The Conservatorium Students’ Association condemns in the strongest terms the killing of any innocent civilian by both Hamas and the Israeli Government, and calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, an end to the colonial occupation of Palestine by the State of Israel, and the diplomatic recognition of Palestine.
We demand the federal and state governments of Australia to do the same, urging the Labor Party to respect the platform on which they were elected in 2022, and not stand idly-by whilst war crimes constituting a genocide are occurring upon Gaza.
We urge the unions of this country - both trade unions and fellow student unions - alongside the media, to similarly break their silence and condemn these atrocities, using their influence to demand the same of our governments.
This position was voted upon by the Representative Council of the Association. We urge anyone with concerns or who needs to chat to please not hesitate to get in contact with the Association’s President, Alexander Poirier at president@usydcsa.org or Vice-President, Isabella Chiper, at vice-president@usydcsa.org.
Supporting students
The Conservatorium is home to a large number of Muslim, Jewish, and Christian musicians, many of whom have familial and other close connections to Holocaust survivors and Palestinian people. It is our highest priority to ensure that the wellbeing of students is at the forefront of discussions.
The Association are not the ones to bring about the solution to this - we would be foolish to think we do - but as artists and storytellers we can push for the recognition of humanity, to not conflate civilians with their governments, and to support those within our community who may be affected by this.
We do not tolerate any racism or bigotry against any of these groups, and as such we shall do what we can to ensure that our school of music remains a safe place for expression of self and culture for all.
Context
Please do not read this condemnation as one against Jewish or Muslim people; this is one exclusively against the actions by governments. Whilst contexts and personal connections maybe be nuanced and complicated, what is actually happening is clear as day: apartheid, ethnic-cleansing, and genocide against Palestinians.
The area centring on the city of Jerusalem in the Southern Levant is an important place for the Abrahamic religions and cultures - for Jews, Christians, and Muslims - and they all have connections to the land. Anyone denying any community’s right to live there would be wilfully ignorant and/or acting in bad faith.
Both sides of this conflict have committed war crimes; but it would be incorrect to describe the actions of Hamas as being equal to those of the Israeli Government. For decades the Israeli Government has been supported by other colonialist powers in its effort to displace or genocide Palestinian people and take over the land for exclusively Jewish people, regardless of if they are native or not.
Founding of Israel
The State of Israel was established in 1948 as a necessary solution to protect Jewish people after their attempted extermination in the Holocaust. But in order for that to occur, there was a displacement - an ethnic cleansing - of all the Palestinian people currently living there - this event is now called the nakba. The United Nations proposed a two state-solution: an Israeli State, and a Palestinian State, with Jerusalem as a middle-ground.
In the 75 years since then, the government of Israel has repeatedly ignored the UN two-state solution, and has continually sent its citizens into the West Bank to set-up establishments to effectively colonise the area for Israel. We are not blaming Jewish people for taking up an offer by their government to improve their own lives; but we do take issue with people who aren’t from the area moving to further an idea of a homeland and displacing others.
The Torah describes the Land of Israel as being gifted by God to his people, and as such is a crucial part of Jewish identity and religion; but what we have seen from the Israeli Government is not any return to a homeland - it is genocide in the name of Zionism.
Zionism is not a part of Jewish law, but is instead a nationalist movement that emerged in the 19th-Century, which requires the colonisation of Palestine. It is a wolf in sheep’s clothing that misappropriates Jewish identity and abuses generational traumas from horrors of the past to justify its actions.
This genocide is being carried out by the Israeli Military, a body funded by the same white supremacy responsible for antisemitism. It is a body dedicated to colonising the area of Palestine for an exclusive Jewish state, funded by those who don’t see value in cultural or religious diversity. We criticise those who are now travelling over from other countries to take part in their efforts, and for the government in providing military aid - the response upon Gaza is not at all equal and are war crimes.
Hamas and Palestine
Hamas, whilst being a terrorist organisation, is the governing body of Gaza - but that does not mean it represents the people of the city. With the last election being held in 2006, and nearly half of the population being under-18, it is unjust and incorrect to blame the actions of Hamas on Palestinians.
Despite this, we must see past a black and white view, and understand that one man’s terrorist organisation may be another’s liberator. Palestine must be free of Hamas - they are not a politically, religiously, or culturally homogenous group - but in order for that to happen Israel must respect international law and Palestine must be free.
This is not an easy discussion, and the killing of civilians is never justified, but one must recognise that the Palestinian resistance was an inevitable, desperate breakout from a concentration camp. A camp that contains 2.3 million people, half of whom are children, who have been contained for the past 16 years, starved of food, water, electricity, and much more, whilst having seen 4 unequal Israeli attacks upon their city.
Antisemitism in Australia
Every time discussions about Israel and Palestine arise, there are people who raise issue with criticising Israel, as it can be perceived as being antisemitic.
Let us be clear: It is not anti-Jewish to protest the crimes of the Israeli Government.
The message of “Free Palestine” is not one of violence against Jewish people; it is one of anti-racism, pushing against the government that oppresses those people - we do not conflate the idea of a people with their government. We must see the humanity in people, and we need the arts in order to do that - seeing their culture, their art, their food, their music: these are things we all share and can appreciate about others.
We criticise the vast majority of Australian media, and the governments of Australia, for not taking a principled stance and calling out Israel for what it is doing. Despite the overwhelming number of Palestinians who have died from attacks by the Israeli Government and Military, the Western world only seems to pay attention when Israelis are killed.
Their continued silence and skirting around the issue enables the Israeli Government to continue in pushing Palestinians out of their country, emboldens both Islamophobes and Antisemites, and shows a contempt to international law and peace by allowing a genocide. By threatening legal and police action, the governments of Australia are trying to intimidate those who wish to rally in support of Palestine and protest against the governments’ inaction, and it is an appalling abuse of power.
We strongly condemn the actions taken by a small minority that made anti-semitic chants at the rally in support of Palestine at the Opera House on Monday 9 October. The Opera House is meant to be a place to a place to bring people together, share ideas, and celebrate culture - lighting it in the colours of the Israeli flag was not that, nor were the anti semitic chants by that small group at the rally.
Jewish people have been attacked from all sides throughout history - that is a fact. They have been blamed, they have been killed, they have been pushed out. But this generational trauma should inform compassion instead of inciting violence. Whilst it is easy to use pain to fuel anger, one can also use it to help them understand the suffering of others, and try to prevent unnecessary suffering from occurring.
Our call is this: let us see humanity, support those under attack, and respect and value peace.