The Australian and New Zealand Mental Health Association (ANZMHA) rescinded an invitation to an Israeli聽social worker聽and member of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) to address its Frontline Mental Health Conference聽after a public campaign, including by .
Moshe Farchi is a serving Lieutenant Colonel.
Participants and Palestinian advocacy groups petitioned ANZMHA to withdraw Farchi鈥檚 invitation聽to present.聽He was told by conference organisers that, while his expenses would be covered, his session was cancelled due to perceived threats to safety of conference聽attendees.
A member of the Australia Palestine Mental Health Network (APMHN), who wants聽to remain anonymous said: 鈥淏esides the immorality of hosting a member of a genocide military force, it would be deeply intolerable for any Palestinian subjected to the intergenerational trauma inflicted by the state of Israel to be lectured about trauma by someone complicit in the current attempted genocide.鈥
Farchi also heads the social work department at Tel-Hai Academic College in Israel. While in Australia he spoke at several events presented by the Zionist Federation of Australia (ZFA).
Jeremy Leibler, ZFA president, . 鈥淭he intimidation tactics that led to the cancellation were bred in antisemitism. Those behind this move object to the existence of the world鈥檚 only Jewish state.鈥
Robert Gregory, the Australian Jewish Association CEO, also said in a media release that the barring was 鈥渞eminiscent of Nazi boycotts of Jewish academics鈥.
APMHN spokesperson said 鈥渢he conflation of anti-Zionism and antisemitism is a 鈥 way for Zionists to smear anyone speaking out against Israel鈥檚 brutality and occupation of Gaza.
鈥淭his is evident in the huge outpouring of support and advocacy for a free Palestine has been headed by many Jewish voices that are anti-Zionist.
鈥淭his has nothing to do with anti-Semitism ... Moshe is an active member of the IDF, which is conducting the most depraved military campaign, causing what veteran aid workers have called the worst crisis they have ever worked in.
鈥淲e welcome the decision of the conference organisers to withdraw the speaker invitation.
鈥淲e consider this a small win for a Free Palestine and a move of solidarity for Palestinians and pro-Palestinians alike.鈥
They said the pressure they were able to exert 鈥渢hrough public awareness and organising a petition sends a strong message to mental health institutions that we will not tolerate silence or careless actions that affirm Israeli propaganda and brutality鈥 in one of the darkest times in human history.
They also said that while most world leaders support Israel鈥檚 genocide, the vast majority of the world supports Palestine.
鈥淭his action is a clear message 鈥 Zionist artists, academics and professionals from any expertise are not welcome anywhere in the world.鈥