Jewish leader slams student union over pro-Palestine motion

A student union’s call for an end to the ‘occupation’ has sparked a strong reaction from a Melbourne Jewish leader.

Anti-Defamation Commission chair Dvir Abramovich. Picture: Tony Gough

A university union has passed a motion expressing “unwavering support” for Palestine and calling for an end to “occupation and apartheid” after the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel.

In a move that has stunned Melbourne Jewish leaders, the Victoria University branch of the National Tertiary Education Union informed members on Thursday that the motion had been passed. An email from the union revealed a “motion supporting Palestine passed” and called on members to join a pro-Pales­tine rally on the steps of the State Library on Sunday.

“The VU NTEU Branch expresses our unwavering solidarity with Palestine and calls for an immediate end to occupation and apartheid,” the email stated.

“We call on all VU NTEU members to join members of their union and community to show up in active solidarity with Palestinians at the Rally for Palestine.”

 Dvir Abramovich, chair of the Anti-Defamation Commission, condemned the motion. “Shame on you. This inexcusable, immoral and vile motion is beyond sick. We now know on whose side these NTEU branches are. Not a word of condemnation of the evil and monstrosities unleashed by Hamas on Israelis,” he said.

Dr Abramovich leads Australia’s leading civil rights organisation fighting anti-Semitism. His cousin, police inspector Chen Amir, was murdered in a terrorist attack in Tel Aviv in August.

“The NTEU in Victoria University ... have plunged a knife deep in the wounded and broken hearts of every Australian Jew who is mourning the dead and is shattered by depravity of Hamas terrorists,” he said.

“What kind of organisation responds to the execution of entire families, the beheading of babies, the raping of women and the mass murder of more than 1200 civilians with such a hateful and dehumanising statement?

“Clearly,  their care and concern stop when it comes to the lives of Israelis and Jews. Anyone who is Jewish or Israeli and is a member of these branches will not feel safe.

“My message to those who crafted and voted for this travesty is this: One does not have to have family in Israel or to be Jewish in order to be outraged by the un­imaginable cruelty and barbarism perpetrated by Hamas – you only need to have decency and ­humanity.

“I call on every member to cancel their membership and to write to the NTEU to voice its ­disgust.”

The NTEU failed to respond to multiple messages from The Weekend Australian relating to the motion.

Victoria University declined to comment on the motion, but issued this statement: “At Victoria University we stand with our students, colleagues and their extended family and friends who are being impacted by the conflict.

“We also have a number of support services to help them during this difficult time.”