Bondi library removes book How to Sell a Genocide from shelves after complaint

A library in Sydney has taken down a book that discusses Israel, titled How to Sell a Genocide, after receiving a complaint. The complaint was reportedly made by someone who survived a terror attack in Bondi.

Waverley library, located in Bondi Junction, is part of the same local government area as Bondi beach. A spokesperson for Waverley council stated that the book has been removed for review. The council will also look into its processes to ensure better supervision of book selections in the future.

The spokesperson added that, like most public libraries, Waverley council does not select the books itself. Instead, this task is handled by an external company. Therefore, the council officers are not directly involved in choosing which books are ordered and purchased.

The Jewish news source JWire reported last week that they had contacted the council. This followed an incident where a survivor of an attack in Bondi in December, which was described as antisemitic and resulted in 15 deaths, saw the book displayed prominently. The survivor expressed distress on Facebook, stating that the display was upsetting for survivors and families affected by the attack.

How to Sell a Genocide examines what the author claims is the US media's involvement in the destruction of Gaza. The author, Adam Johnson, criticised the decision to remove the book. He argued that describing Israel's actions in Gaza as genocide is not an extreme or unusual viewpoint.

Johnson suggested that the objection might be mainly due to the book's title. He emphasised that the term 'genocide' was not his invention or conclusion, but rather reflects a widespread view among human rights experts and those who study such matters. He acknowledged that this reality can be upsetting, especially for the parents of the thousands of children killed in Gaza since October 2023, and questioned if the council would also remove pro-Israel books that might upset certain community members.

Bart Shteinman, an executive member of the progressive Jewish Council of Australia, described the decision to review the book as very concerning. He stated that public libraries should be accessible to everyone and should offer a variety of perspectives and subjects, including books about different family structures or discussions of war crimes.

Israel has consistently denied committing genocide in Gaza. The state of New South Wales recently passed a law aimed at better protecting libraries from efforts to ban books.

Shteinman indicated that if the council decides to permanently remove the book, the mayor and the relevant government minister should explain how this decision does not violate the new law.

Nasser Mashni, president of the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network, stated that libraries have a responsibility to provide their communities with access to a wide range of published materials, even those that might be challenging or uncomfortable. He highlighted the significant number of Palestinians killed, injured, and displaced, and the engineered famine and destruction in Gaza. Mashni stressed that the word 'genocide' is used to describe the scale and intention of events, not to cause offense.

David Shulman, a senior editor at Pluto Press, the book's publisher, described the book's analysis of events in Gaza and media coverage as extremely important public information. He praised the author, Adam Johnson, as a leading media critic whose work is thorough and evidence-based. Shulman believes the book should be widely available, especially through public libraries, which are vital for a democratic society.