Islamic preacher charged – Politics

Australia’s leading Jewish community has sued Islamic preacher Wissam Haddad, also known as Abu Asaad,

alleging he used racist rhetoric against Jews during sermons at a Sydney mosque.

The Executive Council of Australian Jewry has also announced it has begun legal proceedings in the Federal Court against Haddad.

As well as the Dawah Centre in Western Sydney. The lawsuit focuses on a series of sermons allegedly delivered in late 2023,

recordings of which have been uploaded online. The sermons allegedly included derogatory generalisations about the Jewish people,

such as describing them as a “despicable people” and a “traitor”.

Objectives of the lawsuit

The council is seeking court declarations of breach of the Racial Discrimination Act,

as well as orders to remove the sermons from the internet,

and to prevent similar content from being posted in the future. It is also seeking a correction notice to be issued to the Dawah Centre on social media.

The Jewish Community’s Position

Peter Wertheim, co-CEO of the Executive Council of Australian Jews, said they had tried to resolve the issue through the Australian Human Rights Commission but had not reached an agreement. He stressed the importance of maintaining social cohesion in Australia,

noting that the government and government agencies should be held accountable for this.

Increased Hate

Wertheim pointed to the significant increase in anti-Semitic abuse incidents

which rose by 738% between October and November 2023 compared to the previous year.

Extremism and Racism

In his comments, Rubenstein, CEO of the Australia/Israel Council, addressed the phenomenon of extremism

noting that various political movements, whether on the left or the right, were converging in their hostility towards Jews.

The city’s advocacy centre was contacted for comment on the issue but has not yet responded.

Source.