US academic subject to visa review says asking people to condemn Hamas is a ‘bullying’ question
The US academic whose visa is under review for telling a pro-Palestine rally October 7 was cause for “celebration” has previously argued asking a person to condemn Hamas is “bullying”.
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A US academic who told a Western Sydney pro-Palestine rally October 7 was a cause for “celebration” has previously argued asking a person to condemn Hamas was a “bullying” question lacking nuance and context.
The Coalition has seized on the remarks of Khaled Beydoun, who’s current visa to visit Australia is under review by Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke following his October 7 comments, questioning why the prominent speaker was granted entry to the country in the first place.
In a blog post from December last year, Mr Beydoun criticised controversial UK presenter Piers Morgan for “bullying” his Muslim guests into giving a definitive answer when asked if they condemn listed terror organisation Hamas.
“Morgan asks this question over and over again,” Mr Beydoun said.
“Bullying his Arab and Muslim guests into a corner, until he receives a “yes” or “no” response to a question that deserves nuance, context, and care.”
Mr Beydoun said the objective of this questioning was “clear”.
“Entrap Arab and Muslim guests into a corner whereby they must choose between explicitly supporting a legally proscribed terrorist organisation in the United States and the United Kingdom, where Uncensored is filmed,” he said.
“Or condemn a group conflated wholly with the Palestinian people of Gaza, the Islamophobic terms of the debate Morgan perpetuates by fetishising over a question underscored by bigotry and the categorical eschewing of context.”
Coalition immigration spokesman Dan Tehan said there were questions to be asked about Mr Beydoun’s suitability for being granted a visa to visit Australia.
“Anthony Albanese now needs to answer the question: does support for Hamas pass the character test?” he said.
At a rally at Lakemba Mosque on Monday, Mr Beydoun, who is an Associate Professor at Arizona State University, addressed the crowd and said October 7 was in some ways a day of “celebration” and “growth” for Palestinian people.
“Today is not a day that is full of mourning, today is a day that marks celebration,” he said.
Mr Burke last night declaring he would review the academic’s visa. He said as soon as he heard about the comments on Monday he asked his department to conduct a visa check.
“At 8.30pm they confirmed this man is travelling on a visa,” he said.
“I immediately asked them to prepare a brief so I can consider his visa status.”
Coalition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham said Mr Beydoun’s comments were “truly sickening’’.
“These remarks attribute reward and happiness as coming from terrorism and horror, and in doing so risk inspiring further acts of horror,” he said.
“The Albanese government should move quickly to review his visa.
“Such remarks bring shame to not only the speaker but upon all who applauded or celebrated with him.”
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Originally published as US academic subject to visa review says asking people to condemn Hamas is a ‘bullying’ question
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