Sydney academics John Keane and Nick Riemer have finally been able to file a defence against their accusers. What’s the scam?
The scam is that for almost two years, John Keane and Nick Riemer have spent thousands of dollars and hours defending themselves against accusations of antisemitism by pro-Israel operatives, while their accusers regularly changed the details of their complaints.
In a statement, Nick Riemer told MWM the case is about lawfare, “intended to harass and silence opponents of Israel’s genocide.”
It started when Keane and Riemer were accused of racial vilification because they dared to oppose this genocide. Just like Mary Kostakidis before them, their defence is that opposition to Zionism and Israel’s crimes is not antisemitic.
The complainants – which include a member of the Holocaust Remembrance Alliance and the head of the campaigns of the Australian Union of Jewish Students – claim that “destroying Israel is an Islamic principle.”
John Keane told MWM, “The idea that the Muslim faith intrinsically commits believers to the ‘destruction’ of Israel is racist. It’s an ignorant slur against the thousands of millions of peace-loving Muslims disgusted by Israel’s crimes against Palestinian people.”
The University of Sydney itself is also a defendant, and the Federal Court will be the highest Australian court so far to be asked
to determine whether anti-Zionism should be treated as intrinsically antisemitic.
Its ruling will set a precedent with far-reaching implications for free speech and the freedom to criticise Israel and its actions.
Kim Wingerei is a businessman turned writer and commentator. He is passionate about free speech, human rights, democracy and the politics of change. Originally from Norway, Kim first came to Australia in 1989. Author of ‘Why Democracy is Broken – A Blueprint for Change’.