JCCV suspends relations with Islamic Council of Victoria

The peak Jewish body says it can no longer work with its Islamic equivalent after comments it describes as “malicious and outrageous”.

Relations between Jews and Muslims in Victoria have struggled since October 7. The Islamic Council of Victoria (ICV), the peak body for Victoria’s Muslim community, has consistently refused to condemn the October 7 massacre or terrorism in general.

On Saturday, the ICV released a statement accusing the Jewish Community Council of Victoria (JCCV) of an “Islamophobic smear campaign” against its president Adel Salman. It also launched a social media campaign with the catchline “Zionists can go to hell, we will stand with Adel”.

The move was the last straw in a desperate attempt to maintain civil relations between the two peak bodies. JCCV president Philip Zajac said the attack on the JCCV was malicious and outrageous, and the JCCV would suspend relations with the ICV.

“It is a toxic, anti-Zionist, almost antisemitic statement, almost praising what happened on October 7,” Zajac said.

“There are Islamic leaders we can talk to but relationships with the official body, the ICV, have now broken down. The feeling is that as long as the ICV refuses to condemn terrorism, the JCCV simply cannot have a relationship with them.”

Zajac called on the Victorian Government and other Victorian faith leaders to “similarly reject working with the ICV while it continues to sow division and hate”.

Key to the collapse in relations are statements by Salman and ICV vice president Mohamed Mohideen.