Jewish bodies lash ANU decision to reconsider anti-Semitism definition
Peak Jewish bodies are questioning why the Australian National University appears to be walking away from a definition of anti-Semitism it had a hand in creating.
Australia’s peak Zionist body has penned a letter to the Australian National University demanding clarity over its decision to backtrack on an anti-Semitism definition it drafted alongside Australia’s largest tertiary institutions.
Zionist Federation of Australia President Jeremy Leibler sought answers from ANU’s Chancellor Julie Bishop, after Jewish students claimed the university was dragging its feet on implementing measures to combat campus anti-Semitism.
The Jewish community leader alongside ZFA chief executive Alan Cassuto expressed “deep concern and disappointment” that the university had not committed to either the IHRA anti-Semitism definition – considered to be the gold-standard – or the Group of 8 definition endorsed by 39 Australian universities in February.
“We are concerned that ANU’s anti-Semitism definition is “on hold” for the foreseeable future,” Mr Leibler said.
“As you know anti-Semitism on campuses nationwide has worsened significantly since the Hamas invasion of Israel on 7 October 2023 … ANU has witnessed some of the most egregious examples of this troubling behaviour.”
The letter follows a meeting on Friday last week where the Chair of ANU’s academic board Tony Connolly, told a group of Jewish students that the university would not be adopting the definition, instead committing to a “general anti-racism policy”.
It is unclear whether this policy, which is set to be released by the end of the academic year, will include specific reference to anti-Semitism.
“ANU’s current stance relating to the Go8 definition appears inconsistent with earlier commitments,” Mr Leibler wrote.
He went on to reference a submission by ANU during the Human Right’s inquiry into campus anti-Semitism which stated the university was “considering how the Go8 working definition may be appropriately used at the University”.
An ANU spokesman said the University had not rejected the definition but “were continuing to work with our community to determine the best approach”.
Julie Bishop has come under fire from Jewish community leaders, staff and students who claim the Chancellor has been missing in action during the anti-Semitism crisis unfolding under her watch at ANU.
In response to a letter written by the ZFA last year, urging Ms Bishop to take a more active role in denouncing anti-Semitism on campus, the former Liberal Party Deputy Leader backed her Vice-Chancellor’s “careful, considered and equitable approach to and management of this issue”.
Her support came despite a string of anti-Semitic incidents which the ZFA say have been met with “little or no discipline”.
Last year a student had their expulsion overturned by the university after claiming on ABC radio that “Hamas deserves our unconditional support”, while claims students performed Nazi salutes during a student council Zoom meeting were dismissed by senior ANU staff.
Earlier this year, the University hosted the former Secretary of PM&C John Menadue at a Palestine Action Group event, where he claimed giving equal weighting to Israeli concerns was “like reporting on the bubonic plague and giving equal treatment to the rats”.
The Australian National University had not responded to additional questions at the time of publication.
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