David Trimble, former first minister of Northern Ireland.
- John R. Bolton, former U.S. ambassador to the U.N.
- Alejandro Toledo, former president of Peru.
- Marcello Pera, former president of the Italian Senate.
- Andrew Roberts, British historian.
- Fiamma Nirenstein, vice-president of the Committee on Foreign Affairs in the Italian Chamber of Deputies.
- George Weigel, senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center.
- Robert F. Agostinelli, managing director of the Rhône Group.
- Carlos Bustelo, former minister of industry in Spain.
Also see this Press Release.