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Racist Jewish Professor Sparks Uproar in Australia

By Ali Harris

A self described academic on Islam and Jewish professor, Raphael Israeli, has been condemned for explicit racism and sparking trouble in Australia after calling for a limit on Islamic migration to Australia, because Muslims were violent.

Discrimination

Australian's have claimed his views are nothing but stirring trouble in the Australasia region. It's not Australians who were mostly outraged by the racist comments but the Jewish community who immediately distanced themselves and condemned it, reminiscent of Jewish hardship in Europe in the early 1900s.

Raphael Israeli's extreme view was quoted in Australian Jewish news, where he said Australia should cap Muslim migration or risk being "swamped by Indonesians." Ironically, the majority of Australia's Islamic migration is from the Middle East. He said that Muslims had a reputation of "manipulating western values" and that Muslims are violent, "Greeks or Italians or Jews don't use violence." He also said that Muslims wanted to create Islamic law in their adopted countries.

Jewish outrage

CEO of the NSW Jewish Board of deputies, Vic Alhadeff, condemned the remarks as "bigotry." He said in a statement yesterday, "The Jewish community dissociates itself from the comments by Israeli academic Raphael Israeli that Australia should limit the number of Muslim immigrants."

He said that the Jewish board and community does not believe in "racial or ethnic quotas or stereotyping." In addition to the statement, he said "These comments do not reflect the position of the Jewish community and are unhelpful in the extreme. The Jewish community has a strong and proud record in fighting racism, and condemns all expressions of bigotry."

Opinion in Australia has been against the Professor, especially by the Jewish community, who say they are "appalled by the ignorant and racist Professor." Jews in Australia tend to be more liberal than Jews in America. One New York Jewish man said to Australia's Fairfax agency "has this professor been to NY or heard of the Russian Jewish Mafia?"

Promoting Hatred

The Jewish professor was visiting Australia from Hebrew university in Jerusalem. He was brought here by Shalom Institute of the University of NSW. The Australia-Israel affairs Council helping sponsor his activities.

Keysar Trad of the Islamic friendship association said Professor Israeli should have been "screened before entering Australia." He condemned the remarks and said "this type of academic does nothing but create hatred, suspicion and division." There were also calls now from Keysar Trad to screen The Australia-Israel affairs Council to make sure they don't endorse the comments made by the Professor.

The Muslim population in Australia is approximately 2% and more than half of all these Muslims live in Sydney. Muslims in Sydney account for approximately 5% of Sydney's total population. Australia's largest and most high profile Muslim group is the Lebanese. More than three quarters of Lebanese Australians live in Sydney.

Ban

Australia has been criticized in the past for racial tension, especially in 2005 during the Cronulla riots in Sydney and ongoing comments by public figures.

Most recently, the Australian flag was discouraged and claims it was banned from a popular Australian concert, Big Day Out, which sparked much debate about the increased racist culture in Australia. The Australian flag has been under scrutiny for displaying the Union Jack, a symbol of their Commonwealth status and ties to the Queen of England.

Ali Harris reports from behind rebel lines.