ECAJ lodges complaints against hate preachers

The Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) has formally lodged complaints with the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) against two Islamic preachers in western Sydney over speeches that were made late last year and distributed online.

The complaints under the Racial Discrimination Act are against Wissam Haddad and Al Madina Dawah Centre Incorporated and against Sheikh Ahmed Zoud and Awqaf Australia Benevolent Fund Limited.

The complaints allege that the speeches included derogatory generalisations about Jewish people, such as descriptions of them as “monsters”, “criminals”, “bloodthirsty”, raised on “terrorism, violence, and killing”, a “vile people”, and a “treacherous people”, and claims that “their hands are in everywhere in businesses…in the media”.

The Jewish Independent reported in January that the ECAJ was considering legal action if Australian authorities failed to act against Islamic preachers inciting hatred against Jews.

In late December, Imam Ahmad Zoud delivered a Friday sermon at Masjid As-Sunnah Mosque in Lakemba entitled "The truth of the Jews and their characteristics". He described Jews as criminals, terrorists, and monsters.

"Who are these criminals who perpetrate these crimes? Who are the terrorists who act and behave this way? Who are these monsters from whose hearts mercy has been ripped out? My people, these are the Zionists. These are the Jews. However, not all of the Jews are like that; just most of them. The most important characteristic of the Jews is that they are bloodthirsty. They love to shed blood. From an early age, they raise their children on terrorism, violence, and killing," Zoud said, in the sermon which was streamed live on the mosque's Facebook page.