Editing AIJAC (section)

==Aims and activities==
As both a think tank and public affairs organisation, AIJAC's stated purpose is to represent the interests of [[Australian Jews]] to the Australian government, media, and other media organisations. While AIJAC's main focus is on combating perceived anti-Israel bias and misinformation in the media and Australian public, the organisation also has a domestic agenda that includes promoting multiculturalism, human rights and interfaith dialogue; combating extremism, fundamentalism, racism, and antisemitism; promoting [[Holocaust]] awareness; pursuing Nazi war criminals; and dealing with the security concerns of Australian Jewish communities and institutions. Besides its advocacy and lobbying activities, AIJAC has also produced regular commentary and analysis on Middle Eastern, Australian, and Asian developments.<ref name="About AIJAC" />{{sfn|Reich|2004|pp=199-200}} Several of AIJAC's main activities have including a visitor program bringing international visitors to Australia and [[New Zealand]], the "Ramban Israel Fellowship" program, the "AIJAC Forum" for young professionals, their monthly ''Australia/Israel Review'' magazine, and the "Fresh Air" blog and "Updates" email bulletin on their website.<ref name="About AIJAC" />

===''Australia/Israel Review''===
AIJAC publishes a monthly magazine, ''Australia/Israel Review'' or AIR (formerly titled ''The Review''), featuring articles on issues of concern to the Australian Jewish community. ''AIR'' magazine was first established by AIJAC's predecessor, Australia-Israel Publications, in 1977 with the journalist Samp Lipski serving as its first editor. The magazine's mission was to promote the Israeli case to Australia's opinion makers. Copies of ''AIR'' magazine were distributed to members of both the [[Parliament of Australia|federal]] and [[Parliaments of the Australian states and territories|state parliament]]s, leading clergymen, academics, and journalists. By the late 1980s, ''AIR'' magazine had a circulation of 3,600 and had become a national publication with the establishment of a branch office in Sydney.{{sfn|Reich|2004|pp=203-204}}{{sfn|Markus|2004|p=118}}

Although ''AIR'' magazine's mainly focused on Israel-Palestine, the magazine also devoted considerable resources to monitoring far right figures and elements during the 1980s and 1990s such as [[Pauline Hanson]]'s [[Pauline Hanson's One Nation|One Nation]], [[David Irving]], [[Louis Farrakhan]], and the [[LaRouche movement]].{{sfn|Reich|2004|pp=203-204}}{{sfn|Markus|2004|p=118}} Key contributors have included [[Jeremy Jones (activist)|Jeremy Jones]] and David Greason, one of Australia's leading experts on the far right. In 1995, ''AIR'' and its parent organisation Australia-Israel Publications were merged into AIJAC.{{sfn|Markus|2004|p=118}}

Despite its pro-Israel editorial standpoint, ''AIR'' magazine has published interviews with Palestinian figures such as [[Hanan Ashrawi]], [[Yasser Arafat]], and [[Nabil Shaath]]. In addition, the magazine has interviewed leading Israeli figures such as [[Benjamin Netanyahu]], [[Moshe Arens]], and [[Shimon Peres]]. In addition to its pro-Israel advocacy, ''AIR'' magazine has also taken an interest in [[weapons of mass destruction]] particularly "rogue Middle East states" seeking to acquire nuclear weapons capability. By 2000, ''AIR'' magazine was devoting more coverage to Australian issues and local politics.{{sfn|Reich|2004|pp=203-204}}

Current and archived issues of the magazine are available on the magazine's website, and the organisation also distributes news and alerts to subscribers by email.<ref>{{cite web |title=Australia/Israel Review |url=https://aijac.org.au/category/australia-israel-review/ |publisher=AIJAC |access-date=15 July 2019}}</ref>

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===Lobbying and relationship-building===
AIJAC has lobbied and cultivated relations with the two major Australian parties, the [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal]]s and [[Australian Labor Party]].{{sfn|Loewenstein|2006|p=162}}{{full citation|date=October 2024}}{{better source|date=October 2024}} AIJAC has invited politicians from both major parties on Ramban programs and dinner functions. In 2003, the Australian [[Minister for Foreign Affairs (Australia)|Foreign Minister]] [[Alexander Downer]], federal [[Leader of the Opposition (Australia)|Opposition]] and Labor leader [[Simon Crean]], and Labor Foreign spokesperson [[Kevin Rudd]] attended an AIJAC dinner function hosting former [[Prime Minister of Israel|Israeli Prime Minister]] [[Ehud Barak]].{{sfn|Reich|2004|p=200}} AIJAC also cultivated close relations with [[Prime Minister of Australia|Prime Minister]] [[John Howard]] with left-wing Australian journalist [[Antony Loewenstein]] crediting the organisation with influencing the [[Howard government]]'s pro-Israel foreign policy.{{sfn|Loewenstein|2006|pp=163-167}}{{full citation|date=October 2024}}{{better source|date=October 2024}}

AIJAC had also maintained a close relationship with Jewish Australian former Labor Member of Parliament [[Michael Danby]], a former AIJAC staffer who has articulated a pro-Israel standpoint on several occasions. Danby was involved in the Australian Parliamentary Friends of Israel and objected to [[American Jews|Jewish-American]] intellectual and dissident [[Noam Chomsky]]'s tour of Australia in 1995.{{sfn|Loewenstein|2006|pp=180-181}}{{sfn|Reich|2004|pp=205-206}}{{full citation|date=October 2024}}{{better source|date=October 2024}}

===Partnerships===
AIJAC works closely with several Australian and international Jewish organisations including the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, the Zionist Federation of Australia, the various state Jewish community organisations, the [[Jewish National Fund]], the [[United Israel Appeal]], the [[World Union of Jewish Students]], and the [[American Jewish Committee]].{{sfn|Reich|2004|p=201}}<ref name="About AIJAC" /> Despite its cordial relations with mainstream Jewish groups, AIJAC disagrees with dissident Jewish peace groups like the [[Australian Jewish Democratic Society]], which is critical of Israel and has advocated on Palestinian rights.{{sfn|Reich|2004|p=202}}{{full citation|date=October 2024}}{{better source|date=October 2024}}

In May 1997, AIJAC and the American Jewish Committee established institutional ties to collaborate on key Jewish communal and international policy issues including defending the rights of Jews and other minorities, promoting friendly relations between Jews and other ethnic and religious groups, advocating for Jewish concerns in Asia and the Pacific Rim, advancing Israeli public diplomacy,{{cn|date=October 2024}} combating [[anti-Semitism|antisemitism]] and [[Holocaust denial]], and fostering ties between Israel and the [[Jewish Diaspora]]. The two organisations also collaborate in the joint sponsorship of research, conferences, symposia, exchange programs, and fact-finding missions in the Asia-Pacific region.{{sfn|Reich|2004|pp=202-203}}<ref name="About AIJAC" />

===Pursuit of Nazi war criminals===
In line with its interest in combating [[anti-Semitism|antisemitism]] and promoting Holocaust awareness, AIJAC has campaigned for alleged Nazi war criminals in Australia to face justice either in Australia or overseas via deportation or extradition. AIJAC has also advocated that the Australian Government re-establish a specialised war crimes investigation unit to pursue both suspects from World War II and more recent conflicts, and to assist international efforts to secure war crime justice. During the mid-1990s, AIJAC helped located the alleged [[Latvians|Latvian]] war criminals [[Konrāds Kalējs]] and [[Karlis Ozols]], who were both living in Australia. In March 2000, AIJAC also lobbied for the Australian Government to investigate [[Lithuanians|Lithuanian]] Nazi war crimes suspect Antanas Gudelis following allegations against him aired on the [[Special Broadcasting Service]]'s ''Dateline'' program.{{sfn|Reich|2004|pp=210-11}}<ref>{{cite news |title=Antannas Gudelis |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/antannas-gudelis |access-date=21 July 2019 |publisher=[[Special Broadcasting Service|SBS News]] |date=29 March 2000}}</ref>

===Rambam Israel Fellowship Program===
In late 2003, AIJAC launched the Rambam Israel Fellowship Program to facilitate educational and fact-finding trips to Israel for selected journalists, politicians, political advisers, government officials, trade union officials, student leaders, and academics.<ref name="About AIJAC" />{{sfn|Reich|2004|p=200}}  Participation includes "air/ground transport, accommodation, meals and other associated costs".<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://ausgov.info/interests.php?reps=stirling+griff |title=10 Members & Senators updated the register of interests in the last 14 Days |access-date=7 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180806145437/https://ausgov.info/interests.php?reps=stirling+griff |archive-date=6 August 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref> According to Australian Jewish journalist [[Antony Loewenstein]], the week-long Rambam program included meetings with prominent Israeli politicians such as [[Ehud Barak]] and [[Benjamin Netanyahu]], a tour of the [[Israeli West Bank barrier]], and brief meetings with Palestinian leaders in Ramallah.{{sfn|Loewenstein|2006|p=221}}

The first Rambam participants were a group of young political leaders who undertook a week-long program of activities in July 2003. The second Rambam mission consisted of a five-member [[Coalition (Australia)|Coalition]] parliamentary delegation who visited Israel in December 2003. The third Rambam mission in February 2004 was a bipartisan parliamentary delegation consisting of [[Australian Labor Party]] Senators [[Stephen Conroy]] ([[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]]), [[Linda Kirk]] ([[South Australia]]), [[Ursula Stephens]] ([[New South Wales]]), and [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal]] Members of Parliament [[Steven Ciobo]], [[Sophie Panopoulos]], and [[Andrew Southcott]]. More recently, in 2018, Senators [[Stirling Griff]] ([[Centre Alliance]]) and [[Kristina Keneally]] (Labor) attended, along with other politicians, as well as journalists, including [[Sharri Markson]] and [[James Campbell (journalist)|James Campbell]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Rambam journos report back |url=https://www.jewishnews.net.au/rambam-journos-report-back/51094 |access-date=15 July 2019 |publisher=[[The Australian Jewish News]] |date=21 December 2015}}</ref>

AIJAC Rambam journalist participants have included ''[[The Herald and Weekly Times]]'' editor in chief [[Peter Blunden]] and journalist John Ferguson, the ''[[Australian Financial Review]]''{{'s}} Ben Potter and Robert Bolton, ''[[The Age]]''{{'s}} chief editorial writer John Watson, ''[[The Courier-Mail]]''{{'s}} [[Dennis Atkins]], the [[Special Broadcasting Service]]'s Sally Watson, the ''[[Sydney Morning Herald]]''{{'s}} Louise Dodson, and [[Network Ten|Channel Ten]]'s John Hill.{{sfn|Loewenstein|2006|p=220}}