Australian governor-general: 'Never again' is more than just history
The governor-general said that he would not want to see a repeat of the atrocities of the Holocaust, not only as far as Jews are concerned, but to people anywhere in the world.
By GREER FAY CASHMANAustralian Governor-General David Hurley.(photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)
"Never again" is not just a statement of history but a current statement in a world where antisemitism is on the rise, Australian Governor-General David Hurley told some of his fellow countrymen who now live in Israel.Speaking on Tuesday evening at a reception at the King David Hotel hosted by Australian Ambassador to Israel Chris Cannan, Hurley said that he would not want to see a repeat of the atrocities of the Holocaust, not only as far as Jews are concerned, but to people anywhere in the world.Hurley had just arrived at the reception following what Cannan described as "a very successful meeting" with President Reuven Rivlin.The governor-general had told Rivlin that Jews came to Australia with the first fleet in 1788, and Australia had welcomed Holocaust survivors after the Second World War, he said, adding that they and their descendants had made significant contributions to Australia. The relationship between Australia and Israel is very strong in defense and at all levels, he emphasized, adding that a relationship doesn't work on the basis of a written piece of paper. It's only when people implement what has been agreed on paper that the relationship works, he stated.Hurley, who is the former commander-in-chief of the Australian Defense Forces, noted Australia's long military history in the Middle East, which stretches back more than 100 years, and declared: "We are committed to the region."He introduced Holocaust survivor Sir Frank Lowy, who is one of Australia's most eminent businessmen and who is also a citizen of Israel.Lowy, who has been invited to attend the Global Forum at Yad Vashem on Thursday, said that it was very important to him because his father had been murdered in the most brutal way in Auschwitz.When The Jerusalem Post asked Hurley to explain the upsurge of antisemitism in Australia, he replied that Australia is a country that accepts all, and things like antisemitism happen as a result of that policy, but when antisemitism does occur, people must speak out, he said.
