Jewish Council of Australia backs anti-Israeli war students

By Yasin Gungor

ISTANBUL (AA) – The Jewish Council of Australia on Monday voiced support for students who participated in anti-war protests, denouncing notifications sent by their respective universities accusing them of "general misconduct."

The council expressed concern for students who received misconduct notices for participating in protests against Israel's attacks on Gaza at several universities.

The council said students have the right to protest peacefully against Israeli atrocities and call on their universities to cut ties with arms companies that enable Israeli war crimes.

The statement emphasized the importance of open debate and diverse perspectives in universities, and it condemned attempts to silence protesters as a dangerous overreach that stifles free speech on campus.

Sarah Schwartz, an executive officer of the council, praised the students for speaking out against what she described as an "unfolding genocide."

She called for the immediate withdrawal of the misconduct notices and urged transparency in university partnerships with the defense and security sectors, as the University of Sydney has recently done.

Max Kaiser, another executive officer, acknowledged that protests can disrupt university life but insisted that punishing students for exercising their democratic rights is unjust. Protests are a reality of life in a democracy, Kaiser stressed.

Several universities, including Deakin University, University of Melbourne, Monash University, and La Trobe University, have issued "general misconduct" notices to pro-Palestinian students for protesting Israel's "genocidal war" in Gaza.

These actions faced backlash and raised questions about the universities' commitment to combating racism and Islamophobia on campus.