Government backed by Albo’s ‘special auditor of hate’
The Queensland government’s attack on members of Justice for Palestine Magan-djin has been backed by Jillian Segal, who claims
“Queensland needs stronger legislation backed by real enforcement to drive out antisemitism. ..That’s what’s needed ‘to knit the country back together’.” – Jillian Segal.
Not our Laws
In the video below Alex defends the Palestine Solidarity movement against accusations of anti-Semitism, emphasizing critique-of-Israel distinction of Zionism not jewish people. JFP Magandjin argues that the real anti-Semitism stems from the actions of the apartheid state of Israel, which commits genocide in the name of Jewish people, leading to misperceptions. Alex asserts that the movement combats anti-Semitism by clarifying that it is Zionist Israel, not Jewish people, responsible for these actions. JFP also refute claims that the phrase “From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free” is hate speech, insisting it is a message of freedom of all people in Palestine.
Appeals to “national unity” have often been used in wartime to rally support and suppress dissent—for example during the World War I when the Australian government framed criticism as disloyal and cracked down hard on those who opposed conscription. Similarly, government support for Israel’s genocide in Gaza has sparked strong opposition in Queensland.
Listen and watch the reply from Alex Bainbridge from the Green Left Weekly
At a basic level, criticism of a state (Israel) and prejudice against a people or religion (Judaism or Jewish people) are not the same thing. But what do you do when a large majority of Israelis appear to support the genocide in Gaza and the bombing of Lebanon? We are still seeing Australians being recruited to the IDF and participating in what UN Commissioner Chris Sidoti describes as genocide and calls for the arrest of perpetrators like Isaac Herzog.
Meanwhile, the 22 people arrested last weekend will remain within the criminal justice system for the next year or two. This will require sustained persistence to resist the criminalisation of individuals for saying words relating to two bodies of water.
The first case comes up at 9.30am on May 5 at the Roma Street Magistrates Arrest Court in Brisbane. Please support if you can.
Ian Curr
27 April 2026