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At the eighteenth meeting of the Uniting Church Synod of Victoria and Tasmania, Rev. Alex Sangster and I presented a proposal condemning antisemitic acts in Australia, while pointing out that protesting genocide is not antisemitic and encouraging members of the Uniting Church in Victoria and Tasmania to do so. The proposal was passed without amendment. This is the text of that proposal, the rationale for it, and the words of the speech I made presenting it.

Non-Violent Anti-Genocide Action

The Synod resolved:

Noting that groups including Amnesty International, B’Tselem, Defence for Children International, International Federation for Human Rights, Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention, Médecins Sans Frontières, and Physicians for Human Rights Israel have all described Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide:

1. To condemn antisemitic acts against the Jewish community in Australia, including the arson attacks on the Adass Israel Synagogue in Ripponlea and the City Shul in Melbourne;
2. To condemn the mischaracterisation of non-violent anti-genocide action as antisemitic;
3. To encourage Uniting Church members in Victoria and Tasmania to engage in non-violent anti-genocide action, and
4. To write to the Prime Minister, the federal Leader of the Opposition, and the Premiers and Leaders of the Opposition in Victoria and Tasmania, informing them of this resolution.

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