October 7 attack ‘legitimate’: Islamic Council rep

A spokesman for a leading Islamic group in Victoria has described Hamas’ attack on Israel in October as legitimate resistance, as he called on the premier to cancel an annual Iftar dinner.

Adel Salman made the comments on ABC Radio National as he explained why representatives from the Islamic Council of Victoria will not attend the upcoming Ramadan celebration.

“We denounce any violence and killing of civilians but what we don’t denounce very clearly is legitimate acts of resistance,” Mr Salman told the broadcaster on Wednesday morning.

“For the Palestinians to rise up on October 7th and say we’re no longer going to tolerate this siege, this occupation, that’s legitimate.

“If they’ve done things that is against international law then they should be held to account for that.”

Hamas, designated a terrorist organisation by Australia, launched an attack in Israel on October 7 in which 1200 people were killed and hundreds taken hostage, according to Tel Aviv.

Almost 30,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel’s subsequent invasion of Gaza, according to the local health ministry.

Later on ABC Melbourne, Mr Salman said the community was in no mood for a celebratory event and raised concerns over Labor’s position on the Gaza conflict.

“Clearly, the Muslim community feels the federal government should have done a lot more and should be doing a lot more to prevent this unfolding genocide,” Mr Salman told ABC Radio Melbourne.

He acknowledged Premier Jacinta Allan does not have a say in Australia’s foreign policy, but called for a greater show of solidarity in public.

“She has expressed solidarity with the Jewish community and expressed a lot of concern for the Jewish community which is appropriate,” Mr Salman said.

“What we’re asking for is for her to show that level of concern for our community in very unequivocal strong terms.”

He also called for the state government to cancel a memorandum of understanding signed with the Israeli ministry’s international defence cooperation directorate in December 2022.

An open letter calling on Victoria’s Muslim community to boycott the dinner has more than 100 endorsements including signatories from several mosques, council-based Palestine action groups and other associations.

The Victorian government has hosted an Iftar dinner since 2015 and it will go ahead this year but will not be as big as celebrations in the past.

“Premier’s Iftar dinners are an important tradition in Victoria,” a spokesperson said.

“We’re working closely with leaders of Victoria’s Islamic community to ensure that everybody’s voices are heard, recognising that this year’s event will be a more solemn and respectful occasion.”

The spokesperson said the premier supported Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in calling for a humanitarian ceasefire, adding the government understood the heartbreak Palestinian and Muslim Victorians felt as the Gaza conflict continued.

The Guardian reports representatives of the Australian National Imams Council, which endorsed the open letter, will not attend an Iftar dinner hosted by NSW Premier Chris Minns.

The NSW dinner will still go ahead, a spokeswoman for Mr Minns told AAP.

President of Zionism Victoria Yossi Goldfarb has issued the following response to Adel Salman’s remarks: “If Mr Salman thinks that wholesale slaughter, mass-rape and the kidnapping and butchering of innocent people in front of their families is legitimate then he is a menace and a clear and present danger to Australia’s multicultural society.

The only aspect of his comments that could be described as legitimate is the inherent antisemitism that drips from every word.

Unfortunately, Mr Salman has form. After police clearly stated that last November’s Burgertory fire in Caulfield was not racially motivated, the Islamic Council of Victoria perpetrated a blood libel against the Jewish and Zionist communities by insisting the attack was racially motivated. Notwithstanding the recent arrests of the alleged perpetrators and more clarity around the circumstances, no retraction or apology has been issued.

Mr Salman’s comments will only incite more antisemitism and even more attacks on Jews. The Islamic community, and indeed the broader Victorian community deserve better leaders. It is inconceivable to think that government leaders engage with this man at all. The government certainly dodged a bullet when he decided to withdraw from the Premier’s Iftar event.”

A spokesperson for The Jewish Community Council of Victoria said: “The Jewish Community Council of Victoria is alarmed by the ongoing rhetoric of Islamic leadership in Victoria and calls on the Victorian Government to step in to calm tensions.

“This morning, Islamic Council of Victoria president Adel Salman told ABC radio that Hamas’ massacre of 1200 Israelis, including children and babies, was justified, saying “if there were crimes committed by the October 7 attackers”, they should be investigated. He added: “I am not going to condemn the Palestinians for resisting.”

This also follows a direction from the Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Ingrid Stitt, to ICV Vice-President Mohamed Mohideen, a Government-appointed commissioner of the Victorian Multicultural Commission, to remove divisive and harassing content from his social media page.

Standing up against terrorism, such as that which took place on October 7 in Israel, is an Australian value. Australians do not condone terrorism.

Victorians expect a lot more from its community leaders, they cannot support terrorism. Victorians also expect that government-appointed leaders will not harass young Victorians online.”

The Government needs to step in, reconsider funding to the ICV if the organisation does not distance itself from Mr Salman’s views. The Victorian Government must urge the ICV to refocus its attention on mending relationships in Victoria rather than tearing at the multicultural fabric of our society.”

The Australian National Imams Council has been contacted for comment.

AAP/J-Wire