University of Sydney argues academic’s article not racist against Jewish people as ‘Zionism is a political concept’

The University of Sydney has argued that an article written by a staff member that criticises Zionism was not racist against Jewish people because “Zionism is, at its core, a political concept”.

The argument was heard in the federal court on Monday as part of a racial discrimination case taken by 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 which criticised Zionism and Israel. That section of the act makes it an offence to “offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate” another person or