Two Australian Jewish leaders say they have been forced to sue an Islamic cleric over his “hateful” sermons to discourage others from promoting racism to promote their political views.
Preacher Wissam Haddad, also known as Abu Ousayd, and the Sydney-based Al Madina Dawah Center have been accused of racial discrimination in a Federal Court case filed on Friday.
Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Peter Wertheim and vice-president Robert Goot decided to sue over allegedly offensive behavior based on racial hatred.
Mr Haddad’s sermons were delivered in the center of Bankstown, in Sydney’s south-west, and were also posted online.
In a statement Monday, Wertheim and Goot claim the preacher’s sermons used derogatory generalizations of the Jewish people.
“We have initiated proceedings in the Federal Court to defend the honor of our community and as a warning to deter others who attempt to mobilize racism to promote their political views,” Mr Wertheim said.
They are seeking court orders requiring the removal of the allegedly racist speech and prohibiting Mr. Haddad from making similar comments in the future.
They do not seek compensation or damages.
Abu Ousayd delivers his lecture on Jews at the Al Madina Dawah Center in western Sydney
Wertheim said Australia’s multicultural success story meant people were free to observe their beliefs in harmony and respect.
“That should mean we do not bring to Australia the hatred, prejudice and intolerance of foreign conflicts and societies,” he said.
While maintaining social cohesion was the function of governments and their agencies, they had failed the Jewish community, Wertheim said.
“It should not fall on our community, or any other community, to take private legal action to remedy a public wrong and confront those who sow hatred in our midst,” he told AAP.
“However, given the circumstances, we believe we have no alternative.”
In vile sermons last year, Ousayd said: “Peace is bad for the Jews (they say), ‘there is no business for us,'” he claimed.
‘There goes our media, there goes our Hollywood blockbuster movies.
“They need Muslim fighting and infighting to continue in order to prosper and grow.”
He said there was no difference between Jews who did not support Israel and “Zionists” who did.
“Even these ultra-Orthodox Jews that you see today, who are against Israel and hate Zionists… when the Messiah comes, they will continue to fight against Muslims,” he said.
‘Don’t be fooled, these people are still your friends.
‘Towards the end of time, when the Muslims are fighting the Jews, the trees will speak, the stones will speak and they will say ‘O Muslim, O believer, there is a Yahud (Jew) behind me, come and kill him.’ .’
He said Jews always claimed that “Muslims are making things up” and “arrogantly” think they are “better, they are the best.”