Conflating criticism of Israel with hatred of Jews ‘quite audacious’, lawyer for Sydney academics tells court

University of Sydney and two academics facing racial discrimination case after colleagues accuse them of racist hate speech

University of Sydney academic Prof John Keane speaks at a rally on 13 October. Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/AAP

A lawyer acting for two University of Sydney academics accused of racist hate speech has argued that the conflation of their criticism of the state of Israel with hatred of Jews is “quite audacious”.

The argument was heard in the federal court on Tuesday as part of a racial discrimination case taken by three academics against two of their colleagues and the university, in what is being considered a major test case for hate speech in Australia.

The three academics, led by Joseph Toltz, and one student have argued their colleagues Dr Nick Riemer and Prof John Keane breached section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act in a number of separate public comments that criticised Zionism and Israel. That section of the act makes it an offence to “offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate” another person or group on the basis of their race, colour, or national or ethnic origin.

Read more on the original article : https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/oct/14/criticism-of-israel-not-hatred-of-jews-lawyer-sydney-academics-ntwnfb