Photo: Interfaith dialogue at Masjid Ah Hidayah

On Sunday 21 December the Al Hidayah Masjid in Rockdale organised a vigil for the 15 people who died in the 14 December Bondi Beach massacre.

A menorah, Jewish candelabrum, marking Hanuka was lit, followed later in the week by an interfaith get together at the Masjid attended by prominent members of the Muslim and Jewish communities and the NSW Premier, Chris Minns.

This was a laudable initiative that contributes to repairing the fraying social cohesion of Australia’s multicultural society. The Bondi incident spurred governments and community organisations into action to eradicate the scourge of anti-Semitism.

Knee-jerk policy responses that merely ‘paper over’ the fissures without addressing the fundamental causal factors, should be avoided as they risk making the matters worse in the longer run.

On this point two policy pronouncements warrant scrutiny: NSW government enacting laws to control and ban protest and the Federal Government inviting Israeli President to visit Australia to provide support to Australian Jews and Jewish organisations.

NSW hastily passed new laws giving police additional powers to ban protest for a two-week period (with further extensions for up to three months) after occurrence of a “terrorist” act.

The policy is premised on the tenuous link between the Free Palestine protests and the rise in antisemitism. In doing so, the NSW Premier glibly stated the Israeli government and Israeli lobby’s narrative designed to counter the growing international support for the Palestinian cause and to discredit Free Palestine political activism.

The conflation of anti-Semitism and protests is disingenuous: Peaceful protests in Sydney shine a light on the inhumane policies of the Government of Israel, not the Jewish people.

Besides, powers to control and ban protest violates the right to free speech including expression of political opinions.

Another concern, eloquently expressed in a Facebook reel by the former Foreign Minister, Bob Carr, is the Israeli lobbying activity which enable the Jewish community to exercise a disproportionately greater influence on matters of national interest – especially the colonisation and occupation of Palestine, including Gaza.

The proposal of the NSW Premier to ban certain chants is arguably a product of such lobbying as is the sacking of certain academics sympathetic towards the Palestinian cause, not forgetting the firing of Antoinette Lattouf by the ABC.

There is nothing wrong with lobbying, but when people feel disenfranchised by the political process and when they perceive that democracy is being corroded by the rich and powerful, a fertile ground is laid for resentments to fester.

Transparency in decision making and disclosure of donations can help strengthen public confidence in the political system and form a bulwark for unbridled lobbying.

Finally, the Federal Government rightfully proposed to buy back firearms through a gun amnesty; the Prime Minister sympathised with the victims with decorum, avoiding hysterical outbursts displayed by certain politicians intending to weaponise the tragedy by invoking the issue of migration.

Inviting the President of Israel, Isaac Herzog, to visit Australia to support Australian Jews affected by the tragedy is a questionable proposition, if not a dumb one.

The Australian public, including a vocal group of Jewish supporters of the Free Palestine Movement, have not forgotten the controversial comments the President made at a presser in 2023: “It is an entire nation out there that is responsible [for Hamas attack on 7 October].”

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/israel-gaza-isaac-herzog_n_65295ee8e4b03ea0c004e2a8

This was his justification for collective punishment of civilians which is a violation of international humanitarian law as is taking of hostages by Hamas.

He appeared to be embellishing his position later in the presser but the facts on the ground are indisputable: More than 70,000 (the majority being women and children) were killed in Gaza since Israel offensive began and large swathes of Gazans were starved.

Israeli army and the illegal settlers continue to commit acts of violence with impunity in the West bank.

Isaac Herzog has been at the helm of a government that has caused untold human suffering, including probable genocide. He is, respectfully, akin to a “damaged good”.

Couldn’t there have been a better plenipotentiary for peace and harmony in Australia? Wouldn’t the visit deepen the cleavage between opposing forces?