Academic slams Jews for disowning him

A VISITING Israeli academic has blasted Australia's Jewish leaders for disowning him after he raised concerns about the level of Muslim immigration in Europe and the consequences of a similar approach here.

Raphael Israeli, Professor of Islamic, Middle East and Chinese History at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, wrote to The Australian yesterday to complain about his treatment after a story in the Australian Jewish News which claimed he favoured a cap on Muslim immigration.

The story, which Professor Israeli said didn't accurately reflect his views, led to criticism from Muslim and Jewish leaders without further checks with him, he said. The Australia/Israel and Jewish Affairs Council, co-sponsoring his lecture tour, decided to sever ties with him.

"Instead of standing by their guest, and supporting free debate in this country, Jewish leaders have elected to shamefully disown me in their statements that were geared to placate Muslims," Professor Israeli wrote.

"I come from a country dipped in solidarity and that never abandons its fighters in the battlefield. Here I feel abandoned, forlorn, betrayed by people who lack courage and stamina to stand up for principles."

Professor Israeli's attributed comments in the Jewish press last week in part suggested there would be demographic pressure for Indonesian Muslims to resettle. The article quoted him as saying "one of the big possibilities is Australia, so they will continue to come legally, or illegally, and settle here, and when they get to the rate of the 10per cent, like in France, then you will see life will become untenable".

AIJAC executive director Colin Rubenstein said he wished Professor Israeli had "confined his comments to the situation in Europe and the Middle East".

"AIJAC is very concerned by Professor Israeli's implication that the Muslim community as a whole is a threat or danger, and strongly rejects any such claim," Dr Rubenstein said.

The Age's Barney Szwartz report today: Professor in Muslim comments furore lashes out on website

A VISITING Jewish professor has lashed out at Australian Jewish leaders for their "shameful submission to Muslim thugs", saying his comments were less harsh than some by the Prime Minister and federal Treasurer.

Hebrew University professor Raphael Israeli, dropped from a proposed lecture tour after comments last week, said political correctness did not allow his remarks to be said, though, privately, all supported them.

He said Prime Minister John Howard and Treasurer Peter Costello had said harsher things after "Muslim riots", but "someone elected to seize upon this opportunity now and sweep Australia into a storm in a teacup".

Professor Israeli, who will teach his six-week Islamic history course at the University of NSW, posted his version of the stoush on a website.

On the Dhimmi Watch section of www.jihadwatch.org, he wrote: "The dhimmi-like Jewish leadership cancelled all activities, in a shameful submission to the Muslim thugs and under the false claims of a 'multicultural society' in Australia, which they know is not true."

Dhimmis are Christians and Jews who lived as second-class citizens under Muslim rule, paying a special tax.

On Friday, The Age reported Professor Israeli's warning that when Muslims reached a critical mass in non-Muslim countries the risk of violence rose greatly.

This was a general rule, so it applied also to Australia, he said, but he denied urging Australia to limit Muslim immigration.

The Australia-Israel Jewish Affairs Committee cancelled proposed lectures by Professor Israeli around Australia, and other Jewish groups distanced themselves.

On the website, the professor said he was struck by "the provinciality of the place, where a minor item of gossip … becomes a national issue".