Media Releases

AIJAC Executive Director Dr Colin Rubenstein said, “Mr Swan’s denigration of the mourners at Bondi, claiming those who booed the Prime Minister politicised the Bondi massacre, was very disappointing, and demonstrably untrue. The response from the crowd towards the Prime Minister was not partisan illustrated by the cheers received by his ALP colleague Premier Minns. While the appropriateness of booing any dignitary who has come to be with the community can be questioned, Mr Swan should understand it was an emotional reaction from some in a shattered community at the Government’s inaction and indifference for the last two years in the face of pleas from the Jewish community to act.”

Dr Rubenstein continued, “Mr Swan’s sharing of a post on X that accused Israel of murdering 70,000 people in Gaza was reprehensible. Israel didn’t murder people. It fought a war in incredibly difficult urban conditions, made harder by the Hamas human sacrifice tactics. Military experts have praised Israel’s efforts to minimise civilian casualties. Even Hamas admits many of those killed were its fighters.

That is exactly the type of inflammatory misinformation that has fed the antisemitism epidemic over the last two years, and it’s worse coming from someone of Mr Swan’s status. He should know far better.”