Adler Warns of Pro-Israel Influence Over Bondi Massacre Royal Commission
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A former director of the Adelaide Writers’ Week has cautioned progressive Australian Jews against allowing the ongoing royal commission into the Bondi massacre to be unduly shaped by pro-Israel advocacy groups, warning of a concerted effort to stifle dissent and limit free speech. The concerns were raised in a fundraising email for the left-wing Jewish Council of Australia this morning.
A senior figure within the Australian literary community alleges a purposeful campaign is underway to control the narrative surrounding the commission.She fears this will ultimately silence critical perspectives and curtail essential freedoms.
Concerns Over Lobbying Efforts
According to the email, the pro-Israel lobby has “renewed their campaign to silence any criticism of Israel, to outlaw protest and constrain free speech” as the royal commission gains momentum. This effort, she contends, is not new, and has already had a chilling effect on Australia’s cultural landscape.
“This well-oiled machine has already cost us the most significant writers’ festival in the country,” the email states, referencing the cancellation of this year’s Adelaide writers’ Week following controversy over the invitation of Palestinian-Australian author Randa Abdel-Fattah.
Accusations of McCarthyism and Censorship
The author of the email further alleges that these groups, described as “McCarthyites,” are now attempting to “criminalise university students and defund public institutions” that engage in critical inquiry.This, she argues, directly threatens the core principles of artistic expression and academic freedom.
The controversy surrounding Abdel-Fattah stemmed from concerns raised by Jewish groups regarding social media posts that appeared to celebrate the October 7 attacks in Israel and expressed sentiments that some considered hostile towards Zionists.
The Broader Implications for Free Speech
The email asserts that a deliberate strategy is being employed to equate any criticism of Israel with antisemitism, effectively silencing Palestinian voices and perspectives. “A long line of propagandists has deliberately argued that the mere Palestinian-ness of an author is a sufficient threat to the Australian Jewish community that they should not be permitted to participate in public life,” the email reads.
The author also claims that these groups have successfully influenced the Albanese government’s recently enacted hate speech legislation, raising concerns about its potential to further restrict freedom of expression. She questions what further limitations might be imposed in the future.
Call for Accurate Portrayal
The email concludes with a plea for progressive Jews to resist being represented by these groups and to actively ensure an “accurate picture of the Jewish community in Australia” is presented to the royal commission. She emphasizes the importance of challenging what she describes as “racism fomenting in the aftermath of the tragedy at Bondi” and safeguarding the diversity of voices within the Jewish community.
Here’s a substantive news report based on the provided content,answering the “Why,Who,What,and How” questions:
Why: A former director of the Adelaide Writers’ Week is raising concerns that pro-Israel advocacy groups are attempting to influence the narrative of the ongoing royal commission into the Bondi massacre,potentially stifling dissent and limiting free speech.
Who: The concerns were voiced by a senior figure in the Australian literary community in a fundraising email for the Jewish Council of Australia. The groups accused of exerting undue influence are described as a “well-oiled machine”
