‘I couldn’t stay silent’: Pro-Israel group accused of racial vilification

A complaint made by a Palestinian man against the Australian Jewish Association, and accepted by the Anti-Discrimination Board of NSW, claims the organisation engaged in “serious and repeated public acts of racial and religious vilification”.

The 58-page complaint points to nine alleged acts of racial vilification and seven acts of religious vilification, in social media posts by AJA on X, Facebook and Instagram.

Pro-Palestine protesters march across the Sydney Harbour Bridge on Sunday.Credit: Janie Barrett

Kassem Chalabi, a Palestinian-Australian Muslim based in Sydney and chief executive of the Palestinian Australians Welfare Association, alleged the posts incited hatred, contempt and ridicule of Palestinians and Muslims.

“As a grandfather, father, a husband, and a proud Palestinian Muslim, I couldn’t stay silent,” he said.

“These are cruel, disgusting attacks on who we are. They came while Palestinians here and around the world are mourning the immense suffering in Gaza.”

Kassem Chalabi, chief executive of Palestinian Australians Welfare Association (PAWA), has lodged a complaint.

One of the posts mentioned in the complaint called the Palestinian flag a “flag of terrorism” while another accuses Islam of including a “worship of death”.

Another post includes a photo of a man and his child, who is wearing toy grenades. The post says that “perhaps this father wishes for his child to be a suicide bomber and kill Jews or other infidels”. The post goes on to accuse refugees from Gaza of being exposed to “decades of jihadist brainwashing”.

Another post mentioned in the complaint focuses on Senator Fatima Payman, who defected from Labor in 2024 over the party’s perceived lack of support for Palestinians. The post makes several “constructive suggestions” to Payman, including mentioning that there were “some openings now available in the governance of Hamas” and that she “could go back to Afghanistan to help the Taliban with human rights challenges”.

One post to X includes a video showing people celebrating the short-lived announcement of a ceasefire in January, with the AJA accusing those in the video of “celebrating the release of murderers, rapists and terrorists”.

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That ceasefire deal involved a prisoner swap, with hostages held by Hamas freed in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

Chalabi is being represented by Birchgrove Legal, and their principal lawyer Moustafa Khier said AJA “consistently portray Palestinians and Muslims in deeply dehumanising terms”.

“These communications go beyond political discourse; they suggest that Palestinians and Muslims inherently lack compassion, that they are dangerous, criminal, or even evil by nature,” he said.

“This kind of vilification is not only dangerous – it is among the most extreme we have seen in public discourse.”

The complaint seeks a formal apology from AJA and its affiliated registered charity, Australian Jewish Association Tzedakah Incorporated (AJAT). It also seeks to have the posts removed, for an enforceable undertaking to cease further vilifying conduct and for compensation for the “harm and distress caused”.

The AJA and AJAT were contacted for comment.

The complaint will be investigated and an attempt made to resolve the matter via private settlement. If the complaint is not resolved, it can be referred to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

There have been 16 complaints of religious vilification since the legislation came into force in late 2023.

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