Nick McKenzie says the Royal Commission is coming late in the piece

A Sydney-based legal expert, Rita Jabri Markwell, recently clashed with Royal Commission Commissioner Virginia Bell AC SC during her testimony on antisemitism. Jabri Markwell questioned the legitimacy of the state of Israel, arguing that its existence relies on unlawful occupation, apartheid, and genocide. She also expressed concerns that Zionism, a movement advocating for Jewish self-determination, exhibits dehumanization and other characteristics associated with violent extremism.

Commissioner Bell pressed Jabri Markwell about her views, asking her whether she believes the state of Israel should be considered legitimate, particularly in reference to the UN General Assembly's recognition of the state in 1948. Jabri Markwell maintained that any state employing the aforementioned practices could not be deemed legitimate.

The Commissioner then referred to a Substack post Jabri Markwell had written, where she argued that Zionism displays traits of violent extremism due to its propensity for dehumanizing others. Jabri Markwell explained that her work with the University of Queensland led her to this conclusion, as dehumanization is a defining feature of extremist movements.

During the exchange, Jabri Markwell also addressed an article by previous commission witness Mia Kline, who claimed she was dismissed from her university accommodation due to her Zionist beliefs. Jabri Markwell expressed sympathy for Kline's story, emphasizing their shared values of peace, coexistence, and dignity for Palestinians.

However, she struggled to reconcile these sentiments with her understanding of Zionism as an ideology that led to the violent creation of the state of Israel, and the subsequent denial of Palestinian human dignity and rights.