Some photo of students from Sydney University who turn their back on their Jewish colleagues

A photo of University of Sydney Students turn his back on a Jewish speaker who denounced Hamas was closed as a demonstration of ‘contempt’.

During the General Meeting of the Student Representative Council on Wednesday, the group students called against war to reject a national definition of anti -Semitism.

Taken over by Australia universities, the definition has the criticism of Israel Can be anti -Semitic ‘when it requires the elimination of the state of Israel’.

“Anti-Zionism is not anti-Semitism. That is why there is no such thing as a two -state solution, “a councilor told the crowd of 200 students.

‘That is why the obvious solution is a solution with one states. There is no such thing as Jewish self -determination in Israel. ‘

Postdoctoral student Kovi Rose, the grandchild of survivors of the Holocaust, had attended the meeting to speak to the motion.

“I begged the room of nearly 200 students to vote on the basis of well -reasoned and fact -based arguments,” he said.

“But this brought almost the entire audience to get up and turn my back on.”

“If a believer in progressive ideas such as protecting minorities and respecting indigenous peoples, I am devastated that these values ​​apparently do not apply to Jews or Israelis.”

Public Affairs Coordinator at Australasian Union or Jewish Students (AUJS), Jack Mars The meeting attended and called it ’emotionally exhaustive’.

Dr. Dvir Abramovich, chairman of the Anti-Defamation Commission and Jewish Studies Academic, unleashed the behavior, and called the meeting a ‘show process’.

“They couldn’t just turn their back on Jewish students. They could decorate the decency. About democracy, “he told Daily Mail Australia on Saturday.

“It was a purification. A room full of students – 200 strong – stood up, not in solidarity with the oppressed, but in open contempt for their Jewish colleagues.

“This was a show process. The verdict was written in advance: Jewish students guilty of existing, guilty of speaking, guilty of refusing to abandon their identity. ‘

He said that every parent in Australia should ask: “Is this what we finance? Is this what higher education now means that children change to ideological enforcers? ‘

A joint statement was released by Peak, Representative, National and State Bodies of the Australian Jewish community that condemned the ‘openly anti -Semitic behavior’.

The University of Sydney said that the council is an independent body, but members of both parties of the debate were consulted prior to the general meeting.

“We are aware that nearly 200 students attended the meeting, which represents a small group of our total student body,” said a statement.

‘Prior to the Student Student of the Student Representative Council, we had contact with important members of relevant student groups.

“(We) reminded them of their obligations to manage their meetings in a way that is respectful for the opinion of others and that all students must behave in accordance with the university and law policy.”

SRC President Angus Fisher said that the council gave priority to the safety and well -being of all students by making an honest and balanced debate possible, “what happened.”

“The room was adequately checked and there was no speakers of speakers, screaming, nor any threats,” he said in a statement to Daily Mail Australia.

“The SRC has always rejected all forms of racism, including anti -Semitism and Islamophobia.”

Students against war also shared a statement with this publication, when he was asked that members are turning their back on the speaker.

“The general student meeting was open to all students,” they said.

“Opponents of the movements were given the same time to present their views, but their arguments were overwhelmed by the meeting.”

During the fiery debate, the students voted to support the demand for a single, democratic, secular Palestinian state and to break all ties with Israel.

According to the dedication of the University for Anti-Racism“Criticism of the policy and practices of the Israeli government or state is not in itself anti -Semitic.”

But it is anti -Semitic to criticize Israel when it is based on harmful tropics, stereotypes or assumptions, when it calls for the elimination of the state of Israel, or when Jewish communities are responsible for the actions of Israel.

A member of students against War told the meeting that the speakers against the motions believed that the group was not interested in criticizing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or the government.

“We are. But we are also interested in ending apartheid and genocide, “he said.

‘And to be able to do that, we must be able to fight on our own conditions. We must vote against this definition. ‘