Media Releases

AIJAC welcomes Melbourne University’s statement on the motion passed last week by the University of Melbourne Student Union (UMSU) in support of the racist BDS campaign. The UMSU motion also included multiple false statements about Israel.

“This anti-semitic motion… is not the position of the University of Melbourne; nor is it one that is endorsed or supported by the University,” the University’s statement said. “The University of Melbourne is deeply committed to the values of inclusion and respect, and all members of our community must feel welcome and safe from discrimination or racism. Any form of anti-Semitism is antithetical to who we are and what we stand for. Tackling it and its damaging effects is a responsibility of all members of our community.”

AIJAC Executive Director Dr Colin Rubenstein said, “We gratefully welcome the University’s principled statement on the motion, and especially the fact that the University has correctly identified the appalling UMSU motion as antisemitic.

“AIJAC would also welcome any further steps the University could take to prevent a repeat of this travesty. Chief among these would be for the University to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance Working Definition of Antisemitism.

“We hope other universities have taken note of this matter, and will also speedily adopt the Working Definition to try to prevent similar events occurring on their campuses,” Dr Rubenstein concluded.