Professor Philip Morris apologises after Israeli trauma expert Dr Moshe Farchi is banned over threats

Dr Moshe Farchi had already flown to Australia from the Middle East for a mental health event when his invitation was cancelled by organisers who buckled to the pro-Palestine lobby.

Dr Moshe Farchi, Head of Social Work Department in Tel-Hai, Israel. Picture: Supplied

A mental health expert has apologised for his industry’s banning of an Israeli trauma expert because of a virulent campaign waged by the pro-Palestine lobby.

Professor Philip Morris has issued a grovelling apology to Dr Moshe Farchi and the Israeli community after the Australian and New Zealand Mental Health Association blocked his appearance at a Queensland conference this month.

The decision attracted wide criticism in Israel after the ANZMHA buckled to a campaign by pro-Palestinian activists.

Dr Farchi had already flown to Australia from the Middle East but his invitation was cancelled by event organisers.

The decision was reported in Israel as being the latest in a long line of attacks on Israeli people in the context of Gaza-linked campaigning.

Professor Morris, the ANZMHA executive director, apologised in an online address, declaring it had been a mistake to capitulate to the anti-Israel lobby.

“We made a big mistake. And it was not done with any malice. It was not done to disrespect him or the Jewish community in Australia or overseas,’’ he told the Zionist Federation of Australia.

“It was a decision made by people who felt that this was the right thing to do when they’d been basically given a whole lot of attacking material from people who are very pro the Palestine cause and were trying to, in a sense, make the conference a very difficult place for anybody to come to unless (he) had not been uninvited.

“Now, a mistake was made. We apologise for that. And I personally apologise to (him) for what happened.

“And I apologise to the Jewish community in Australia and overseas because it’s caused great hurt.”

The petition sent to the Australia and New Zealand Mental Health Association demanding to boycott Dr Moshe Farchi. Picture: Supplied

Haaretz, a leading Israel publication, described Dr Farchi as a specialist in trauma and emergency mental health.

It said he leads the social work department at Israel’s Tel-Hai Academic College and was a lieutenant colonel in the Home Front Command of the Israel Defence Forces, “where he is responsible for planning and implementing an esteemed psychological first aid model”.

When Dr Farchi was banned, Zionist Federation of Australia president Jeremy Leibler blasted the decision, declaring it was because of threats by a “bigoted few”.

ZFA chief executive Alon Cassuto welcomed the ANZMHA’s backdown.

“We welcome Professor Morris’s unequivocal apology. It is deeply worrying that the threat of violence would see any organisation give in to demands and cancel an expert professional and public intellectual of the calibre of Dr Farchi based on their identity and nationality,’’ he said.

“By setting the record straight, making clear the ANZMHA would reimburse Dr Farchi and, more importantly, announcing Dr Farchi would be invited to address ANZMHA members in the future, Professor Morris has made clear not just his remorse, but a genuine desire to stop this incident from becoming a dangerous precedent that undermines Australian multicultural society.”

The anti-Israel lobby has overtly targeted Jewish interests in Australia, especially high-profile members of the community.