Palestinian peak body refused leave to appear at royal commission on antisemitism and social cohesion

Palestinian voices are being excluded from the debate on social cohesion, the peak body for Palestinians in Australia has said after it was refused leave to appear before the royal commission on antisemitism and social cohesion. The Australia Palestine Advocacy Network (Apan) made detailed submissions on the issues of antisemitism – including how it is defined – as well as on racism and social cohesion, but was told it did not have a “direct and substantial” interest in the public hearings, which are under way in Sydney. “Excluding voices from the Palestinian community increases the very real probability of producing an incomplete and polarising account of the rise in antisemitism,” Apan told the Guardian. Sign up for the Breaking News Australia email The network said it was deeply concerned that the inquiry would rely heavily on submissions “equating criticism of Israel , Zionism, and Israel’s actions in Gaza with hatred of Jewish people, without rigorous inquiry”. Apan said criticism of Israel was routinely misrepresented as antisemitic. “The definition of antisemitism is distorted and weaponised in attempts to silence those who criticise Israel,” it said. The inquiry’s first block of hearings, currently before commissioner Virginia Bell, is focused on defining antisemitism, its historical and contemporary manifestations, and its current impact on Jewish Australians. …