Jewish organizations in Australia are demanding the dismissal of a printshop employee who refused service to a Jewish customer due to her "pro-Palestine" stance.
The incident unfolded when the customer visited an Australian Officeworks branch in Elsternwick, a suburb with a significant Jewish population, to laminate an article from the Australian Jewish News. The article featured a photo of an Israeli flag. The employee, citing her personal beliefs, refused to fulfill the request.
In a video that has gone viral, the employee is seen stating, “I’m Pro-Palestine,” and asserting her right to deny service. She expressed discomfort with the article's headline and image, ultimately refusing to proceed with the job.
Dvir Abramovich from the Anti-Defamation Commission explained that the article in question was a reflection by a local Rabbi on his visit to Israel, particularly addressing the aftermath of the October 7th atrocities.
The Melbourne Jewish community has been deeply shocked by the incident, with leaders criticizing Officeworks' response as insufficient and calling for more decisive action.
* The Jewish Chronicle contributed to this article.