Israel-IS conspiracy jibe slammed

VICTORIA’S Education Minister and his Liberal shadow have both condemned the comments of a Melbourne Muslim college principal who has claimed Islamic State (IS) is an Israeli-American conspiracy.

An assertion by Omar Hallak, principal of Al-Taqwa College, the largest Islamic school in Victoria, was reported in The Age on Monday, with Hallak stating Western countries, including the US and Israel, “trained and equipped” IS in order to control oil in the Middle East. “We don’t believe Muslims are creating IS,” he said.

Hallak went on to say that although he did not explicitly mention these countries to students, he did tell them Western countries were behind the formation of IS. “In the mosque, we talk to them many times. We show them evidence it’s not linked to Islam.”

The principal’s comments could “muddy” a positive image of Islam imparted to students, the Islamic Council of Victoria stated. However, Victorian government and opposition figures, and Jewish leaders, were more emphatic about Hallak’s comments and the danger that they could incite young students to join violent, jihadist movements at home and abroad.

Education Minister James Merlino called the comments “dangerous and reckless”.

He told The AJN: “The best way to tackle radicalisation is through education. The fact that these comments are coming from a principal makes the situation even more concerning. Young people are impressionable and that is why we should be promoting harmony at all times. A great example of this was seen on Sunday night with the Jewish–Muslim Friendship Dinner. I applaud the Jewish Community Council of Victoria and the Islamic Council of Victoria for taking this initiative.”

Liberal education spokesperson Nick Wakeling told The AJN: “Victoria is a diverse multicultural community and we will not tolerate the inciting of hatred through propaganda towards any group, including the Jewish community, for any means.”

Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) president Robert Goot said it was “astonishing that anyone charged with the responsibility of being the principal of a major school which receives government funding should be so far out of touch with reality. It is also deeply concerning that the children at that school are being indoctrinated with outlandish conspiracy theories as part of their ‘education’.”

Goot called on the federal government to establish quality-assurance programs to vouch for the pastoral training and education of religious leaders and for the content of extra-curricular programs at religious schools to counter sources of violent extremism. “Like all quality-assurance programs, participation would be voluntary but the results would be made public and it would send a signal to the community.”

Zionist Federation of Australia president Dr Danny Lamm described Hallak’s claim as “totally without any foundation … it’s part of a continual attempt to demonise Israel, calling on the most outrageous claims to do so”.

B’nai B’rith Anti-Defamation Commission chair Dr Dvir Abramovich said he was “concerned that this could potentially lead to incitement and violence against the Jewish community”.

Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council executive director Dr Colin Rubenstein said: “Bizarre conspiracy theories such as these are extremely detrimental to the fabric of our multicultural society, especially when they come from someone who holds a position of respect and prominence, and with the capacity to greatly influence so many of our youth who would naturally look up to him and assume that there is merit and truth in his every word.”

PETER KOHN

Omar Hallak.