Difficult to overstate just how concerning the new Australian university definition of antisemitism is — making criticism of Israel quite likely to constitute misconduct under Australian university policies www.jewishcouncil.com.au/media/jewish... - ThreadSky

beneltham.bsky.social • 1 day ago

Difficult to overstate just how concerning the new Australian university definition of antisemitism is — making criticism of Israel quite likely to constitute misconduct under Australian university policies https://www.jewishcouncil.com.au/media/jewish-council-of-australia-slams-universities-adoption-of-dangerous-politicised-and-unworkable-antisemitism-definition

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vmcw.bsky.social•16 hours ago

The bias used to be hidden. A senior, gay, non-Jewish university professor I've known for 25 years has recently started putting pro-Netanyahu, pro-zionist, and pro-Trump posts on social media. The only clues beforehand were devotion to Murdoch media and fondness for the word 'woke'.

helodare.bsky.social•1 day ago

Was very disturbed by it - it basically gives no one any room to protest without consequence. What the eff is happening everywhere all at once?

samuelgresham12.bsky.social•18 hours ago

As a student at an Aussie university, this genuinely makes me scared to speak out on campus now. I fear that expressing my ethical and political views (which promote unity, and reject apartheid and genocide) will have me “investigated” and cost me my career.

Welcome to the new Australia, I guess.

rowdyandted.bsky.social•17 hours ago

Students at my university (I’m doing a Grad Dip) were arrested last year during a sit in for Palestine. It was a peaceful demonstration which the university brought the police into and of course tensions mounted. The university has investment ties with Israel which students were protesting

beneltham.bsky.social•17 hours ago

We’ve seen students charged with student misconduct for putting up pro-Palestine stickers, so yeah, it’s real

thebigsouvlaki.bsky.social•1 day ago

First the Arts, now Academia is muzzled. Amazing the power one small section of our society can gather unto itself. Imagine if this much effort was used to Close The Gap.

ab-aus.bsky.social•1 day ago

Absolute madness

suecarlos.bsky.social•1 day ago

I've never seen such a broad definition of discrimination in any anti-discrimation legislation. The Jewish Council is right to call it out.

qbas81.bsky.social•1 day ago

Late Marek Edelman - Jew, one of the leaders of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising:

"Edelman was a lifelong anti-Zionist. In a 1985 interview, he said Zionism was a "lost cause" and questioned Israel's viability. He remained firmly Polish, refusing to emigrate to Israel."

mummacaz.bsky.social•16 hours ago

Another case of follow the money

skelliot.bsky.social•1 day ago

Mental. Equating peaceful Jews with a fascist regime serves only fascism. It undermines their safety entirely and emboldens extremists.

hounsell.bsky.social•1 day ago

'For most, but not all Jewish Australians, Zionism is a core part of their Jewish identity.' CITATION NEEDED. Where is the peer-reviewed paper? What are its definitions? What was its methodology? When? Sample size? How did it prevent bias? cc @jewishcouncilau.bsky.social https://bond.edu.au/sites/default/files/2025-02/UA%20draft%20working%20definition%20on%20combatting%20antisemitism.pdf

serehfas.bsky.social•15 hours ago

And, "Bond university"? I don't consider private businesses to be true universities.

boatie.bsky.social•1 day ago

This sort of bullshit drives actual bigotry against Jewish people, a good deal of whom are critical of Israel and Zionism.

boatie.bsky.social•1 day ago

I can’t understand the muted response. Where are the free speech warriors?

drcollette.bsky.social•1 day ago

The NTEU statement as reported on the ABC was extremely disappointing, but to be expected given that so far I've not seen an official union response to Creative Australia's decision on the Venice Biennale.
Academic Freedom and Artistic Freedom are allies.

ccturner.bsky.social•1 day ago

How is this expected to be reconciled with the principle of academic freedom? Especially being able to engage in critical inquiry & public discourse without fear/favour? And how does one sect of a faith get to dictate the entire faith’s representation?

serehfas.bsky.social•15 hours ago

It reconciles as "you take Govt money, you do what Govt says" in true fascist style.

seb-gardener.bsky.social•16 hours ago

Everyone needs to actively push back. Every student needs to stage protests, every donor needs to withdraw funding

sistacatruthpurry.bsky.social•15 hours ago

The fact alone that it only includes Jews and not other denominations makes it discriminatory, surely?
Is this where we're at? Truly frightening time in history.

flicksfan.bsky.social•1 day ago

But I see 'Zionism' used often as a quasi swear word from people who seem uneducated in its history, and its reasons for creation in the days of pogroms, and reflecting centuries of prejudice before that. It may well have lost its way, or been exploited, or needs a huge overhaul to salvage something

walthawtin.bsky.social•17 hours ago

Israel is currently bombing Damascus. I think the current definition of Zionism is pretty accurate, and the bid I agree with you is that the definition does change.

schetz1.bsky.social•17 hours ago

This could make teaching International Law very challenging….

charmainett.bsky.social•1 day ago

When will people on this platform be told to nice about Israel's genocide.

charmainett.bsky.social•1 day ago

This should go to the AHRC, it's not ok to be silenced by a small group of people who get upset when others are offended by genocide.

walthawtin.bsky.social•17 hours ago

Money talks, and the Zionist lobby in Australia has an awful lot of it.

charmainett.bsky.social•16 hours ago

I think that's the only conclusion that can be drawn. Imagine the outcry if the Muslim community had that much money and influence.

walthawtin.bsky.social•13 hours ago

Exactly.

beneltham.bsky.social•1 day ago

If you think this sounds far-fetched, we currently have a number of Australian academics under formal investigation by their home universities for *speaking at an anti-racism conference*

drjoemcintyre.bsky.social•1 day ago

I started an article a few years back on contemporary academic freedom in light of the high court decision in Ridd v JCU but never finished it. Unfortunately feels like it's maybe time to return to it

beneltham.bsky.social•1 day ago

I think so

drjoemcintyre.bsky.social•1 day ago

Damn.

Just another one to add to the list.

schmootles.bsky.social•1 day ago

Holy Shnikes.

fluidsguru.bsky.social•1 day ago

Is that the comedy event at Queensland Uni?

kayawanu.bsky.social•16 hours ago

No it was an anti racism symposium organised by Indigenous academics.

joeinaustralia.bsky.social•10 hours ago

Is this the one with the ironic antisemitism slide?

crankyaussie.bsky.social•15 hours ago

And all under a Labor government.

But don't waste your vote on the Greens and independents folks, Dutton might get in and things will be so much worse. 🙄

elprezau.bsky.social•13 hours ago

They say with a straight face and a mindblowing ignorance of how Preferential Voting works. 🤦‍♂️

75andrunningstrong.bsky.social•1 day ago

Zion controls Australia

onimod53.bsky.social•1 day ago

Telling people what they can think and say always works as intended.../s

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