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Publication: Daily Telegraph
By: Robert Gregory, Director of Public Affairs, Australian Jewish Association
A Jewish group has called on the Minns Government to discipline a NSW Government employee after social media accounts in his name were used to make extremist posts in support of terrorist groups, denying that Israeli hostages were raped and calling for more terrorist rockets to be fired at Israeli civilians.
Mahmoud Elmaadawy — a program manager at the NSW Department of Service, also had inflammatory postings on his LinkedIn account, underneath his official government work details, sparking concern in the Jewish community.
The Australian Jewish Association says the Minns Government needs to “call out extremism within its own ranks”.
On January 25 on X, formerly Twitter, the social media account in the name of Mahmoud Elmaadawy tweeted that: “It must be tasty like grilled IDF soldiers” in response to a social media post condemning a new Jordanian restaurant opening up with the name “October 7”.
The account also commented in response to a tweet from the Australian Jewish Association, about the death of 10 Israeli solders when two buildings collapsed, saying: “May the numbers rise more and more Amen”, and included a prayer emoji.
On January 22 a post claimed: “ … we haven’t seen a single photo/video of one Israeli child murdered. Emily the kid who was held hostage with her mum was smiling and waving goodbye to resistance soldiers. Her mom even wrote a message to Hamas” and was followed by a laughing emoji.
Other social media postings include a comment on a map showing a barrage of rockets fired by Hamas on Israel, with the comment: “May resistance send more and more for all the civilians who died in Gaza Amen.”
Mr Elmaadawy’s official Linked In account posted – in response to a thread discussing his boss — Customer Service Minister Jihad Diab being a Muslim: “I don’t think you need to be a Muslim to speak up and talk about the genocide and war crimes IDF is committing against civilians, you just need to be human!”
Australian Jewish Association chief executive Robert Gregory said Jewish people felt uncomfortable about seeing such posts alongside the name of a NSW Government Department. He called for him to be disciplined.
He also pointed out that the department’s own social media rules for public interaction forbade the public from making political or offensive comments.
“It’s politically easy to condemn a handful of neo-Nazi thugs for marching but it’s crucial that the NSW Government calls out extremism within it’s ranks,” he said.
“To see the name of a NSW Government Department appear alongside hateful and extremist posts would make Jewish Australians feel very uncomfortable.
“Free speech is a cherished value but calling for proscribed terrorist groups to fire missiles at innocent civilians, crosses the line.
“It’s notable that the department doesn’t allow offensive content from customers, when interacting with it on social media. The community would expect that the department’s staff would set a good example.
Controversial social media postings on a Twitter account in the Mahmoud Elmaadawy, saying: “It must be tasty like grilled IDF soldiers”. Photo: Supplied,
On January 22 a post claimed: “ … we haven’t seen a single photo/video of one Israeli child murdered. Emily the kid who was held hostage with her mum was smiling and waving goodbye to resistance soldiers. Her mom even wrote a message to Hamas” and was followed by a laughing emoji.
Other social media postings include a comment on a map showing a barrage of rockets fired by Hamas on Israel, with the comment: “May resistance send more and more for all the civilians who died in Gaza Amen.”
Mr Elmaadawy’s official Linked In account posted – in response to a thread discussing his boss — Customer Service Minister Jihad Diab being a Muslim: “I don’t think you need to be a Muslim to speak up and talk about the genocide and war crimes IDF is committing against civilians, you just need to be human!”
Australian Jewish Association chief executive Robert Gregory said Jewish people felt uncomfortable about seeing such posts alongside the name of a NSW Government Department. He called for him to be disciplined.
He also pointed out that the department’s own social media rules for public interaction forbade the public from making political or offensive comments.
“It’s politically easy to condemn a handful of neo-Nazi thugs for marching but it’s crucial that the NSW Government calls out extremism within it’s ranks,” he said.
“To see the name of a NSW Government Department appear alongside hateful and extremist posts would make Jewish Australians feel very uncomfortable.
“Free speech is a cherished value but calling for proscribed terrorist groups to fire missiles at innocent civilians, crosses the line.
“It’s notable that the department doesn’t allow offensive content from customers, when interacting with it on social media. The community would expect that the department’s staff would set a good example.
A posting by the account of Mahmoud Elmaadawy, stating in response to terrorist rockets being launched on Israel: “May resistance send more and more for all the civilians who died in Gaza, Amen.” which the Australian Jewish Association says could breach public servant social posting rules. Photo: Supplied,
Other social media postings include a comment on a map showing a barrage of rockets fired by Hamas on Israel, with the comment: “May resistance send more and more for all the civilians who died in Gaza Amen.”
Australian Jewish Association chief executive Robert Gregory said Jewish people felt uncomfortable about seeing such posts alongside the name of a NSW Government Department. He called for him to be disciplined.
He also pointed out that the department’s own social media rules for public interaction forbade the public from making political or offensive comments.
“It’s politically easy to condemn a handful of neo-Nazi thugs for marching but it’s crucial that the NSW Government calls out extremism within it’s ranks,” he said.
“To see the name of a NSW Government Department appear alongside hateful and extremist posts would make Jewish Australians feel very uncomfortable.
“Free speech is a cherished value but calling for proscribed terrorist groups to fire missiles at innocent civilians, crosses the line.
“It’s notable that the department doesn’t allow offensive content from customers, when interacting with it on social media. The community would expect that the department’s staff would set a good example.
