Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09CANBERRA132
2009-02-06 07:45:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Canberra
Cable title:  

COMPARING GAZA TO HOLOCAUST CAUSES MUSLIM-JEWISH

Tags:  PHUM SOCI AS 
pdf how-to read a cable
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FM AMEMBASSY CANBERRA
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INFO RUEHBN/AMCONSUL MELBOURNE PRIORITY 5986
RUEHPT/AMCONSUL PERTH PRIORITY 4250
RUEHDN/AMCONSUL SYDNEY PRIORITY 4195
UNCLAS CANBERRA 000132 

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM SOCI AS
SUBJECT: COMPARING GAZA TO HOLOCAUST CAUSES MUSLIM-JEWISH
RIFT

UNCLAS CANBERRA 000132

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM SOCI AS
SUBJECT: COMPARING GAZA TO HOLOCAUST CAUSES MUSLIM-JEWISH
RIFT


1. (U) SUMMARY: Australia's Jewish community leaders have
threatened to sever relations with their Muslim counterparts
after the chairman of Australia main Islamic group refused to
withdraw his comparison of the Israeli Gaza incursion with
the Holocaust. During Israel's push into Gaza in January, the
chairman of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils
claimed that the "victims of the Holocaust" were perpetrating
much worse atrocities against the Palestinians. Asked by the
Executive Council of Australian Jewry to withdraw the
statement, the chairman refused, and circulated a
photographic montage with Holocaust victims on one side and
Palestinian children hiding in rubble on the other with his
reply. The Federation and the Executive Council, the
umbrella organizations for both the Islamic and Jewish faiths
in Australia have a long history of cooperation that is now
under threat. Radical Muslim cleric Sheik Al-Hilali wasted
no time in taking advantage of this disagreement to
vehemently attack Israel. END SUMMARY


2. (U) Robert Goot, president of the Executive Council of
Australian Jewry (ECAJ),this week threatened to sever all
ties with the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils
(AFIC) if that organization's chairman, Ikebal Patel, did not
withdraw his comments and letter of January 27. In that
letter Patel said, "victims of the Holocaust (are) now
perpetrating much worse atrocities against the Palestinians."
He later defended his statement in a letter saying, "we
believe our comparison of the atrocities and the brutal use
of disproportionate force by Israel is justified," and on
January 27, International Holocaust Remembrance Day, released
a montage of photographs pairing 42 Holocaust photos with 42
pictures of Gazans.


3. (U) On February 2, Patel's letter was answered by Goot. He
demanded that Patel publicly repudiate his offensive letter
and Holocaust remarks or the ECAJ would sever all relations
with the AFIC. Goot wrote, "No matter how you seek to twist
and distort the facts, there is simply no parallel in history
to the murder of hundreds of thousands of Jews in systematic
mass executions (and) the mass transportation of millions of
Jews to purpose-built death camps."


4. (SBU) Patel, in a conversation with poloff, reiterated his
view that the worst thing that could happen would be the end
of Jewish-Muslim dialogue and their mutual efforts in
Australia. He said he is actively working to lessen the
effect of his words and noted that his use of the word
"Holocaust" might have been a crucial mistake that he
presently regrets. Nonetheless, Patel strongly maintains
that Israeli military activities in Gaza involved a modern
army with unbelievable firepower using that firepower too
often against innocent civilians.


5. (SBU) COMMENT: Both organizations are the leading
representatives of their respective faiths in Australia and
have long worked together on various projects. Patel has
even been a key note speaker at the ECAJ's annual conference.
The danger is that these moderate voices could fall out over
Gaza encouraging extremists, like Sydney radical cleric Sheik
al-Halili, to assert themselves and fuel division between two
faiths that have been on relatively good terms in recent
years. The Israeli-Palestine issue in general and the recent
violence in Gaza in particular have caused division not only
between some in the religious communities but is also
generating discussion within the governing party (septel).

CLUNE