Opinion – Australia’s Abandonment of Israel Emboldens Antisemites

The firebombing of a Melbourne synagogue highlights growing antisemitism and deepening tensions following Australia’s policy shifts on Israel

I have been in a state of shock and trauma ever since December 6, when I heard that the Adass Israel Synagogue had been firebombed in Melbourne. To compound matters, the front page of The Australian on the following Wednesday reported that Australia’s relationship with Israel had hit “rock bottom.” Antisemitism is being fueled by Australia’s realignment with regard to Israel.

Living in Israel, one is tempted to insulate oneself from what is happening to Jews throughout the diaspora. After all, there is enough upheaval transpiring here with the fighting in Gaza, Lebanon, and the unresolved fate of the hostages to occupy the mind.

However, for me, what happened in Melbourne is deeply personal. I was the leader of the Orthodox community in Melbourne and Australia for many years, and I had numerous dealings with the Adass Israel congregation. I have friends and acquaintances there.

When I visit Melbourne, after morning prayers at my synagogue, I go to Spot Café on Glen Eira Road with my son to enjoy a latte. It is literally 10 meters from the site of the firebombing. On Fridays, I buy my herring from Kraus Kosher supermarket and my chopped liver from Klein Gourmet Foods, which are both located in the same area.

Needless to say, I have followed the reports and repercussions through social media as well as the press. I was somewhat comforted by the universal condemnation of what occurred. Yet I remain in disbelief that such a horrific event could occur in a country that, prior to October 7, 2023, was a model of multicultural tolerance where Jews have been able to thrive and prosper.

Sadly, Australian Jews received a shock awakening following October 7. The day after the massacres, celebrations were held in several mosques in Sydney by radical Islamists. On October 9, the infamous rally held outside the Sydney Opera House saw demonstrators chanting “F—k the Jews,” “Where are the Jews?” and, according to some witnesses, “Gas the Jews.”

The police who were present were passive and tolerated the chants and the waving of Hamas and Hezbollah flags. This was the precursor to weekly marches through the centers of Melbourne and Sydney, where demonstrators would chant “Free Palestine, from the river to the sea” coupled with calls for an intifada.

Posters accusing Israel of genocide and killing babies abounded. University campuses transformed into hotbeds of protests and encampments where Jewish students were made to feel unsafe. Jews were canceled in the arts, and Jewish-owned businesses were attacked. Israel and Zionism are being equated with Nazism.

A week prior to the firebombing, demonstrators caused Jews attending the Great Synagogue in Sydney to barricade themselves. The response of the police was to issue an infraction order against a sole Jew who waved an Israeli flag.

It was only after the fierce reaction to the firebombing of the synagogue that the Australian Labour government finally succumbed to pressure to establish a task force to tackle antisemitism. Prior, the Jewish community was merely fed mealy-mouthed condemnations of antisemitism.

These measures won’t fool the majority of Australian Jews. Too little too late. In their view, the Australian Labour government’s pivoting away from Australia’s traditional bipartisan support for Israel is largely responsible for creating the environment that has emboldened the alliance of radical Islamists and the extreme left.

From the very outset of hostilities when Israel responded to what it regarded as a war for its existence, the Australian government, through its foreign minister, Penny Wong, has consistently called for restraint from Israel as it battled Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Calls for a cease-fire were made on a regular basis, with barely a mention of the fate of the hostages.

The government denied a visa to former Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked to visit Australia on the spurious grounds that she was likely to incite against the Palestinians. In contrast, when the Iranian ambassador to Australia referred to Israel as the “Zionist plague,” she ignored calls for his expulsion.

Australia also supported UN resolutions calling for the immediate creation of a Palestinian state, which in the current environment is rightly seen as a reward for terrorism. Never mind that the Palestinians themselves do not seek a two-state solution.

When the Australian government stated that it would support the outrageous decision of the ICC to issue arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamim Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, it was clear that the relationship was broken.

The change in direction is seen as political expediency to retain the support of electorates that have a large Muslim presence.

Netanyahu went so far as to say that the shift in Australia’s attitude towards Israel would reward antisemitism and that Australia could no longer claim to be a close friend of Israel.

While there was some kickback from some ministers who feebly claimed that there was no change in the relationship with Israel, the true essence of what is occurring is best highlighted by Science Minister Ed Husic, who is a Muslim. He has constantly attacked Israel throughout the course of the war and has been urging his Muslim compatriots to stick with Labour for the forthcoming elections as a reward and recognition for Australia now adopting a pro-Palestinian path at the UN.

The final ignominy was Wong’s statement on Monday decoupling the issue of antisemitism whilst admonishing Israel and conflating Israel’s war against Hamas and Hezbollah with Russia and China’s “blatantly illegal” conduct on the world stage. Her call for Israel to abide by the rules of conflict while omitting any reference to Hamas and Hezbollah was truly astonishing.

Her ongoing lopsided obsession with Israel is giving succor to those in her party and the extreme left as they continue their bashing of Israel. It also serves as motivation for extremists to target the Jewish community.

If there is any solace in the sad state of affairs, it lies in the fact that Israel will be vindicated for ignoring the likes of Wong as it has dismantled Hamas as a military force, defanged Hezbollah, and indirectly facilitated the downfall of the murderous regime of Basher Assad in Syria. The axis of evil headed by the mullahs of Iran, which was dedicated to Israel’s destruction, has been dealt irreversible blows that could well jeopardize its own survival.

Australia goes to the polls next year. Current indications reveal a close call. The Labour Party is slightly favored to remain in government with the support of the Greens, whose feral hatred for Israel bodes poorly for the relationship between the two countries. However, the Liberal Party, under the leadership of Peter Dutton, has been extremely supportive of both Israel and the Jewish community, and one can only hope that they will ultimately prevail, which will result in the restoration of what has been a unique relationship between two countries who share the same values.