Victorian multicultural commission says Mohamed Mohideen’s social media activity was being reviewed

The Allan government is being urged to strip the president of Victoria’s peak Islamic body of his taxpayer-funded role over a series of social media posts, including one that compared Israel’s bombardment of Gaza to the Holocaust.

A Victorian multicultural commissioner who receives a taxpayer funded salary to foster social cohesion is being investigated for a second time over “divisive” and “grossly offensive” online posts against Jews.

Mohamed Mohideen, who was also recently promoted to president of Victoria’s peak Islamic body, is again being probed over anti-Israel social media posts after he appeared to call for the Jewish homeland to be wiped off the map and compared Israel’s bombardment of Gaza to the Holocaust.

Mr Mohideen also shared a video with devil horns superimposed over the face of prominent pro-Israel advocate, Jewish Professor Alan Dershowitz on October 7 this year – the first anniversary of Hamas’ terror attack.

Portraying Jews with horns is considered an anti-Semitic trope.

Mohamed Mohideen’s posts are being investigated. Picture: Getty

Jewish leaders are now calling the Allan government to strip Mr Mohideen of his role at the Victorian Multicultural Commission (VMC).

Zionism Victoria president Elyse Schachna said individuals who are appointed to roles in the multicultural space should “show a willingness to unite the community, not divide it”.

“For months Mohamed Mohideen has been posting divisive social media content, grossly offensive to the Jewish community and clearly at odds with the values of multiculturalism,” she said.

Premier Jacinta Allan on Tuesday said while she had not seen the posts “anyone who posts anti-Semitic, vile content does need to be dealt with”.

As revealed in the Sunday Herald Sun, Mr Mohideen also re-shared a LinkedIn post accusing Jews of setting up “terrorism cells” overseas just days before the Adass Israel synagogue in Ripponlea was firebombed.

The VMC said Commissioner Mohideen’s social media activity was “currently being reviewed”.

Mr Mohideen re-shared a LinkedIn post accusing Jews of setting up ‘terrorism cells’. Picture: AAP

It comes less than a year after Mr Mohideen was investigated by the VMC for posts calling for Australia to “disown” Australian IDF fighter Alec Sachs and accusing Israel of “genocide, ethnic cleansing and mass murder” in Gaza. The troubling posts sparked fierce backlash among Jewish leaders at the time, with the Islamic leader accused of publishing “extremist propaganda” and “stoking the flames of anti-Semitism”. But the commission eventually allowed Mr Mohideen to remain in his taxpayer-funded role.

VMC chair Vivienne Nguyen at the time praised Mr Mohideen’s “continued commitment to interfaith dialogue, and his work through the VMC to build relationships and promote understanding and cohesion”.

Jewish Community Council of Victoria chief executive Naomi Levin said Mr Mohideen was failing to do his job as she called out the VMC for failing to implement policies outlining appropriate conduct for government-appointed commissioners.

“Ten months on, Commissioner Mohideen continues to post highly inflammatory and divisive content on social media and there has been no update provided by the VMC on policies for commissioners,” she said.

“For over a year now, he has failed in his responsibilities as a Victorian Multicultural Commissioner to promote and foster respect for all Victorians.”

Mr Mohideen was contacted for comment.