Withdraw ‘social cohesion’ funding from October 7 protest group, says Coalition

One of Australia’s most influential Muslim community groups, the Lebanese Muslim Association, was one of many organisations listed to hold a rally for Palestine and Lebanon alongside extremist organisation Hizb ut-Tahrir.

Sheik Ibrahim Dadoun. Picture: Jeremy Piper

An influential Muslim group that received a $1.65m “social cohesion” grant joined with fundamentalist Islamic organisation Hizb ut-Tahrir to host an “outrage” rally on the one-year anniversary of the October 7 terrorist attacks by Hamas.

Opposition home affairs spokesman James Paterson called on Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke to rescind the federal government’s grant to the Lebanese Muslim Association, given its association with Hizb ut-Tahrir.

“Only the Labor Party would think you promote social cohesion by giving taxpayers’ money to an organisation that organises offensive protests on 7 October,” he said. “It’s even worse the Lebanese Muslim Association has partnered with known extremists like Hizb ut-Tahrir and hate preachers like Sheik Dadoun for this event.

“Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke should immediately rescind this funding.”

The “rally for Palestine and Lebanon” on Monday evening was held outside Lakemba Mosque, next to the Lebanese Muslim Association’s headquarters.

The speaking line-up included Amer al-Wahwah, a regular Hizb ut-Tahrir speaker and administrator of its Stand for Palestine WhatsApp group.

Hizb ut-Tahrir also organised a now-infamous rally the day after the Hamas attacks where Sheik Ibrahim Dadoun – another speaker at the Monday rally – said that he was “elated” and that October 7 was a “day of courage”. He later claimed that his words were taken out of context.

The Coalition has renewed calls for the government to consider listing Hizb ut-Tahrir as a terrorist organisation, as it was in the UK earlier this year.

Lebanese Muslim Association secretary Gamel Kheir told The Australian the organisation was “not aligning with anybody”.

“Stand for Palestine has come to over 30 organisations to show unity in our community about the atrocities taking place,” he said.

“As I’ve said on numerous occasions, Hizb ut-Tahrir, as far as I know, is not a banned organisation in Australia. If Mr Dutton and his cohort think they are extremists, terrorists – he is a politician, he has the ability to ban them. And if they’re banned, then definitely we will not join party with anyone that is recognised in Australia as a terrorist or banned organisation.” He dismissed the Coalition’s criticism, saying Peter Dutton had been “dog whistling … to the racist elements in our community”.

The LMA received $1.65m earlier this year from the government as part of a broader $25m package to “support Australian Palestinian, Muslim, and other communities” affected by the ­Israel-Hamas war.

A Home Affairs Department website reads the LMA received the funding to “enhance trauma informed support for affected communities through mental health, victim support programs, intercultural forums and social media campaigns”.

Mr Kheir defended the rally being held on the anniversary of the Hamas attacks. He said the date was selected not to “disrespect or to show no empathy to our Jewish brothers and sisters”, but rather because it was a public holiday and after the NRL grand final.

“We are not celebrating anything here, we’re far from it,” he said. “We’re in a state of mourning, just like our Jewish brothers and sisters who are carrying on a vigil in the eastern suburbs. We are also carrying that vigil because we are also suffering. It’s two sides have suffered here. There’ve been innocent lives lost on both sides. Unlike the politicians, I can recognise there have been innocent lives lost on both sides and both communities are suffering.”

The Albanese government declined to comment.