Jewish leaders have urged the Allan government to reconsider funding the Islamic Council of Victoria, after the organisation’s president described the October 7 attacks on Israel as constituting “legitimate acts of resistance”.
The call from the Jewish Community Council of Victoria comes days after the state’s Multicultural Affairs Minister, Ingrid Stitt, addressed the ICV’s Open Mosque Day alongside controversial figures including ICV president Adel Salman, Australia Palestine Advocacy Network president Nasser Mashni and Australian National Imams Council head Shady Alsuleiman.
In an interview on ABC Radio National Breakfast on Wednesday, Mr Salman said it was “absolutely legitimate for the Palestinians to try to break the siege of Gaza”, in response to a question about whether he denounced the October 7 attacks that resulted in the massacre of 1200 people, with 253 taken hostage, 134 of whom remain in captivity.
“I’m not going to condemn the Palestinians for resisting. I’m not going to condemn Palestinians for trying to break the siege on their territory,” Mr Salman said.
Host Patricia Karvelas sought to clarify his answer, asking: “Sorry, I just want to be clear, October 7 – you’re saying you won’t denounce that?”
“We denounce any violence and killing of civilians. What we don’t denounce very clearly is legitimate acts of resistance,” Mr Salman answered.
“And for the Palestinians to rise up on October 7 and say we’re no longer going to tolerate this siege, this occupation, that’s legitimate.”
Mr Salman also appeared to dispute the number of civilian casualties resulting from October 7, saying: “There are some people actually contesting exactly how many were killed and how they were killed. But in any case, clearly civilians were killed.”
Asked by The Australian on Wednesday afternoon whether he stood by his previous comments, and what part of October 7 he regarded as “legitimate”, given his claim to denounce “any violence and killing of civilians”, Mr Salman issued a statement on behalf of himself and the ICV.
“Let me be clear. I/we absolutely condemn the killing of innocent civilians on October 7. Just as we condemn the killing of innocent civilians by Israeli forces before and after October 7,” he said.
“My comments about legitimate resistance are in reference to the right of Palestinians, like all peoples, to resist their occupation, and must not be read as legitimating the killing of innocent civilians.
“October 7 did not happen out of nowhere. Israel has regularly bombed Gaza, killing civilians and destroying homes for many years. Israel has imposed a siege on Gaza ever since its forces left Gaza 16 years ago, controlling what and who comes in and out. According to international law, this means that Israel’s occupation of Gaza continues.”
The Jewish Community Council of Victoria said it was “alarmed by the ongoing rhetoric” of Islamic leaders in the state, calling on the government to “step in to calm tensions.”
It cited Mr Salman’s comments, as well as a direction earlier this year from Ms Stitt to ICV vice-president Mohamed Mohideen, who is also a government-appointed commissioner of the Victorian Multicultural Commission, to remove divisive and harassing content related to the Israel-Palestine conflict 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,” a JCCV spokeswoman said.
“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 (and) 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 understands multiple Jewish groups have reported Mr Salman’s comments to the national security hotline, arguing they constitute support for terrorism.
On Sunday, Ms Stitt was photographed alongside Mr Salman at the ICV’s annual Mosque Open Day, which receives funding from the state government.
In a post on its Facebook page, the ICV said Ms Stitt “spoke of the work done by the ICV and acknowledged the government recognition of the pain the Muslim and Palestinian community in Victoria are going through with the situation in Gaza”.
“She lauded the community that even in these trying times they have showed their generosity and opened their mosques to Victorians,” the organisation said.
Other speakers included Mr Mashni, a property developer and Greens donor who has praised as a hero a terrorist who plotted suicide bombings in Israel, and complained not all of Hamas should be designated a terrorist organisation. The APAN president has also “liked” statements on social media that justified the October 7 attacks.
Another speaker was Sheik Shady Alsuleiman, who was the subject of controversy during the 2016 federal election when then prime minister Malcolm Turnbull said he would not have invited him to an Iftar dinner at Kirribilli House had he been aware of his views on homosexuality.
In a 2013 video, Sheik Alsuleiman stated that the “evil actions” of homosexuality bring “evil outcomes to our society”, such as “spreading diseases” – making reference to HIV.
He has also preached that men have the right to demand sex from their wives and to control them when they leave the house.
Greens leader Adam Bandt also spoke at the event, as did Victorian Multicultural Commissioner Vivienne Nguyen, who posed for a photograph in December alongside Mr Salman at a pro-Palestine protest on the steps of parliament which was dubbed a “sitintifada” by organisers.
Mr Mohideen gave the vote of thanks.
Zionism Victoria president Yossi Goldfarb said the only aspect of Mr Salman’s comments that could be described as “legitimate” was the “inherent anti-Semitism 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,” Mr Goldfarb said.
“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 anti-Semitism 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.”
Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council executive director Colin Rubenstein said it was “outrageous and indefensible for anyone to defend and legitimise what Hamas did on October 7, even if they attempt to give themselves a figleaf of respectability by saying they denounce “any killing of civilians”.
“For a leader of a major communal body to (make these statements) is a major blow to Australian multiculturalism, which requires adherence to certain core national values, particularly mutual respect and tolerance,” Dr Rubenstein said.
“AIJAC calls on all responsible political and communal leaders to unequivocally denounce Mr Salman’s comments and declare as beyond the pale anyone who offers effective support for the barbaric terrorist actions of Hamas, which is, after all, a listed terrorist organisation in Australia.”
The Allan government did not respond to a request for comment by deadline.
