Robert Magid, owner and publisher of the Australian Jewish News, published a controversial opinion piece about refugees and asylum-seekers on 3 August 2012.

In this article, Magid argued that there should be less compassion for asylum seekers arriving by boat to Australia. He argued that 'the Jews who fled the Holocaust fled certain death. I doubt there is a single boat person in that situation.'  This of course, flies in the face of the consistent finding that most boat arrivals in Australia are proven to be refugees, genuinely in need of protection of their lives. Magid made other groundless allegations against asylum seekers and stoked anti-Muslim sentiment with his comments.

We belive that asylum seekers coming to Australia deserve to be treated with fairness and compassion. They are entitled to seek protection, to be assessed for their protection needs and to live in safety and dignity during that assessment process.

Robert Magid is standing by his article. He has said: ''I think the majority of people agree with me but they are not willing to come out and say what I am prepared to say. It is a very cogent statement.''

Tell Robert Magid and the world that you don't agree. Speak out against the xenophobic sentiments expressed in his article.

ACTIONS YOU CAN TAKE:

- You Do Not Speak For Me is an article written by Kerri Sackville, rebutting Robert Magid. Add your comment to the article.

- The Australian Jewish Democratic Society has initiated an Open Letter to Robert Magid, rebutting his arguments. Add your support to the letter.