Media Releases

The Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC) applauds the unanimous ruling by the NSW Court of Appeal to prohibit provocateurs from holding an anti-Israel march to the Sydney Opera House to celebrate the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023.

AIJAC Executive Director Dr Colin Rubenstein said, “Despite everything that has happened since, the outrageous and openly antisemitic display at the Sydney Opera House on October 9, 2023, still reverberates, shocking the world as the depth of antisemitism in this country became clear.

Dr Rubenstein continued: “That such an event was ever allowed to take place, celebrating the largest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, and by a designated terrorist organisation, and that the response was to warn Jews to stay away from the area instead of ensuring their safety, is inexcusable, and set the permissive tone for the next two years across the country.

“The organisers of this event intended to flaunt their impunity and further insult and intimidate the Jewish community by choosing this location and time period, and while there may still be a protest, its despicable symbolism has been blunted.”

Dr Rubenstein added, “Now it is up to NSW Police to ensure that the Court’s ruling is enforced, and that no hateful anti-Israel marchers taint our national icon.”

“AIJAC commends the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies and the Jewish Centre for Law and Justice for their supportive involvement in this case, ensuring that the Jewish community, and Australia, will not see a repeat of the shameful scenes we saw two years ago,” he concluded.