Pro-Palestine activists take aim at Jewish MP, major parties at rally

A pro-Palestinian rally was held in western Sydney on Sunday, with some speakers likening federal politicians to “Jewish Zionists” while speaking of a “Holocaust industry” and referring to Australia as a “colony”.

People at the Teachers & School Staff for Palestine rally at Paul Keating Park in Bankstown. Picture: NewsWire / Damian Shaw

A pro-Palestinian rally was held in western Sydney on Sunday, with some speakers likening federal politicians to “Jewish Zionists” while speaking of a “Holocaust industry” and referring to Australia as a “colony”.

About 250 people gathered at Paul Keating Park in Blacktown where the Teachers and School Staff for Palestine held an “anti-Palestinian racism” rally with 30 other community groups.

Cries of “shame” rang through the crowd as activists spoke against the major parties and

waved Palestinian flags, before the rally, attended by multiple families, marched through nearby streets chanting “Palestine will live forever”.

Palestine Justice Movement Sydney co-founder Ahmed Abadla targeted Jewish Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus in his speech, where he labelled the Labor politician a “Zionist”.

Mr Abdala said Mr Dreyfus and other politicians were trying to “capitalise on the Holocaust industry” to build support for Israel in Australia. Mr Dreyfus travelled to Israel in January where he spoke of the “strong friendship” between the country and Australia.

People at the Teachers & School Staff for Palestine rally at Paul Keating Park in Bankstown. Picture: NewsWire / Damian Shaw

The Labor MP, who is currently the most senior Jewish cabinet minister, has been outspoken about being the son and grandson of Holocaust survivors. He also recently published an opinion piece honouring his great-grandparents, who were killed during the Holocaust, after attending the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.

At the rally, other speakers made appeals to the crowd to abandon the major parties for the Greens and independent representatives, including the Muslim Vote, at the upcoming federal election.

People march in the streets of Bankstown at the Teachers & School Staff for Palestine rally at Paul Keating Park in Bankstown. Picture: NewsWire / Damian Shaw

Muslim Votes Matter founder Sheikh Wesam Charkawi addressed the rally only weeks after he was allowed to return to Granville Boys High School, where he works as an educator, following a dramatic student protest.

The imam, who has been a prominent figure in the local ‘Muslim Vote’ movement, was previously ordered to work from home by the Department of Education for making social media posts about the two Bankstown nurses who allegedly made threats against Jewish patients on a livestream earlier this year.

Sheikh Wesam was joined by Teachers and School Staff for Palestine member and rally organiser Mariam Tohamy, who spoke at length about how Labor and the Liberals’ stance on Israel had “propelled racism” following Hamas’ October 7 attack.

Mr Dreyfus declined to comment.