Australian Jews threaten to cut ties with Muslims

Australia's Jewish community leaders threatened on Monday to cut ties with Muslim groups in an escalating battle of words after Muslim leaders criticized Israel's recent assault on the Gaza Strip and compared it to the Holocaust.

Tensions rose after the Imam of the country's biggest mosque, Sheik Taj Din al-Hilali, called Israeli leaders "butchers" and said "Zionist racism" was creating another Holocaust, prompting some Jewish leaders to call him an "ignoramus."

"When we remember the atrocities of the Holocaust -- it seems that what we are seeing is another Holocaust…It is not just about numbers of people killed -- thousands as opposed to millions -- but the atrocity itself, and here we have similar atrocities," the paper Sheik al-Hilali as saying.

The comment was backed up by the chairman of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, Ikebal Patel, who further irritated Jewish groups by saying he thought the Palestinians living in the impoverished strip had it worse than many Holocaust victims.

He said the "victims of the Holocaust [are] now perpetrating much worse atrocities against the Palestinians," the Australian newspaper reported.

When we remember the atrocities of the Holocaust -- it seems that what we are seeing is another Holocaust…It is not just about numbers of people killed -- thousands as opposed to millions -- but the atrocity itself, and here we have similar atrocities.

Sheik al-Hilali

"Patel has crossed the line into pure racism and should retract and apologize," the executive director of the Australia-Israel and Jewish Affairs Council, Colin Rubenstein, was quoted by Nine News as saying, amid growing criticism of Israel's 22-day assault that resulted in the deaths of 1,300 Palestinians and thirteen Israelis.

"For the relationships between the two faith groups to continue as they should, he [Patel] should use more temperate language and not the analogy of (the) Holocaust," President of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, Robert Goot, said.

Patel has crossed the line into pure racism and should retract and apologize.

Executive director of the Australia-Israel and Jewish Affairs Council

Patel responded to the criticism and said he believed his comment was appropriate and accurately reflected the outrage of Muslims and other Australians over the assault.

Sheik Hilali also defended himself and said: "I know that there was an oppressive, inhuman holocaust against millions of Jews…I also know that the only countries that opened their borders and welcomed the Jews to live as safe and free citizens were my Arabic and Islamic countries. "

However not all members of the Jewish community were angered and the founder of Independent Australian Jewish Voices, Antony Lowenstein, said he did not believe al-Hilali's comments were anti-Semitic and said it was important to make the distinction between anti-Semitic and anti-Israeli, The Australian reported.

Muslim's make up nearly two percent of Australia's 21 million population while there are about 120,000 Jews.

For the relationships between the two faith groups to continue as they should, he [Patel] should use more temperate language and not the analogy of (the) Holocaust

President of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry