This open letter is for human rights/not-for-profit organisations and grassroots activist groups only. If you are not signing on behalf of a registered organisation or grassroots activist group then we instead ask you to sign our digital action calling on the Australian Government to reject the Special Envoy’s Antisemitism recommendations – https://apan.good.do/rejectthe/
We the undersigned are devastated and heartbroken by the antisemitic attack directed at a Jewish community gathering celebrating Chanukah at Bondi Beach. In this moment of shock and mourning, it is essential that political and community leaders resist the urge to rush to instrumentalise this horror, and instead allow space for the facts to emerge, for survivors and families to grieve, and for the dead to be honoured. We are deeply concerned by how the media, Zionist and pro-Israel advocates, as well as some of our elected leaders, are using the horror of this tragedy to advocate for the adoption of the egregious report by the Antisemitism Envoy, Jillian Segal.
Over the past two years we have witnessed increased racism, which has been experienced by First Nations, Jewish, Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim communities as well as refugee and migrant communities. This has been fueled by a media and political class who have played a role in further entrenching the systemic racism of this country, including through the Australian Government’s ongoing complicity in Israel’s genocide in Gaza.
We are outraged by attempts by our Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the Antisemitism Envoy, Jillian Segal, and others, who seek to lay the blame for this horror on those protesting Israel’s genocide. This approach misdirects grief, fuels division, and undermines the urgent need for unity and a clear rejection of all forms of racism, including antisemitism. The recommendations of the Envoy’s report on antisemitism would enshrine the highly politicised and discredited IHRA definition of antisemitism – which conflates criticism of the Israeli state and Zionism with antisemitism. It would also advance the expanded infrastructure of ideological surveillance and the policing of individuals, organisations, charities, arts and cultural institutions, media outlets, universities and schools.
Such measures would do everything to divide our communities when this moment demands unity. This is not a time for cowardice – it is a pivotal moment for moral clarity and principled action.
We therefore call on the Australian government to:
- Commit to an evidence-based, holistic anti-racism approach promoted by the Australian Human Rights Commission’s National Anti-Racism Framework, which recognises and seeks to address the colonial underpinnings of systemic racism, as well as the full spectrum of realities, manifestations and impacts of racism in this country.
- Not adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism, which has been deliberately used to conflate antisemitism with criticism of the State of Israel, and to encourage all institutions to not adopt any definition of antisemitism, including the IHRA, Jerusalem Declaration, and Universities Australia definitions.
- Examination of Australia’s gun laws should include the government’s investments in weapons manufacturing and urgently closing the weakest links in said laws by setting national minimum firearms licensing and vetting standards; reducing the number of guns; the types of weapons available; and removing licences where there is a probable risk of violence.
This is a joint open letter by Australia Palestine Advocacy Network, Loud Jew Collective, Democracy in Colour and the Jewish Council of Australia. For any questions, email contact@apan.org.au.
Once you have signed, your organisation’s name will be displayed in a list of supporting organisations. All other information will be kept confidential.
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