The Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion is a document that was created for the express purpose of vilifying Jews and inciting violence against them. Drafted in 1897 by collaborative effort of the Russian Secret Police and the French Authorities, the Protocols has been published and re-published. It is estimated that close to 300 million copies have been printed and disseminated. The Protocols has been used by every significant antisemitic movement since they were drafted. The Protocols underpinned the ideology of Nazism, were used by the Russian Authorities to incite pogroms (waves of massacres of Jewish communities). Today the Protocols has been used extensively by the Arab world to justify the attempt to annihilate Israel, which is seen as synonymous with the collective Jew.

It is well known that the only purpose of producing and reproducing the Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion is to incite antisemitism. There have been a number of cases of reproductions of the Protocols in Australia since the turn of the century. Attempts to deal with the perpetrators – both the publishing organisation and the distributors – have been unsuccessful at this point of time. Given the reality of globalisation, the availability of the Protocols to Australian readers extends beyond the machinations of Australian antisemitic groups to international sources.

Human Rights activist, Professor Anne Bayefsky will give the 25th Annual Gandel Oration, 'Antisemitism as a Human Right'. Melbourne, 6 July 2008 at 7.30 pm The Besen  Centre, Mr Scopus Memorial College. Sydney, 8 July 2008 at 7.30 pm The Great Synagogue 187a Elizabeth St. To book, email: reception@antidef.org.au or phone: (03) 9572 5770 To read more about Professor Bayefsky, click here