The Australasian Union of Jewish Students (AUJS), which promotes itself as “the peak representative body for Jewish students across Australia and New Zealand”, on 25 July sent a letter of concern to university bodies about “heightened tension” on campuses in light of the situation in Gaza.
The letter was penned after two recent student council motions – moved by Jewish students – condemned Israel. “Anti-Israel motions … make Jewish students feel alienated, uncomfortable and threatened”, wrote AUJS national chairperson Nikola Kobilski.
The AUJS letter prompted a response from anti-Zionist group Jews Against Israeli Apartheid, which we publish below.
----------
Dear Australasian Union of Jewish Students,
We are writing in response to your open letter “to University SRC’s Chancellors and Student Unions” warning against anti-Semitic activity on universities. Your letter, which we never received, comes as you say in the wake of two “Anti-Israel motions” adopted by two universities.
As Jewish people who moved the motions at Victorian College of the Arts and Monash, we are disgusted at your allegations that our actions lead to anti-Semitism. Our actions are a humanitarian response to the injustice caused by Israel, whose latest military campaign in Gaza has now claimed the lives of 1,432 people, of whom 85 percent are civilian (1,219), including 345 children and has injured 6,511 people. Israel has now killed more people in this operation than it did in Operation Cast Lead in 2008/09.
We are glad that you now supposedly “appreciate the difference between anti-Israel political activity and anti-Semitism”. Perhaps you could demonstrate that difference by not presenting yourselves as uncritical cheerleaders for Israel?
It distresses us that despite your claims that our approach is “one sided”, you continue to put out material on campus justifying the actions of the apartheid state of Israel. Maybe you could show us the pro-Palestinian resistance material you put out to present the other side if you are so even handed?
Our position is of course to stand whole heartedly with the Palestinian people against Israel. Israel is a colonial settler state which maintains a siege on Gaza. Israel continues to occupy the West Bank and is colonising it with illegal Jewish-only settlements. Israel has more than 50 laws which actively discriminate] against Palestinian residents and citizens of Israel and continues to refuse the right of Palestinian refugees to return to their land now occupied by the state of Israel.
You complain that people are yelling “racist” at you because you are identified as Jewish. We want to suggest that maybe people are yelling out “racist” at you, because that is what you really are.
Jews Against Israeli Apartheid speakers are cheered loudly at Palestine rallies and are made to feel welcome amongst a broad cross section of the community. In fact the only racism of any note our members have reported is from Zionists who attack our Jewish identity through terms like “self-hating Jew”, as though our Jewish identity is dependent on your racist ideology.
Some of our members have even worked in the occupied Palestinian territories for organisations in solidarity with the Palestinians. They have been welcomed in Palestine with open arms. As Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal said earlier this week: “We do not actually fight the Jews because they are Jews, per se. We do not fight any other races. We fight the occupiers.”
When will AUJS stop supporting Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine? If you are serious about stoping anti-Semitism, we would suggest the starting point is to rename your organisation the Australasian Union of Zionist Students, and stop trying to masquerade your racism as representing Jews as a whole.
Yours sincerely,
James Crafti
Victorian College of the Arts campus coordinator, on behalf of Jews Against Israeli Apartheid.
