We are one: Jewish and Muslim MPs’ extraordinary move to quell race tensions

They come from warring communities and parties but politicians Anne Aly and Julian Leeser have joined a string of leaders to call for peace on Sydney streets. See their message.

Politicians from opposing parties — and the police commissioner — are pleading with Australians to not let conflict in the Middle East reverberate through Sydney streets after a dramatic escalation in racial tensions.

The urgent intervention has been prompted by a string of confronting incidents between Israeli and Palestinian supporters involving hate speech and intimidation.

Jewish Liberal MP Julian Leeser and Labor’s Muslim Early Education Minister Anne Aly broke ranks to release a joint statement to The Daily Telegraph in a bid to unite their communities.

Their comments join NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb who warned individuals looking to divide the city: “You will be arrested and put before the courts.”

Opposition spokesman for Indigenous Australians Julian Leeser and Minister for Early Childhood Education Anne Aly at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: Martin Ollman

In the aftermath of the October 7 Hamas attack, a group of protesters chanted “Gas the Jews” on the steps of the Sydney Opera House before Israeli restaurant Shaffa was defaced with abusive messages and a motorcade carrying Palestinian flags was also led through Sydney’s Jewish-heavy eastern suburbs.

Tensions reached fever pitch on Wednesday night when Israeli supporters followed a carload of teenage Palestinian supporters waving flags out the window, before allegedly pulling out a hockey stick while confronting the teens.

Ms Aly and Mr Leeser said Jewish and Muslim Australians should not be blamed for the conflict overseas.

“We in Australia may not be able to influence events in the Middle East, but what we can do is treat each other with respect and goodwill — recognising our shared humanity,” they said.

“No Australian should be made to feel responsible for events in the Middle East.”

David Ossip.

Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Alex Ryvchin. Picture: Richard Dobson

Mr Leeser, who has been wearing his traditional kippah to the sitting week to stand against an escalation in anti-semitism, was praised by Ms Aly who said it was crucial Australians felt safe enough to wear their faith proudly.

“People in Australia have a right to protest peacefully and respectfully not outside people’s homes or places of worship – be they churches, synagogues, mosques or temples,” they said.

“We all have a responsibility to treat each other with compassion and empathy during this difficult time. We are all Australians who love this country. We know as Australians that when one part of our community suffers, we all suffer.”

Their comments were echoed by Acting PM Richard Marles who said leaders must use their voice to “turn the temperature down”.

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb. Picture: Tim Hunter

“I’ve spoken a lot with Jewish Australians, I’ve spoken a lot with Muslim Australians, including in my own community and what everyone has in common is the desire to live in a country where there is peace and where we have social cohesion. We cannot take that for granted,” Mr Marles said.

“What matters for those of us in positions of leadership is that we are using our voices to turn the temperature down.”

Faith leaders have also supported the intervention with Jewish Board of Deputies president David Ossip saying both communities needed to join together to lower tensions and prevent communal fragmentation.

“We cannot allow a foreign conflict to play out on the streets of Sydney and allow it to divide us,” he said.

“To live in Australia is to have won the lottery of life and the maintenance of communal cohesion and harmony is our collective responsibility.”

Kamalle Dabboussy.

Gamel Kheir.

Executive Council of Australian Jewry chief executive Alex Ryvchin said while the Israeli/Palestinian conflict was a cause of division, the quality of being Australian should be a uniting factor.

“We are responsible to our fellow Australians to not incite violence against each other,” he said.

Their Muslim counterpart, Australian Federation of Islamic Councils chief executive Kamalle Dabboussy, backed in the comments, adding: “We are willing to work with all parties in fostering a cohesive environment … we want to make sure we’re playing our part,” he said.

Lebanese Muslim Association secretary Gamel Kheir said he did not believe the conflict in the Middle East was a religious one that should pit local communities against each other.

“We would never advocate for any form of violence, there’s no acceptance of it - we want peace to prevail in Sydney and Australia,” he said.

Mr Kheir said there was interest within the LMA to sit down with Jewish community leaders in Sydney in the interest of reducing tensions.

He said it was partly the responsibility of state governments to help bring this about.

“The government is duty bound to help conciliation between religious groups in society and rather than being on the periphery they should take initiative,” he said.

It is understood that Jewish groups have made attempts to reach out to the Islamic community on a number of occasions through intermediaries to lower the temperature.

The NSW government is believed to be willing to coordinate a meeting between the groups.

NSW Premier Chris Minns said “we must all champion peace and togetherness”.

Opposition leader Mark Speakman said it was crucial that Australians “choose our words and actions with care and empathy including calling out antisemitism or islamophobia.”’

Originally published as We are one: Jewish and Muslim MPs’ extraordinary move to quell race tensions