Flap over bridge collapse enters mainstream papers

SYDNEY, Australia, Jan. 14 (JTA) — The deputy district attorney of Tel Aviv has jumped into the fray surrounding the bridge collapse at last summer’s Maccabiah Games. Janet Dodge attacked an editorial recently published in a major Australian newspaper as “factually inaccurate and misinformed.” The editorial had criticized the Israeli legal process at it had dealt with the matter. Last month, five Israelis were been charged with negligent homicide in connection with the July tragedy at the Games’ opening ceremonies, which resulted in the deaths of four Australian athletes and injured dozens of others. The indictments came after the relatives of the athletes who died or were injured in the tragedy spent months demanding that those responsible be brought to justice. Dodge wrote that the editorial’s criticism of the Israeli legal process was misguided and seemed to be based on the differing requirements that Australia and Israeli law have for issuing indictments. In a related matter, the annual conference of Maccabi Australia has given its executive the power to withdraw its affiliation from the Maccabi World Union at any time. But debate at the conference revealed that any moves to withdraw from the international sports body would face opposition. Later this month, an Israeli delegation from the World Union is slated to visit Australia.