More to say on the Melbourne University Students Union motion
The Jewish Community Council of Victoria condemns the antisemitic motion passed by the University of Melbourne Student Union which describes Israel as a “colonialist” and “racist”.
Daniel Aghion
JCCV’s President Daniel Aghion told J-Wire: “The United Nations long ago agreed that the equation of Zionism with racism, was itself antisemitic and should not be countenanced. It is a shame that students of a higher learning institution failed to educate themselves on the grotesque inaccuracies in the motion, and the structural racism inherent within it.
Aghion added: “We commend the bravery of AUJS and its members for battling against the motion and their success in generating a significant vote against the motion. We support them wholeheartedly in their fight to rescind and denounce this vile slur on the Jewish homeland.”
The JCCV noted the importance of the IHRA working definition of antisemitism. If the IHRA definition had been adopted by Melbourne University, it would have provided useful guidance as to why such a motion is antisemitic in its nature, and should not have even been put to the vote.
Dave Sharma, Liberal MP for Wentworth said: “Not only is this anti-Israel resolution factually false and offensive, it’s also completely out-of-step with how most Australians view the conflict. Student unions should be advancing peace and bringing people of different cultural backgrounds together, not singling out the world’s only Jewish state for demonisation, thereby making life on campus uncomfortable for Jewish students.
I can say with confidence, from my own lived experience, that Israel is a multi-religious, multicultural, democratic state that abides by the rule of law and where all citizens have the same voting rights. The recent Abraham Accords attests to the fact that forward-thinking countries in the Arab world are reaching out to form lasting ties with Israel. Perhaps the Melbourne University Student Union should learn something from these countries – the way forward is peace, not one-sided dogmatic resolutions.”
The Zionist voice of Progressive Judaism (ARZA) and the Union for Progressive Judaism also condemned “unequivocally the student union of Melbourne University for outrageously supporting the anti-Jewish and anti-Israel BDS movement and for demanding an academic boycott”.
In condemning Zionism, the student union stands against the proposition that the Jewish people are entitled to their right of self-determination in their ancestral homeland.
The student union asserts that every people on this planet, except Jews, are entitled to the right of self-determination.
Purporting to condemn Antisemitism, while engaging in Antisemitic canards, and lies of the worst order, the authors of this resolution damage the reputation enjoyed by this top Australian university. Accordingly, the Student Union should be held to account for the harm they have now caused.
Dr Philip Bliss, president of Progressive Judaism Victoria stated: “Progressive Judaism Victoria is shocked and horrified that the Students’ Union at Melbourne University voted recently to not only support the BDS movement against Israel and Israeli products but have also called for an academic boycott.
They falsely accused Israel of being a racist State and also labelled Israel an apartheid State. Included in their hate-filled resolutions is the equating of Zionism with fascism and racism.
The venom and hate that these resolutions create are not worthy of such a noble academic place of learning. By their sheer existence, most Jewish students at the University will be placed under extreme pressure to both deny any support for Israel and in fact, mask their own Jewish identity. This is where ‘free speech’ becomes divisive and dangerous.
The resolutions are full of perverted inaccuracies aimed to distort the truth and to create as much hate towards the University’s Jewish students.
We call on the Student’s Union to urgently reassess their ethical and moral guidelines and query whether creating hate and division is part of their raison d’etre.
If MUSU is genuine in their (to us) misguided beliefs, they need to remove their computers and mobile devices, all of which contain Israeli components. This worked to stop Marrickville Council’s BDS programme.
Shame on them! No excuses at such times of all the information we are constantly exposed to.