This week’s Watchdog of the Week is awarded to an organization rather than an individual.
In September 2008, nine highly committed individuals held an informal meeting with the aim of creating an informal organization with priority to be given to fighting Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions, assisting pro-Israel activity on Perth campuses and developing a website.
With the endorsement of over 450 community members at a public meeting in May 2009, Friends of Israel (Western Australia) officially launched in September 2010 with a number of key aims and challenges:
- Providing members and the broader Australian community with up-to-date, factual information to assist in their knowledge of and their advocacy for Israel.
- Developing dialogue with the mainstream churches, the trade union movement and the broader Australian community.
- Promoting messages to both Jewish and non-Jewish schools and various community groups.
- Arranging guest speakers from Israel and encouraging audience attendance from across the spectrum.
- Responding to adverse newspaper reports with letters to the editor.
Fast forward to today and FOIWA has its own website and membership stands at over 1000.
HonestReporting was delighted to meet two of FOIWA’s key activists, Phil Samuell and Lee Edmundson, who joined us on our last Mission to Israel. Watchdog of the Week is our opportunity to acknowledge the the efforts of Phil, Lee and the rest of their team as a fine example of how grassroots activists can make a difference.
Are You the Watchdog of the Week?
Have you achieved a success in the fight against anti-Israel media bias? Want to share your success with thousands of HonestReporting’s readers?
If the answer is yes, you could be the next Watchdog of the Week!
Here are just a few of the things you could do to qualify:
- Sending a tip-off to HonestReporting through our Red Alert page that we act upon;
- Get a letter published in a media outlet;
- Or perhaps you’ve achieved something else that you feel is deserving of this accolade.
Let us know by sending an email to [email protected] describing your recent achievement and maybe you can be the Watchdog of the Week.
