MEDIA RELEASE
Family First calls on Muslim leaders to reassure Australians that Islam is a religion of peace after yet another western Sydney preacher called for the killing of Jews.
“Australians are watching with dismay as Islamic preachers in Western Sydney side with Hamas barbarism and call for violent Jihad against Jews,” National Director Lyle Shelton said.
“The silence of Muslim leaders since these latest calls for Jew killing is deeply disturbing, as is their on-going inability to condemn Hamas since the barbarous murders, rapes and kidnapping of Jews on October 7,” Mr Shelton said.
“Like all Australians, Family First was shocked to see footage emerge of ‘Brother Ismail’ at the Al Madina Dawah Centre in Bankstown calling for violent Jihad against Jews,” Mr Shelton said.
“To see fresh revelations of yet another preacher at the centre, Abu Ousayd, quoting Islamic scripture calling for Jew killing is truly shocking and un-becoming of civilised people,” Shelton said.
The Australian newspaper reported Abu Ousayd saying:
“Towards the end of times, when the Muslims will be fighting the Jews, the trees will speak,” Mr Ousayd said, citing Islamic scripture and parables.
“They will say ‘oh Muslim, there is a yahud (Arabic for Jew) behind me, come and kill him’.
“This is uncivilised and un-Australian behaviour,” Mr Shelton said.
A survey of the home page of the Australian National Imams’ Council reveals no condemnation of Hamas terrorism but rather support of Hamas propaganda, including the discredited claim that an Israeli airstrike targeted the Al-Ahli Babtist Hospital.
“The inability of the ANIC to show empathy with Australia’s Jewish community following the barbarous slaughter of October 7 is wrong.
“Family First supports freedom of speech, including the right to criticise Israel’s prosecution of the war against Hamas.
“However, incitement to violence is where free speech should be limited and NSW police should be arresting the western Sydney preachers for breaches of ‘hate speech’ laws.”
Mr Shelton said Family First was not an anti-immigration party but believed all immigrants needed to join ‘team Australia’.
“People from all corners of the globe come here for a better life because this is the best country on earth.
“There’s nothing wrong with being proud of one’s origins, but our welcome of immigrants is contingent upon people adopting Australian values,” Mr Shelton said.