Australia: Jewish Body Says Campus Protests No Threat to Jews
The statement, released on Sunday, highlights the establishment of encampments at Australian universities last week, mirroring similar solidarity camps across the US and other countries.
The council’s statement emphasizes that "Like their peers, Australian students are calling on their institutions to end relationships with weapons companies that are enabling Israeli war crimes, and urging our government to sanction Israel and cut military ties."
"The Jewish Council of Australia strongly rejects the claims that these protests are a threat to Jewish students and staff," it added.
It further criticizes attempts to suppress or censor these protests by falsely labeling them as antisemitic. "Attempting to silence or censor these protests by deceitfully accusing them of antisemitism is a dangerous overreach that, if acted upon, risks stifling free speech on campuses."
Read More:
Elizabeth Strakosch, the Executive Director of the Jewish Council of Australia, underscored the importance of the right to peaceful protest as a cornerstone of democratic freedom.
"We should be proud of all of the students, many of whom are Jewish, who are speaking out against this unfolding genocide," said Strakosch.
"The student protests against the unfolding genocide in Gaza are legitimate expressions of political speech and human rights advocacy," she added.
Inspired by their peers at Columbia University, students worldwide have staged sit-ins on their campuses to protest against financial investments in companies that support the Israeli war on Gaza. Demonstrations have been organized at universities in several countries, including the US, Australia, France, and UK, in a show of solidarity with Palestine.
Read More:
The Israeli regime is waging a brutal war on the besieged Gaza Strip since October 7 when Palestinian groups launched a surprise operation against occupied territories in response to decades of oppression and Israeli crimes. Israeli media say the attack killed some 1,200 Israeli settlers and soldiers.
The Israeli aggression has killed more than 34,400 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured more than 77,500 others. The attacks have caused mass destruction in the besieged strip, internally displacing almost of all of the 2.3 million population.
The Israeli regime is currently facing charges of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered the regime to cease genocidal acts and ensure the provision of humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza.
Source: Agencies
