Invited Israeli trauma expert uninvited by Gold Coast conference
Dr Moshe Farchi travelled from Israel to attend the Frontline Mental Health Conference at the Gold Coast only to learn that he had been uninvited and his hotel room cancelled.
Dr Moshe Farchi
It is understood that the organisers his appearance would pose a threat.
In an email to Dr Farchi, the Australian & New Zealand Mental Health Association wrote: “The influx of communications and protest-related information we’ve received in the past 24 hours has necessitated that we prioritise our duty of care above all else.
Regrettably, we must inform you that we are unable to accommodate your attendance and have consequently cancelled your registration for the Frontline Mental Health Conference.
We are prepared to cover the costs of your planned accommodation for the conference, conference registration and domestic flights to and from the Gold Coast.”
Samantha Collingridge, General Manager of AST Management, the conference organisers, said that on Friday, her company began receiving a high volume of online abuse and telephone calls from protestors and activists regarding the attendance of Dr Moshe Farchi at the Frontline Mental Health Conference.
She added: “This continued throughout the weekend. Our security expert advised us that, based on the volume and nature of the abuse, there was insufficient time to conduct a thorough risk assessment at the hotel to ensure the safety of the 280-plus conference attendees. Dr Farchi was scheduled to speak at the conference today (March 4).
As the conference organisers, our first priority is the safety of all participants, including Dr Farchi. We have a legal duty of care to provide a safe and secure conference. Based on this duty of care, and in the interests of safety only, we made the decision to cancel Dr Farchi’s registration.”
Sam Stewart, the CEO of the Australia New Zealand Mental Health Association, said: “As the conference organisers, AST Management advised us they were not confident of being able to provide a safe environment for our attendees, and they made the decision to cancel Dr Farchi’s registration. The association has not taken a position on the current conflict between Palestine and Israel.”
Dr Farchi is the founder and the Head of the Stress, Trauma and Resilience Studies in the department in of Social Work, Tel-Hai College a section of the Tel Aviv University.
His expertise is in emergency mental health interventions, Psychological First Aid, Psychological inoculation and other protocols for emergency PFA interventions.
Dr Farchi is a Lt. Colonel in the IDF, a senior mental health officer in the Home Front Command and the deputy commander of the Home Front Command mental health branch.
Robert Gregory, the CEO of the Australian Jewish Association said: ‘The actions of the organisers are a stain on Australia’s reputation and reminiscent of Nazi boycotts of Jewish academics.
Dr Farchi has never experienced such antisemitism in his long career in academia. Jews in Australia are experiencing a surge in antisemitism, fuelled by radical ‘Pro-Palestinian’ activists.
If there is a threat to Jews attending the conference, the organisers should have hired security, not expelled the Jewish person.
We are calling for the person who made this disgraceful decision to be fired. The Queensland Government needs to explain its continued involvement with this conference. Would they sit by if an Indigenous person, gay person, or member of any other minority was excluded from a conference they were involved with?”
ZFA President Jeremy Leibler said, “Let’s be clear, Dr Farchi wasn’t cancelled because of anything he has said or done. He was cancelled because of the threat of violence of a bigoted few. He was cancelled because conference organisers folded in the face of intimidation. The ANZMHA should immediately apologise.”
He continued, “There’s a sad irony that a mental health organisation would give in to bullying tactics. Surely these mental health experts realise that refusing to stand up to bullying results in more bullying. With this act, the ANZMHA has all but guaranteed that more intimidation and bullying will occur.”
Jeremy Leibler added: “The intimidation tactics that led to the cancellation were bred in antisemitism. Those behind this move object to the existence of the world’s only Jewish state.
“Beyond the appalling treatment metered out to Dr Farchi in the face of bullying, conference organisers have also denied conference participants the opportunity to benefit from Israeli experiences and expertise. This kind of boycott activity is always self-defeating.”
Dr Farchi was invited six months ago.
The decision to cancel Dr Farchi was given the green light by the Australia & New Zealand Mental Health Association, according to the ZFA.
Moshe Farchi was a guest of Zionism Victoria last week in Melbourne.
He spoke at two events, one for Jewish community members and one for mental health professionals.
On Friday morning, Dr Farchi was contacted by the ANZMHA and, citing safety concerns, was informed his participation had been cancelled.
Zeddy Lawrence, executive director of Zionism Victoria said It followed a campaign by pro-Palestinian activists to have his invitation rescinded.
He told J-Wire: “The feedback we had from those who attended Dr Farchi’s public address in Melbourne as well as those professionals who took part in his workshop the following day was exceptional.
What a travesty that Australian and New Zealand mental health professionals have been prevented from hearing from him.
How many people with mental health issues on these shores might have benefitted from the insights Dr Farchi could have shared with those treating them?”
He added, “What an outrageous and shameful way to treat an internationally renowned doctor who has travelled halfway around the world to address your members.
There is no excuse for kowtowing to the boycott bullies.”
AIJAC Executive Director Dr. Colin Rubenstein said, “The management of the Frontline Mental Health Conference aided and abetted the discriminatory intent of a small number of pro-Palestinian activists determined to target any and all Israelis for exclusion – even if they never say so in so many words. In caving into the demands of the activists while citing a ‘duty of care’ to conference attendees, the Frontline Mental Health Conference administration gave these activists exactly what they wanted. It was especially egregious and indefensible that this decision was taken after Dr. Farchi had already travelled to Australia to attend the conference.
He continued, “The biggest losers in this whole sorry affair were Australian frontline aid and emergency workers, who lost the ability to gain from Dr. Farchi’s unique and invaluable expertise in acute trauma and emergency mental health intervention. Forged in Israel’s unique circumstances, this is expertise and experience they are not likely to have access to from any other source.
“Australia stands to lose a great deal more if the cowardly stance – and de facto act of discrimination – by the administrators of the Frontline Mental Health Conference is not subject to strong pushback by our political and community leaders,” Dr. Rubenstein concluded.
J-Wire understands Dr Farchi is now on his way back to Israel.
Maybe the truth was they couldn’t vouch for HIS safety…….and indirectly saved His life.
I am an General Psychologist in Australia and my colleagues and I are deeply embarrassed by the conference organisers preventing Dr Farchi from presenting at their mental health conference (and even cancelling his registration at the hotel).
The conference organisers appear to have been bullied by pro Palestinian protesters, and instead of folding they should have: contacted the police and sought police assistance, and; discuss the matter with Dr Farchi.
Dr Farchi is a recognised expert and it is disgraceful he has been treated in a racist and unprofessional manner by the amateur Australia and New Zealand Mental Health Association.
Responsible and ethical mental health professionals, and many others, in Australia wish Dr Farchi well and look forward to a time, hopefully in the not too distant future, when such racism is extinguished.
Mr M John Murphy.
One of the saddest things I have heard in regard to Anti Semitism in Australia. The Palestinian mob now have a formula to exclude Jews from many parts of society – Bullying and intimidation. The police take the easier option and ban the Jew.
This is most appalling and there should be penalties imposed upon the those responsible for this decision. What stupid idiots – mental health can not improve if you give into bullies – they do not understand their own subject!
I agree. Every person involved in this shameful backdown to vile antisemitic activists should resign or be sacked. This cowardly behaviour only encourages more of the same. The failure of NSW Police to suppress and arrest all of the perpetrators on the steps of the Sydney Opera House on 9th October is the source of all this antisemitism. It gave all the subsequent demonstrators a license to protest.
Disgusting behavior from Samantha Collingridge, General Manager of AST Management and Sam Stewart, the CEO of the Australia New Zealand Mental Health Association. Both of you should not be in the positions you hold. The conference was on mental health, when on earth do you involved yourself in politics. How you have embarrased not only yourselves, but Australians in general. Dr. Moshi Farshi I am sorry that you had to be subjected to this narrow minded, bigoted behaviour.
It’s almost unbelievable that an association formed with mental health in mind – Australia New Zealand Mental Health Association – actually cancels Dr Farchi’s participation after attempted bullying and threats. Would this be the
recommendation, the way of dealing with intimidation, that any of the professionals involved with this association would see fit to ‘assist’ their patients or clients with?
What an offensive and cowardly act. And the hotel is no better. How weak. Are we going to let pro-Palestinian protesters take over the country now, from ships in ports to academics in conferences, to musicians and artists in concerts and theatres? It would seem so.
All attendees at the conference should be told what happened and, hopefully, they will want to boycott the rest of the conference.
Will the be shared outside the Jewish community?