SYDNEY — The Australia Palestine Advocacy Network was refused leave to appear before the royal commission on antisemitism and social cohesion at its first block of public hearings in Sydney. The commission confirmed that the network, the peak body for Palestinians in Australia, had applied to appear at hearing block 1 but that leave was not granted.

The solicitor assisting the commission told the network that commissioner Virginia Bell was not satisfied it had a direct and substantial interest in the hearing scope. The network had made detailed submissions on antisemitism, racism, and social cohesion. It will be given the opportunity to respond in writing at the end of hearing block 1.

"We are profoundly disappointed by this decision. The Australian Palestinian community and its allies deserve the same democratic access as any other group," Australia Palestine Advocacy Network President Nasser Mashni said.

Mashni also said: "Excluding our voices at a time when Palestinians face a surge in racism and vilification – as documented by the recent report from our anti-Palestinian racism register – sends a devastating and deeply alienating message about who belongs and who doesn't and whose suffering counts and whose doesn't. This is entirely inconsistent with and counterproductive to calls for social cohesion."

The network's 259-page submission included testimony from professors Ilan Pappe, Shaul Magid, and Noura Erakat. It said criticism of Israel was routinely misrepresented as antisemitic, and argued that conflating antisemitism with anti-Zionism is counterproductive to tackling antisemitism and delegitimises criticism of Israel's policies and actions. The submission stated that such conflation diverts attention from bona fide examples of antisemitism, which is harmful to Jewish Australians.

The inquiry's first block of hearings, before Bell, is focused on defining antisemitism, its historical and contemporary manifestations, and its current impact on Jewish Australians. The first week of hearings heard testimony from witnesses, including from Jewish groups such as the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, that being Jewish in Australia was being unfairly conflated with support for the actions and policies of the government of Israel. Hearing block 1 ran ahead of schedule, with some hearing days vacated.

Julie Nathan, the council's research director, said in testimony that pro-Palestinian protest material could be considered examples of Jew hatred depending on context. "Criticism of Israel is not inherently antisemitic, even though a lot of it is incredibly offensive," Nathan said.