FED:Rescind Israel policy, says Albanese

AAP General News (Australia)
04-18-2011
FED:Rescind Israel policy, says Albanese

CANBERRA, April 18 AAP - A senior Labor figure says it's time for a Sydney council
to ditch a controversial proposed boycott of Israel.

Marrickville council will meet on Tuesday night to vote on the boycott, which has created
division in the area and is estimated to cost local ratepayers $3.5 million.

Mayor Fiona Byrne, who leads the controlling Greens team in the council, said in an
article for the Sydney Morning Herald she will propose rescinding part of the original
motion but stood by the principle of the boycott.

Federal Greens leader Bob Brown says he's pleased to see the policy reversal.

The area's federal MP, Infrastructure Minister Anthony Albanese, told reporters in
Canberra the Greens councillors had divided what was a "harmonious" community.

"It's time, when the council meets tomorrow night, for the council to unite, to put
aside this division and to say that the council should prioritise getting back to basics
- not be an alternative government for Australia that has brought the local community
into a state of ridicule across the country," Mr Albanese said.

"The Greens party need to understand that what they have done is be obsessed with playing
political games at the expense of the local community."

Mr Albanese said the Labor councillors on the council will vote to rescind the Greens' policy.

AAP pjo/sb/nb

KEYWORD: GREENS ISRAEL

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