Michelle Berkon, from Jews Against the Occupation '48, gave the following speech at a rally against the adoption of the Groups of Eight (Go8) definition of antisemitism, called by Students Against War at the University of Sydney on March 3.

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I’ll begin with a reminder, for the Zionists in the audience, of what antisemitism is. I grew up surrounded by adults with blue numbers tattooed on their forearms. My primary school teacher relentlessly picked on the three Jewish kids in her class.

My high school refused to discipline a girl who punched me in the nose because I was Jewish. When I was in my 20s, a man beside me on the bus lamented audibly to his friend that it was a pity Hitler didn’t burn us all. I know what antisemitism is. And I know what it is not.

See also

It’s distressing to see swastikas and hateful graffiti on synagogues. But let’s not confuse that with the cynical weaponisation of that distress by the Israel lobby and opportunistic politicians. And in whose interest is it to fan the flames of antisemitism? It’s not mere rhetorical flourish to say that Israel thrives on it, even........

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