Opposition Leader Jess Wilson says the phrase is an
incitement to violence against Jewish people. (ABC News: Danielle Bonica)
Victorian Liberal Leader Jess Wilson is pledging to follow
Queensland's lead and outlaw the phrase "globalise the intifada" if
her party wins the state election.
Ms Wilson said her party will expand incitement of violence
laws to include the phrase, which has been used at pro-Palestine protests in
Melbourne.
The meaning of "globalise the intifada" is
contested.
The word "intifada" means "shaking off"
in Arabic and has been used to refer to two periods of violent Palestinian
protest against Israel.
Many in the Jewish community argue use of the term is
hateful and a call for violence.
Ms Wilson said the phrase will be banned if her party wins
government.
"When I see these protests on the streets of Melbourne,
I see these people yelling 'globalise the intifada', that is inciting violence
against our Jewish community," she told 774 ABC Melbourne.
"We need to take the temperature down, and that's
exactly why, if we are elected, we will change the law."
Ms Wilson said there was no justification for using the
phrase during demonstrations.
"We have families not wanting to come into the CBD on
weekends, we have the Jewish community not coming into the CBD on the
weekend," she said.
"Enough is enough."
Libertarian MP David Limbrick criticised the Coalition's plan to ban the phrase, saying it would set a "dangerous precedent" for free speech.
"If someone's been inciting violence or threatening
people, then we already have the laws to deal with that," Mr Limbrick
said.
"Setting a precedent of making specific phrases certain
words illegal is a really dangerous precedent, and we shouldn't go down that
path."
Mr Limbrick said the proposed laws would also encourage more
people to use the phrase, pointing to the example of white supremacist Jacob Hersant who performed the Nazi salute in front of the
County Court in 2023, just days after Victorian laws banning the gesture came
into effect.
"This will make things worse. There'll be a rush to
become the first martyr as soon as these laws come in," Mr Limbrick said.
The Queensland Liberal government passed legislation earlier
this year to ban the phrases "globalise the intifada" and "from
the river to the sea", deeming the phrases antisemitic.
A group of pro-Palestinian protesters mounted a High Court challenge to the laws after more than
20 people were charged under Queensland laws.
Former Australian of the Year, Grace Tame, faced criticism
from Jewish leaders, as well as federal MPs and the NSW premier, for leading
chants of the phrase at a rally in Sydney in February.