Young children chant anti-Israel slogans at Sydney university protest

A group of young children were heard chanting slogans calling for “intifada” at what organisers described as a “kids excursion” to the pro-Palestine encampment at the University of Sydney on Friday.

An Arabic term, intifada translates roughly to “uprising”.

Children led chants using megaphones.Credit: Twitter / X

The “Kids excursion to Sydney University Palestine solidarity encampment” event was hosted by a group called Families for Palestine, and featured a lesson taught by Macquarie University academic Randa Abdel-Fattah.

A video posted to X showed children alongside a number of adults chanting pro-Palestinian messages, with one small girl handed a megaphone to lead a call and response of: “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free”.

Children were also heard chanting “5,6,7,8, Israel is a terrorist state” and “Albanese, you can’t hide, you’re supporting genocide”.

The social media video also showed the children doing arts and crafts, painting the Palestinian flag on pieces of paper and on their hands and cheeks.

An Instagram post promoting the event read: “This school holidays, let’s inspire our children to stand up for justice and solidarity.”

Arts and crafts at the kids’ excursion.Credit: Twitter / X

“Let’s teach our kids the importance of speaking truth to power and standing up for what’s right,” the post continued.

Alex Ryvchin, co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australia Jewry, said the event was designed to “split our country apart” and “induct children into racial hatred and religious extremism”.

Dr Elizabeth Strakosch, co-Executive Officer of the Jewish Council of Australia told the Herald: “We should be proud of all of the students and children, many of whom are Jewish, who are speaking out against this unfolding genocide. We all seek to raise our children with a strong sense of values and what is right and wrong in the world.”

A statement from the organisers of the excursion, Families for Palestine, said the event was a “peaceful gathering of multi- and no-faith people to educate children about social justice and solidarity, especially amid the ongoing genocide in Gaza.”

“Children were encouraged to engage voluntarily with Palestinian issues, with chants and slogans led by both children and adults. No one chanted that Israel is ‘haram’; misreporting of this is dangerous, as it puts communities at risk of harassment, underscoring the significance of our educative work at Families for Palestine.

“We aim to raise socially conscious individuals empowered to advocate for justice, rejecting any suggestion of promoting violence or hatred.”