Lakemba mosque breaks tradition by not inviting any MPs to the annual Eid prayer

An estimated 40,000 Muslims attended this morning’s Eid prayer at Lakemba Mosque after 30 days of fasting in Ramadan (ABC News: Amal Wehbe)

Thousands of Muslims have gathered at Sydney’s Lakemba Mosque for the morning Eid prayer, and there’s not a single politician in sight.

It’s not because they couldn’t make it. It’s because they weren’t invited.

Lakemba Mosque is one of Australia’s biggest and typically on the first day of Eid, when Muslims gather for the morning prayer after a month of fasting in Ramadan, you’d spot the PM, the NSW premier, MPs, council members and an array of special guests.

But the mosque chose not to invite any politicians this year, citing growing concerns among the Muslim community about how the government is responding to the war in Gaza.

Lakemba Mosque breaks tradition

Lakemba Mosque secretary Gamel Kheir said it was an easy decision to not invite any MPs to this year’s annual Eid prayer.

“We’ve broken the tradition of inviting the politicians in support of Gaza,” he said.

“We’re making this a day of celebration with our community without the fanfare and the festivities that usually entail with the politicians.”

Since October 7, more than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed, with children making up almost a third of the casualties.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong used an address at the Australian National University on Tuesday night to announce the federal government was contemplating recognising Palestinian statehood.

She said international recognition could help “build momentum towards a two-state solution” with Israel.

“Ultimately, peace, security for Israel, will only be achieved if we have a Palestinian state alongside the Israeli state,” she said.

But Mr Kheir said there was still a growing feeling among the Arab and Muslim community the government was not adequately escalating their concerns about the war.

“The federal government has been moving more towards the compassionate side and we’d like to thank them for that,” he said.

“But we don’t think it’s gone far enough. There has to be a demand for a ceasefire by Australia taking the lead.”

‘The community sense that we’ve been alienated’

This mood is having rippling effects in the Muslim community and the broader political landscape.

Mr Kheir said there was a lot of heat in the community currently, and he didn’t think it would fade soon.

“The community senses that we’ve been alienated, and the feeling of compassion for the people of Gaza is not there,” he said.

Last month, both the Victorian and NSW annual state iftar were cancelled, as the country’s peak Islamic bodies refused invitations due to the government’s response to Gaza.

A recent poll has revealed Muslims voters are turning against the Labor government over this issue.

Polling group Redbridge ran two focus groups from the Arabic and Turkish communities in safe Labor seat Calwell in Melbourne, and found they were ready to swing against the government at the next election.

The ABC reached out to all members who usually would have received an invite to the Eid prayer, including the PM, NSW premier and state and federal representatives.

Both the state and federal MP for the electorate declined to comment, and no reply was received from the others.