Today, Australia’s 39 universities endorsed a dangerous and politicised definition of antisemitism which threatens academic freedom, will have a chilling effect on legitimate criticism of Israel, and risks institutionalising anti-Palestinian racism. They did so without meaningful consultation with Palestinian groups or diverse Jewish groups who are critical of Israel.
The Jewish Council of Australia strongly opposes the antisemitism definition developed by the Group of Eight (Go8) universities and adopted by Universities Australia. By categorising Palestinian political expression as inherently antisemitic, it will be unworkable and unenforceable, and stifle critical political debate, which is at the heart of any democratic society.
For white nationalists, pitting Jews and Arabs against each other is a wet dream. For Christian fundamentalists, war in the Middle East is seen as a precursor to the End Times (you’d think it would have happened by now). Others are actual Jewish Zionists who are somehow comfortable with working with the previous two groups.