The Australian Jewish Association and its charity arm, the Australian Jewish Association Tzedakah Incorporated, are facing a landmark legal challenge after more than a year of alleged racial and religious vilification targeting Palestinians and Muslims.

On Wednesday 6 August 2025, the Anti-Discrimination Board of NSW has formally accepted a 58-page complaint lodged by Kassem Chalabi, a Palestinian Muslim man from New South Wales, accusing the organisations of conducting a sustained campaign of hate speech between July 2024 and February 2025.

The case, spearheaded by Birchgrove Legal with barrister Bilal Rauf, is among the first to test Australia’s new religious vilification provisions in the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977.

A year of vilification: Now in court

The complaint outlines nine alleged acts of racial vilification and seven acts of religious vilification, primarily spread through AJA’s official accounts on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram.

These posts allegedly portrayed Palestinians and Muslims in grossly dehumanising terms, likening them to “pollutants,” “threats,” and “burdens” to Australian society.

Principal Lawyer Moustafa Kheir says the conduct crosses every line of lawful speech.

“This is not debate, it’s hate. The AJA’s publications depict entire communities as inherently dangerous, criminal, or even evil. Some posts mock victims, downplay atrocities, and promote the toxic idea that Palestinians and Muslims as a whole deserve exclusion from Australia. It’s among the most extreme vilification we’ve seen in public discourse.”

The material, according to the complaint, did not just exist in isolation – it was consistent, targeted and timed to coincide with the devastating loss of life in Gaza, compounding the emotional toll for Palestinians in Australia.

‘Cruel, disgusting attacks’ amid global grief

For Chalabi, the barrage was personal and deeply wounding.

“These are cruel, disgusting attacks on who we are,” he said. “They came while Palestinians here and around the world are mourning the immense suffering in Gaza. I couldn’t stay silent. This is about drawing a clear line against hate and asserting our right to belong.”

He also condemned the politicians, media outlets, and regulators who gave AJA a platform:

“If you won’t call it racist unless we prove it in court – then that’s exactly what we’ll do.”

What the complaint seeks

Chalabi is asking for:

• A formal public apology from AJA, AJAT, and their committee members;
• The immediate removal of all offending content;
• A legally binding commitment to cease further vilification; and
• Compensation for the harm and distress caused.

Charity status under fire

Perhaps most controversially, AJAT continues to enjoy government-endorsed tax concessions as a registered charity despite the serious allegations. Kheir calls this an affront to public trust:

“No taxpayer should be funding organisations that promote hate. The fact that AJAT retains its charity status without review should alarm every Australian who believes in fairness and inclusion.”

The Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission has the power to strip organisations of charitable status if their activities harm the public, but has historically been reluctant to act in politically charged cases. This test could force their hand.

A precedent in the making

The case comes at a time when hate speech targeting Palestinians and Muslims has surged online, often amplified by influential political and media platforms.

If successful, this complaint could set a precedent for how Australia’s anti-vilification laws are enforced, and whether powerful organisations can be held accountable for sustained campaigns of bigotry.

For now, the AJA faces a courtroom reckoning, and Australia faces a deeper question: will its laws protect the dignity and safety of targeted communities, or allow dehumanising rhetoric to masquerade as “free speech”?

AJA CEO appointed to Multicultural Advisory Committee

Meanwhile, it was reported that in July 2025, Robert Gregory, chief executive of the Australian Jewish Association, was appointed to Waverley Council’s Multicultural Advisory Committee, a body tasked with promoting community harmony and social cohesion. The appointment has caused furore within the multicultural community, given AJA’s track record of divisive and inflammatory campaigning which are at odds with the committee’s mission.

Republished from AMUST, 8 August 2025

The views expressed in this article may or may not reflect those of Pearls and Irritations.