Jacinta Allan raises a toast to the Jewish homeland

The Premier has delivered a speech to a crowd of Melbourne’s most prominent Jewish community members celebrating Israel’s 77th Independence Day.

Premier Jacinta Allan has pledged to unify Victorians amid a deep divide between the Jewish and Muslim communities, as she raised a toast to celebrate Israel’s 77th Independence Day.

Ms Allan also took the opportunity to criticise Israel as she addressed hundreds of Melbourne’s most prominent Jewish community members, telling the crowd she did not agree with the actions of the Israeli government amid its bombardment in Gaza.

The Premier, however, said she was focused on fixing community tensions and had a “step-by-step” plan to unify the state once again.

That includes ramping up the new Local Escalation and Help Group (LEAH) which connects the Jewish community with authorities amid soaring antisemitism, giving police more powers and delivering extra funding to a range of Jewish organisations.

She announced $150,000 for the Rabbinical Council over two years, $130,000 to Jewish community centre Beth Weizmann, as well as funding for the Holocaust Museum.

Premier Jacinta Allan has pledged to unify Victorians. Picture: Getty

Ms Allan also noted that further work was underway to “prevent extremism on the streets”, including making it illegal for protesters to glue and chain themselves to streets and cars.

The Premier then raised a toast to the Jewish homeland, saying independence “changed everything for the most displaced people on earth”.

It was a marked difference compared to last year when she was criticised for not raising a glass to Israel, as her predecessor Daniel Andrews always did.

At the 2024 event, Jewish leader Philip Zajac had also used his speech to take a swipe at the Premier and demand action on rising antisemitism.

Amid the ongoing war in Gaza, Ms Allan noted she did not agree with every decision made by the Israeli government or the withholding of aid to Gaza, but said the Netanyahu government was “not the same thing” as the nation of Israel or the Jewish people.

“It distresses me that some are unable to recognise this distinction,” she said.

Opposition Leader Brad Battin, former Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus and Liberal Senator James Paterson were also among more than a dozen politicians at the event.

Multiple politicians were at the event, including Ms Allan and Opposition Leader Brad Battin.

Zionist Federation of Australia president Jeremy Leibler praised bipartisan support for the community amid an “avalanche of hatred”.

Mr Leibler said of all the attacks and accusations levelled at the Jewish community, the suggestion that Israel is “committing genocide and that Jews around the world are complicit” was the “most grotesque”.

“So let me be clear, there is no genocide in Gaza,” he said.

“There is war, and war is devastating.”

Mr Battin acknowledged the 58 hostages which remain in Hamas captivity, as he praised the community’s “deep resilience … and proud Australian identity”.

“And we say to anyone, whether in this room or outside, bring them home,” he said.

Originally published as Jacinta Allan raises a toast to the Jewish homeland