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Thursday, Jun 12, 2025
Outside the box.
Federal Court Hears Case Against Sydney-Based Islamic Preacher Over Antisemitic Remarks
Wissam Haddad faces allegations of breaching Australia’s Racial Discrimination Act through inflammatory speeches following the October 7 Hamas attack.
A federal court in Australia is currently hearing a case against Islamic preacher Wissam Haddad, who stands accused of making remarks that the Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) claims were antisemitic and violated the country's Racial Discrimination Act.
This case arises from a series of speeches delivered by Haddad, also known by the name Abu Ousayd, at the Al Madina Dawah Centre in Bankstown, Sydney, in November 2023, shortly after Hamas' assault on Israel on October 7.
The ECAJ is the nation's leading Jewish organization and has initiated the legal proceedings against Haddad.
They allege that his comments included "dehumanising" language and derogatory generalisations about Jewish people, describing them with terms such as "vile" and "treacherous".
Peter Wertheim, co-CEO of the ECAJ, testified in court that such language is experienced by Jewish individuals as dehumanising and constitutes antisemitism.
During the four-day hearing, the court examined excerpts from five of Haddad's speeches.
Counsel for the ECAJ, Peter Braham SC, highlighted remarks wherein Haddad purportedly made threatening statements, referencing Islamic texts and calling for violence against Jews.
One statement reportedly cited a call to action, which Braham described as a "call to arms".
Haddad's legal representatives argue that his speeches represent an exercise of free speech within the context of political criticism concerning the conflict in Gaza, which he frames as a response to what he describes as a "Muslim genocide in Gaza".
Andrew Boe, representing Haddad, contended that the case should not be viewed narrowly as one of antisemitism, but rather as part of a broader discourse following a highly charged geopolitical event.
The defense also drew comparisons to a previous case involving public figures, illustrating that Haddad's context differed from others who made overtly public statements.
Boe argued that Haddad was addressing a primarily Muslim audience and that Jewish Australians mainly accessed his remarks through media outlets, which he characterized as "dedicated to publishing antisemitic content".
The court proceedings involve examination of the implications of Haddad's speeches in terms of the Racial Discrimination Act's Section 18C, which addresses acts that may reasonably offend, insult, humiliate, or intimidate individuals based on their race or ethnicity in a public context.
According to Braham, Haddad's comments were made publicly to an audience of at least 400 people and were subsequently recorded and disseminated online.
The trial is expected to continue through the week, with Haddad set to provide his own testimony and face cross-examination.
This case arises from a series of speeches delivered by Haddad, also known by the name Abu Ousayd, at the Al Madina Dawah Centre in Bankstown, Sydney, in November 2023, shortly after Hamas' assault on Israel on October 7.
The ECAJ is the nation's leading Jewish organization and has initiated the legal proceedings against Haddad.
They allege that his comments included "dehumanising" language and derogatory generalisations about Jewish people, describing them with terms such as "vile" and "treacherous".
Peter Wertheim, co-CEO of the ECAJ, testified in court that such language is experienced by Jewish individuals as dehumanising and constitutes antisemitism.
During the four-day hearing, the court examined excerpts from five of Haddad's speeches.
Counsel for the ECAJ, Peter Braham SC, highlighted remarks wherein Haddad purportedly made threatening statements, referencing Islamic texts and calling for violence against Jews.
One statement reportedly cited a call to action, which Braham described as a "call to arms".
Haddad's legal representatives argue that his speeches represent an exercise of free speech within the context of political criticism concerning the conflict in Gaza, which he frames as a response to what he describes as a "Muslim genocide in Gaza".
Andrew Boe, representing Haddad, contended that the case should not be viewed narrowly as one of antisemitism, but rather as part of a broader discourse following a highly charged geopolitical event.
The defense also drew comparisons to a previous case involving public figures, illustrating that Haddad's context differed from others who made overtly public statements.
Boe argued that Haddad was addressing a primarily Muslim audience and that Jewish Australians mainly accessed his remarks through media outlets, which he characterized as "dedicated to publishing antisemitic content".
The court proceedings involve examination of the implications of Haddad's speeches in terms of the Racial Discrimination Act's Section 18C, which addresses acts that may reasonably offend, insult, humiliate, or intimidate individuals based on their race or ethnicity in a public context.
According to Braham, Haddad's comments were made publicly to an audience of at least 400 people and were subsequently recorded and disseminated online.
The trial is expected to continue through the week, with Haddad set to provide his own testimony and face cross-examination.
