Randa Abdel-Fattah’s ‘intifada’ kids protest to be probed by Macquarie University

Controversial anti-Israel academic Randa Abdel-Fattah has come under increasing pressure in recent days as criticism mounted over her ‘kids excursion’ to the University of Sydney pro-Palestine protest.

Randa Abdel-Fattah’s ‘intifada’ kids excursion will be probed by Macquarie University.

Macquarie University will examine whether controversial anti-­Israel academic Randa Abdel-Fattah broke its code of conduct when an event she ran on another Sydney campus led to a chorus of young children chanting “intifada” and “Israel is a terrorist state”.

University of Sydney vice-chancellor Mark Scott has not commented directly on children chanting anti-Israel slogans on his grounds, but has said the protesters on his campus were “a million miles away” from anti-Israel activists pitching tents at American universities.

After Professor Scott’s declaration and the lack of a University of Sydney investigation into the children incident, philanthropist Barry Lambert – who has donated $33.7m to create a research initiative at the university – said he was disappointed in the university’s approach to the anti-Israel ­actions on campus.

But Dr Abdel-Fattah’s employers at Macquarie University say they are investigating her after she made headlines over the weekend for organising a “kids’ excursion” to the pro-Palestine encampment at the University of Sydney.

“Macquarie University is working to wholly understand the facts of the matter,” a university spokesperson told The Australian on Tuesday evening.

“If a breach of university policy or code of conduct has occurred, the university will act swiftly to address the matter, following ­established policies and procedures.”

This is a significant development compared to the university’s language on the matter from two days ago, when it told The Australian that it “has policies and procedures in place to balance lawful free speech and academic freedom with its commitment to providing a safe and welcoming environment for all”.

Dr Abdel-Fattah has come under increasing pressure since the Friday protest, which she organised with Families for Palestine, where children were filmed leading anti-Israel chants such as calling for an “intifada” and labelling Israel a “terrorist state”.

Dr Abdel-Fattah was standing beside them clapping, as was a crowd of children and parents.

An intifada is an uprising against oppression. In the context of the Palestine-Israel conflict, the term intifada often is used in relation to violent resistance on the part of Palestinians to Israel.

Separately, a major donor to the University of Sydney told The Australian he was “horrified” by the way major institutions like the University of Sydney have dealt with the Israel-Hamas war.

Barry Lambert, millionaire businessman, has previously donated $33.7m to establish the Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics at the sandstone university.

On Tuesday, he told The Australian that it was “unlikely” he would donate to the university in future unless it was “outcome ­focused … and not just subsidising the university’s payroll”.

“I am not Jewish but am horrified for the way most of our institutions from the federal government down have handled the voice, Australia Day and ­especially the Palestinian war on innocent Israelis via support of a recognised terrorist group,” he said.

“Universities worldwide almost universally promote woke, anti-Western civilisation views and actively discourage conservative views.

“Sydney University appears to be no different and sometimes leading these trends. I find that disappointing.”

Education Minister Jason Clare on Sunday did not explicitly condemn the protest but has since come out to say “it is never OK to fill kids’ minds with hate”.

“There is no place for hate in our universities or anywhere else and it’s never okay to involve kids in things like this,” he continued.

“There is no place in our country for anti-Semitism, Islamophobia or racism of any kind.”

Opposition education spokesperson Sarah Henderson lashed Mr Clare, saying he has shown “no interest in holding the university to account” for the protest and demanded the University of Sydney dismantle the pro-Palestine encampment protest on campus, citing the university’s freedom of expression policy.

“The University of Sydney has far-reaching policies to combat protest activity on campus which causes harm to others,” Senator Henderson said.

“There is no excuse for such a woefully inadequate response to the pro-Palestinian protests by the university’s leadership.”

Dr Abdel-Fattah had earlier defended her actions, saying the protest was intended to give children a “sense of agency”. “We gave children a space to participate in craft, ball games, face-painting and embroidery,” she said.