Australian Jewish Democratic Society

AJDS takes an active role in presenting an alternative viewpoint within the Australian Jewish community and to the community at large. It has taken positions opposing the Gaza Siege and the Occupation, including settlements, and is outspoken in support of civil rights in Israel and the occupied territories. However, it has made clear that its opposition is not to the state of Israel, but to the politics of successive Israeli governments, the settler movement, as well as the move to extremism in Palestinian organisations.

During the Gulf War, it argued in favour of the military removal of Iraqi forces from Kuwait. AJDS launched a petition, calling on Australians of different viewpoints to oppose any local manifestations of racism or ethnic or religious discrimination linked to the Middle East crisis. Following the conclusion of the Gulf War, AJDS renewed its call for political negotiations and mutual recognition between Israel and the Palestinians leading to the satisfaction of both Israeli security requirements and Palestinian national rights.

In 1997, AJDS called on the Israeli Government to accept territorial compromise, and to recognise the right of the Palestinians to a State of their own and more recently, has strongly opposed the actions in Gaza, Lebanon and elsewhere. On 1 June 2010, it issued a strong statement against Israeli action against Israeli actions in the Gaza Flotilla clash, calling it an act of terror and saying that "Unless the Israeli government can convincingly back up its claims that the Gaza aid convoy was not a project for delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza, but in reality a front for violent action, it invites the condemnation of everyone who supports negotiated conflict resolution and reinforces the view that Israel's professed support for human rights is a sham."[3]

In addition to frequently expressing views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the AJDS also promotes cooperation with broader social groups on a range of issues.

As part of its platform, the organisation has stated that "We in AJDS believe that in a genuinely multicultural society like Australia, Jews should be concerned with Indigenous rights and the rights of other minorities. We have all complained at some time about the indifference of the world to the plight of the Jewish people at their most horrific period in human history. Neither can we then ignore the plight of other minorities".

Despite a vociferous campaign against its right to representation, in the 1990s, the AJDS succeeded in become an affiliate of the Jewish Community Council of Victoria.

The organisation has traditionally attempted to work with the following value, that it works with and represents

• A pluralistic Jewish community, by encouraging contributions from a wide range of viewpoints and perspectives
• A Judaism that grants equality of expression and participation to all streams of Jewish thought.
• The traditional Jewish concept of Tikkun Olam: "Heal, repair, and transform the world"
• A specifically Jewish approach to the issues of Peace and Social Justice.
• Recognition of the rights of Palestinians and Israelis to live in peace in their own lands
• Jewish concerns with the continuing struggle against all expressions of racism
• The interrelationship of the Jewish community with the rest of Australian society.

Most recently, the organisation has stated its objectives "to be a legitimate and responsible progressive Jewish voice raising awareness amongst policy and decision makers, political parties, social media, progressive Palestinian organisations, and thinking Jews about our three core issues – climate change, the middle east and social justice."

On 8 August 2010, the AJDS became the first Australian community-affiliated Jewish organisation to adopt the view that some boycotts of Israel may indeed be justified. Unlike the BDS position on Israel, the AJDS wants to concentrate on those who profit from the occupation. The decision[4] culminated a 16-month process of discussion and expression of a wide range of views in its Newsletter.

The resolution thus rejected the Palestinian civil society version of Boycotts, Divestments and Sanctions (BDS): "The AJDS is opposed to any Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign aimed at the breadth of Israeli economic, cultural or intellectual activity". The AJDS only supports "selected BDS actions designed to bring about an end to the Israeli occupation, blockade and settlement on Palestinian lands lying outside of the June 1967 Israeli borders."

While not reversing the AJDS's long-term opposition to blanket academic boycotts, the AJDS envisaged boycotting "specific Israeli academics openly supportive of the Occupation." The organisation made it plain that nevertheless decision on any action would still need to be taken on a case-by-case basis.

In early 2013, AJDS also launched a Don't Buy Settlements Products campaign.[5] In response to hostile statements from the Jewish Community Council of Victoria, the AJDS issued a statement[6] in which it said that "The JCCV, as the roof body of the Jewish community in Victoria, must recognise that our community is large and complex. There are innumerable different versions of Jewishness, Judaism, and relationships to Israel contained within it. It is not the role of the JCCV, or the different affiliates, to police what is an acceptable expression of Jewishness or Zionism. The JCCV should be focused on fostering an open, inclusive and dynamic Jewish community. Disaffiliating, or sanctioning, the AJDS would be a step in the wrong direction for a diverse, and politically pluralistic Victorian Jewish community, and for Jewish communities around the world."

On 15 May 2011, an op-ed from the AJDS was published in leading Australian newspapers including the Melbourne Age[7] and the Sydney Morning Herald. The article urged the Australian government to support a resolution in favour of the establishment of the state of Palestine at the UN General Assembly in September 2011.

• Official website