{{short description|Australian physician (born 1959)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} '''Jamal Rifi''' (born 16 June 1959{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}) is a Lebanese-born Australian general practitioner in Sydney. He is known for his ardent support of the Australian Labor Party candidate, Tony Burke, during the 2025 Australian Federal Election.
==Biography== Born in Lebanon, Rifi moved to Australia at the age of 24 to study medicine.<ref>SBS News (23 August 2013). "[https://www.sbs.com.au/news/what-s-in-it-for-me-doctor What's in it for me? Doctor]". Retrieved 28 July 2018.</ref> Rifi has been acknowledged for his work in trying to prevent the radicalisation of young Muslims in Sydney and has been praised for his community work;<ref name =rifi1>{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-09/sydney-gp-jamal-rifis-brave-stance-against-islamic-state/6288382 | title=Sydney GP Jamal Rifi's 'brave' stance against Islamic State and the radicalisation of young people |author=d'Souza, Ges|date=9 March 2015|work=ABC News|accessdate=4 April 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/muslim-leaders-need-keyboard-warriors-to-help-fight-islamic-state-20150127-12z9vw.html |title=Muslim leaders need 'keyboard warriors' to help fight Islamic State |first1=Deborah |last1=Snow |first2=Rachel |last2=Olding |date=27 January 2015|work=Sydney Morning Herald|accessdate=4 April 2015}}</ref> however, he has also been criticised and received death threats, including from terrorist Mohamed Elomar, who once tweeted that he would give money to people who helped intimidate Rifi, whom he described as a "Habashi dog", and his family.<ref name = rifi1/><ref>{{cite news|author1=Mark Schliebs|author2=Gina Rushton|title=Home-grown killer threatens outspoken GP Jamal Rifi|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/defence/homegrown-killer-threatens-outspoken-gp-jamal-rifi/story-e6frg8yo-1227023576117|accessdate=5 October 2015|work=The Australian|date=14 August 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/muslim-leader-dr-jamal-rifi-offers-to-pay-islamic-radicals-to-leave-nation/story-fni0cx12-1227039348292 |title=Muslim leader Dr Jamal Rifi offers to pay Islamic radicals to leave nation |author=Van den Broeke, Leigh|date=28 August 2014|work=Daily Telegraph|accessdate=4 April 2015}}</ref>
He has strongly criticised the content some of the material sold in Islamic bookshops, saying that it is better to discuss these issues rather than banning books.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/national/peddling-pages-of-barbaric-savagery-islamic-shops-still-selling-female-mutilation-books/story-fnpn0zn5-1227125017909 |title=Peddling pages of barbaric savagery: Islamic shops still selling female mutilation books |first1=Janet |last1=Fife-Yeomans |first2=Matthew |last2=Benns |date=17 November 2014|work=The Daily Telegraph|accessdate=7 April 2015}}</ref>
In 2010, he was a national finalist as ''Australia's Local Hero'' for the Australian of the Year.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.australianoftheyear.org.au/recipients/jamal-rifi/300/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200927032933/https://australianoftheyear.org.au/recipients/jamal-rifi/300/|url-status=dead|archive-date=27 September 2020|title=Dr Jamal Rifi |date=2009|work=Australian of the Year|accessdate=7 February 2022}}</ref> Subsequently in January 2015 he was chosen by ''The Australian'' newspaper as its alternate Australian of the Year.<ref name="austyear">{{cite news|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/australian-of-the-year-jamal-rifi-our-shared-values-must-unite-us-all/story-fnboyn5s-1227195298477 |title=Australian of the Year Jamal Rifi: 'Our shared values must unite us all' |author=Robinson, Natasha|date=24 January 2015|work=The Australian|accessdate=4 April 2015}}</ref> When he was announced as the winner, he was praised by senior politician Scott Morrison who said that Rifi is a "great Australian".<ref name="austyear"/>
In October 2015, Rifi was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Canberra.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.canberra.edu.au/about-uc/media/media-releases/2015/september/university-of-canberra-graduations-october-2015|title = University of Canberra Graduations October 2015|date = 30 September 2015}}</ref>
In 2017, Rifi was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia.<ref>Ritchie, Emily (12 June 2017)."[https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/queens-birthday-honours-list-2017-jamal-rifi-am-wants-to-protect-all-families/news-story/a9ccb4a8445cf5b6a35522e57c467315 Queen's Birthday Honours 2017: Jamal Rifi AM wants to protect all families]". ''The Australian''. Retrieved 28 July 2018.</ref>
In 2021, Rifi was sentenced in absentia to 10 years imprisonment by the Lebanese military tribunal for "collaborating with Israel" through his work with Project Rozana, which helps provide medical training for Palestinian medical workers and helps organise the transfer of Palestinian patients to hospitals in Israel. Rifi blamed this on the "corrupt" Lebanese government, and more specifically, Hezbollah.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-08-24/jamal-rifi-sentenced-by-lebanese-military-tribunal-in-absentia/100403548 | title=Doctor working on Australia's COVID front line sentenced to jail in Lebanon | newspaper=ABC News | date=24 August 2021 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.the961.com/lebanese-australian-rifi-sentenced-medical-aid-palestinian-israel/ | title=Lebanese-Australian Doctor Sentenced to Jail for "Collaborating w/ Israel" After Getting Medical Aid for Palestinians | date=24 August 2021 }}</ref>
He is the brother of Lebanese politician Ashraf Rifi.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/lebanon-gives-doctor-10-years-in-absentia-for-working-with-israel-on-medical-aid/ | title=Lebanon gives doctor 10 years in absentia for working with Israel on medical aid | website=The Times of Israel }}</ref>
==See also== *Islam in Australia
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rifi, Jamal}} Category:1959 births Category:Australian general practitioners Category:Australian Sunni Muslims Category:Lebanese emigrants to Australia Category:Lebanese Sunni Muslims Category:Living people Category:Medical doctors from Sydney