Sydney Library Pulls Controversial Gaza Book After Survivor Complaint

Waverley Library, which serves Bondi Junction and surrounding eastern-Sydney suburbs, withdrew the book *How to Sell a Genocide: The Media’s Complicity in the Destruction of Gaza* following a complaint from a survivor of the December Bondi Beach mass-shooting that left 15 people dead. The survivor posted on Facebook that seeing the title on the “new-release” shelf was distressing.

The Guardian

Earlier this year the New South Wales parliament amended the state’s Library Act to strengthen protections against campaigns to ban books. The arts minister, John Graham, said the change was intended to guard against a wave of bans similar to those reported in the United States. The removal occurred roughly two months after that legislative amendment.

The Independent

“The book has been removed from library shelves for review, and council will further consider processes to ensure closer oversight of book selection.” — Waverley council spokesperson. The council noted that, like most public libraries, it outsources book curation, ordering and purchasing, meaning council officers did not directly choose the title.

The Independent

Mayor Will Nemesh and special minister of state John Graham were identified by critics as officials who would need to explain whether a permanent removal would breach the amended Library Act. The council has not yet commented on those expectations.

The Guardian

Bart Shteinman, an executive member of the progressive Jewish Council of Australia, described the removal as “deeply alarming,” arguing that public libraries should host a range of views, including works on “Israel’s widely-condemned war crimes.”

The Independent

Nasser Mashni, president of the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network, asserted that the term “genocide” is used to describe the scale and intent of the conflict in Gaza, not to offend, and that libraries have a duty to provide access to challenging material “Gaza’s population is facing engineered famine, and all of its hospitals and universities have been destroyed. The word genocide is not being used to offend anyone. It is being used because it describes the scale and intent of what is happening.” — Nasser Mashni.

The Guardian

“They seem to be objecting largely based on the title using the word ‘genocide’,” — Adam Johnson, american writer.

The Guardian

• “The book has been removed from library shelves for review, and council will further consider processes to ensure closer oversight of book selection.” — Waverley council spokesperson

The Guardian

• “They seem to be objecting largely based on the title using the word ‘genocide’,” — Adam Johnson, american writer

The Guardian

• “Gaza’s population is facing engineered famine, and all of its hospitals and universities have been destroyed. The word genocide is not being used to offend anyone. It is being used because it describes the scale and intent of what is happening.” — Nasser Mashni

The Guardian