In the Media

Australian Jewish News – 12 December 2024 

The events of October 7 and since, have severely traumatised the Jewish community, culminating in the horrific December 6 terrorist attack on the Adass Israel Synagogue.

In several regards, reactions to those events, including from our federal government, have been extremely disappointing, compounding that trauma and creating feelings of isolation and betrayal. Surveys have shown that Israel is a central issue for upwards of 90 per cent of Australian Jews, so our government’s actions towards Israel directly affect us.

Probably most damaging to our relations with Israel was the appalling decision to deny a visa to former Israeli government minister Ayelet Shaked, even though she visited in March 2023.

Even early condemnations of the October 7 pogroms and acknowledgement of Israel’s right to defend itself included constant admonitions to Israel act in accordance with international law, implying it wouldn’t.

This has been a constant theme, together with statements that the civilian death toll is unacceptable. The government appears to largely ignore Hamas’ human shield tactics, Israel’s efforts to evacuate civilians from harm’s way, described by experts as unprecedented, and the ratio of civilian to combatant casualties being approximately one to one.

One festering sore is the UN’s appalling double standards towards Israel, with the Jewish state generally censured as often as every other country combined.

Australia used to be above this farce. No more. Our UN voting has regressed to abstentions or even affirmatives when there should be noes.

Examples include supporting a resolution last December that demanded a ceasefire but didn’t mention Hamas. The government had, quite rightly, frequently stated Hamas has no role in Gaza’s future, yet supported a ceasefire that left Hamas in power. This has also become a recurring theme.

Then there was our vote in May supporting recognition of a Palestinian state, and our abstention on the appalling September 19 resolution demanding Israel completely withdraw from the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem within a year or face sanctions. And on December 3, we supported a similar but worse resolution. Demanding Israel withdraw from all land the Palestinians want removes their incentive to compromise, making peace harder to achieve.

In three speeches at the UN at the end of September, Foreign Minister Penny Wong’s main themes were pushing for a timeline for the recognition of a Palestinian state prior to the conclusion of negotiations, and for a ceasefire. Pushing for recognition of a Palestinian state simply rewards and encourages the Palestinian intransigence that has prevented one until now. It also rewards the terrorism that caused the war which clearly prompted Wong’s initiative.

The Government has also refused to oppose anti-Israel lawfare in the International Criminal Court (ICC) and International Court of Justice. This is despite the fact that the ICC decision to issue warrants against Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant blatantly breached the Court’s own rules – it’s only meant to act against countries whose legal systems won’t investigate their own leaders, unlike Israel’s.

Disappointingly, PM Albanese hasn’t even visited Israel since October 7. Wong did, belatedly, in January, but unlike many other dignitaries, refused to visit the sites of the Hamas atrocities.

It was also galling that the Israeli Ambassador was, in June, dressed down by a junior minister and warned Australia wouldn’t support Israel if it went to war with Hezbollah to stop the rocket attacks that drove more than 60,000 Israelis from their homes.

Then there was the tragic accidental killing of aid worker Zomi Frankcom and her colleagues in an April 1 drone strike. Wong insisted on calling Israel’s strike “intentional”, even after investigations by our own specifically appointed Special Adviser found it was mistaken identity.

Even on the one-year anniversary of October 7, the government couldn’t contain its condolence motion to that day’s victims, also calling for a ceasefire and a two-state solution.

The constant attacks on Israel’s conduct have undoubtedly contributed to the sharp rise in antisemitism since October last year. The government has condemned the antisemitism, but even here, its conduct has been gravely disappointing.

The government has been less strong than it could have been regarding the often antisemitic aspects of the anti-Israel demonstrations and camps. It is also galling that government figures have seemingly felt unable to discuss antisemitism without adding “and Islamophobia”, as if antisemitism on its own is insufficiently significant.

One area of great angst has been Jewish students and staff feeling unsafe on university campuses. The government blocked an Opposition bill to establish a judicial enquiry, clearly the best way to deal with this confronting challenge. Instead, it referred the problem to a parliamentary committee with fewer investigative powers and open to politicisation.

The government’s own calculations no doubt inform its actions. However, the overall effect has been to degrade Australia’s relationship with our most important Middle Eastern partner, while making Australia’s Jewish community, suffering its worst ever wave of antisemitism, feel more isolated. Indeed, it is strongly arguable that government actions have inadvertently contributed to that antisemitism itself.

Jamie Hyams is director of public affairs at the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council.