Nova Peris hits out at racism after pro-Palestine activists ambush families, friends of Israeli hostages
Former senator Nova Peris has slammed the “rise in racism in Australia” and called for unity after grieving loved ones of Israelis murdered and kidnapped by Hamas said they didn’t feel safe in Melbourne after being forced to hide from anti-Israel activists.
Victoria
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Aboriginal trailblazer Nova Peris has hit out at the “rise in racism in Australia”, condemning “toxic anti-Semitism” and pleading for more understanding.
In an impassioned article, the former Labor Senator also condemned hatred being perpetrated by First Nations people against the Jewish community, accusing those combining Palestinian and Aboriginal symbols of “cultural misappropriation”.
Ms Peris wrote that she “cannot remain silent” any longer, as grieving loved ones of Israelis murdered and kidnapped by Hamas said they didn’t feel safe in Melbourne after being forced to hide for hours from anti-Israel activists.
Ms Peris also denounced those who were skewing history while spreading division.
She said: “I do not support the display on national television of a pin with both Aboriginal and Palestinian flags worn by the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network president Nasser Mashni during the ABC program Q&A when discussing the Israel-Hamas war – simply put, this is cultural misappropriation of us”.
In what Premier Jacinta Allan described as a “cruel and heartless” protest, dozens of pro-Palestine activists tracked down an Israeli delegation at the Crowne Plaza hotel late on Wednesday, marching into the foyer brandishing “Zionism is Fascism” signs.
Masked protesters holding bloodied baby dolls, chanted “shame, shame”, before one yelled “f---ing dogs” at police.
Ms Peris, the first Aboriginal Australian to win an Olympic gold medal and the first Indigenous woman elected to federal parliament, wrote: “There is no place in Australia, especially among First Nations peoples, for the kind of toxic anti-Semitism and hatred against the Jewish community and Israel that we have seen aroused by the conflict in the media, on our streets, in some of our universities, schools, trade unions, arts centres and even a hospital.
“As a woman I am sickened by the abduction and murder of babies and the use of rape and kidnapping of women and girls in the brutal attack by Hamas on the 7th of October.
“Hamas, a proscribed and condemned terrorist organisation, is determined to eradicate Israel.
“As an Aboriginal person I understand the connection to the land.
“I understand the Jewish / Israelite connection to the land over millennia, and I understand the Palestinian connection to the land for countless generations too, both groups being indigenous to that region.
“Extremists on both sides feed off each other. It is time for a real peace.
“We should be pushing the rejectionist elements on both sides, especially Hamas, to come to their senses.”
Ms Allan said she condemned the protest in the “strongest possible terms”.
“Yesterday, I met with a mother whose son was murdered. She – like so many others – has experienced the heartbreak that is every mother’s nightmare, at the hands of terrorists,” she said.
“I condemn the extreme behaviour on display last night, in the strongest possible terms. I condemn the antisemitism. I condemn targeting people in their moment of grief.
“Whatever your views, we all expect Victorians to act with decency and humanity.”
Among the friends and family members of hostages were Orif Tamir and Amit Parpara who have been desperately awaiting their friend Noa Argamani’s return from captivity.
Mr Parpara told the Herald Sun the group was forced to hide as the protesters made their way into the building.
“There was a pro-Palestinian rally, a big one, in the hotel, not outside, in the hotel where we stay,” he said.
“We are now hiding.”
Mr Parpara, who spoke with the Herald Sun on Wednesday, said he had attended the funerals of four friends in the last 53 days after they were slaughtered at the Supernova festival, where Ms Argamani was captured.
Orif Tamir said he was still in shock on Thursday, telling the Herald Sun he thought Australia was a safe place.
“In the night I go to the room and I’m afraid to open the door. I didn’t think something like that would happen in Australia,” he said.
“I thought we were safe here.”
Mr Tamir said the group were quickly packed into a car and driven to a nearby police station as they were ambushed by protesters.
“Everyone go inside the car and we drive ... they decided to take us to the police station and we stayed there inside until we understand that everyone in the hotel, all the people that was there, go,” he said.
“We just talked two days ago with the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister who said if there is something that we want or if we need help, they’re here and they will do the best to support us.
“We’re now in shock, we’re afraid.”
The group had travelled to Melbourne to meet with political leaders and members of the Jewish community to remind Victorians of the plight of hostages still in captivity.
Leaders condemn the protest
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the protest was “beyond my comprehension, and beyond contempt”.
“Every innocent life matters. But what we saw last night in Melbourne at a hotel in Docklands goes beyond the right of people to peacefully protest in our democratic country,” he said. “This does nothing to advance the cause of the Palestinian people.”
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton slammed the actions of protesters as “disgraceful”.
Mr Dutton said there must be severe consequences for protestors who commit anti-Semitic acts and law enforcement authorities should have arrested the protesters.
“They were clearly intended to intimidate those Israelis whose loved ones have been killed or taken hostage by Hamas,” Mr Dutton said.
“These actions threatened Australians of Jewish faith.
“Only by holding those accountable for hate speech can we ensure we turn the tide of anti-Semitism in Australia right now, which has increased five-fold since 7 October.”
Victorian Police Minister Anthony Carbines condemned the “appalling behaviour”.
“Ultimately people need to show a hell of a lot more respect than they are,” he said on Thursday.
“To be intimidated, to have to endure that … is just unnecessary. It is appalling, it is bullying.
“There are always going to be people who think it’s somehow appropriate to operate in the grey, to intimidate and distress people. It’s just not on.”
Mr Carbines said police were in attendance but detected no offences from the protesters.
“It doesn’t mean that it’s ok, it doesn’t mean that it’s acceptable,” he said.
Mr Carbines said police have discretion to use move-on laws.
He said reform on anti-vilification laws, currently being worked on by Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes, could capture these types of protests.
Deputy Liberal Leader David Southwick said the “appalling” protest forced the group to take shelter at a nearby police station for more than three hours.
“They were unable to enter their hotel. They were welcomed to the sounds of sirens, chanting, screaming,” he said.
“And if they weren’t terrorised enough it is beyond belief that they had to go through that kind of traumatic experience again.
“These are people that have lost loved ones … what were (the protesters) doing at that hotel? What were they hoping to achieve at that hotel?”
Mr Southwick was one of more than a dozen MPs to hear their stories at an event at Parliament House on Wednesday.
“Two of those had their children murdered and were here to share their accounts with members of parliament,” he said.
“That was so important.”
He said Melbourne “is on show to the rest of the world at its worst today.”
Victoria is a multicultural, inclusive state - but these anti-Israel bigots have embarrassed us on the world stage.
— David Southwick MP (@SouthwickMP) November 29, 2023
Traumatising the families of Hamas' victims is despicable.
How did this happen? What are the consequences? How can we ensure this never happens again?#springstpic.twitter.com/TwylTDg7fB
Nothing ‘progressive’ about this. I don’t know what to call it. Performance activism? That’s a much better definition.
— Kos Samaras (@KosSamaras) November 29, 2023
This movement is more about identity politics than the substance. If you oppose the killing of civilians , as we all must, the first step is not to further… https://t.co/89PAU7ahjd
Zionist Federation of Australia president Jeremy Leibler was among several Jewish leaders who expressed their disgust at the protest.
“There is support for the Palestinian cause, and then there is the vile, cruel intimidation of people whose loved ones have been kidnapped by rapists, murderers and torturers,” he said.
“It is absolutely disgusting that anyone would seek to intimidate these relatives, who are already suffering the trauma of having their family members kidnapped or murdered.
“These protesters need to take a long look in the mirror and ask why they are supporting a terrorist regime.”
Jewish Liberal MP Julian Leeser said the “ugly targeted attack” on Jewish people was a “new low”.
Mr Leeser said he would write to Immigration Minister Andrew Giles asking him to deport non-citizens that harass Jewish people, adding it was his duty to keep Australians safe.
“I believe those who harass Jewish people in Australia should be charged using existing laws, and those who participate in such actions and who are not Australian citizens should be deported,” he said.
“Repeatedly, we have seen police in various state jurisdictions stand idly by whilst Jewish people are harassed, providing a new dimension to the phrase, ‘the standard by which you walk by is the standard you accept’.
“The families who have had loved ones kidnapped by a terrorist organisation, deserve kindness not harassment.
“This harassment of Jewish people in Australia must come to an end.”
Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin said it was “difficult to imagine a more hateful and disgusting act” as he compared the growing anti-Israel movement to Neo-Nazism.
“The anti-Israel movement is becoming indistinguishable from Neo-Nazism in its complete disregard for any norms of decency and their obsession with intimidating and harassing the most vulnerable targets,” he said.
“We stand in complete solidarity with the hostage families.
“They are our families and we assure them that the thuggery that confronted them is no reflection of the decency and humanity of our fellow Australians.”
Zionism Victoria president Yossi Goldfarb said it was “simply not good enough”.
“When does tolerance morph into anti-Semitism?” he said.
“Our once-prized Victorian multicultural and tolerant society is dying.”
Hamas releases hostage as tears flow
The younger brother of Israeli teen Mika Shani – who is in Melbourne sharing his story – has finally been released by Hamas.
Ms Shani, who visited the Victorian Parliament on Wednesday alongside other loved ones of hostages and victims of the October 7 Hamas terror attack, spoke to the Herald Sun on Thursday just minutes after she FaceTimed her little brother, Amit, 16, who has spent the last 53 days in captivity.
The tearful 18-year-old said she was on her way to Melbourne Airport at 8am this morning, headed for Sydney, when the news was confirmed. Amit was home.
“I was texting my mum. Then my friends told me that they saw him in the car. And I FaceTimed him a couple minutes ago,” she said.
“I’m so emotional right now.”
Ms Shani said he “looks so skinny” and “in shock”.
“But he’s strong. He’s going to be okay, hopefully,” she said.
“I smiled and I cried. He told me that he loved me and that he missed me.
“I told him that I took the first flight and that I’m coming to see him.”
Ms Shani said she heard last night that he was supposed to be released today and had watched the news all night – desperate to see his face among those released by Hamas.
“But you can’t really know until the last moment. I was up all night, listening to the news. I didn’t sleep for like a minute,” she said.
“And then I saw him in the car.
“I started to cry.”
Ms Shani had spoken exclusively with the Sunday Herald Sun last week about her desperation to see her brother again, just hours before the first batch of hostages were set to be released.
On October 7, Hamas terrorists stormed her family’s kibbutz, forcing their way into the safe room Ms Shani was hiding in with her family before kidnapping Amit.
Since her brother was taken into Gaza, she had been consoling herself and her family with the thought that “kidnapped is not dead”.
She has been travelling around the world with a group of other Israelis who lost loved ones to Hamas’ massacre or had friends taken hostage to share her family’s story and remind people of the plight of loved ones who were taken into the Gaza Strip.
Greens MP dons keffiyeh in insult to Israeli hostages
The latest incident follows a Greens MP provoking outrage after turning up wearing a Palestinian scarf to an event calling for the immediate release of Israeli hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza.
Greens spokeswoman for LGBTIQA+ rights Gabrielle de Vietri hovered at the Bring Me Home Now function, organised by Jewish groups and MPs.
One member of the Jewish community who attended the event described how Ms de Vietri positioned herself at the entrance next to cardboard silhouettes of hostages.
“There was no reason for her to walk past, it was at the end of the corridor,” he said.
“Just as families were going through this distressing testimony, recounting how loved ones had been killed, she appeared and stared at them, wearing the Palestinian keffiyeh (scarf).
“She literally went out to cause distress with her item of clothing.”
The function was held for families and friends of four hostages, some still alive and others dead, and was hosted by bipartisan group the Parliamentary Friends of Israel.
About 60 people attended, including Opposition Leader John Pesutto and Jobs Minister Natalie Hutchins.
On Thursday Ms de Vietri told the Herald Sun she had taken off her keffiyeh as she walked into the event to get an information sheet but put it back on as she walked out.
“Yesterday I wore the keffiyeh to mark the International Day of Solidarity with Palestinian People. I removed it before entering this event,” she said.
She then took the opportunity to advocate for the “more than 15,000 Palestinians have been indiscriminately killed” in Gaza, but did not make any mention of those brutally murdered or taken hostage by Hamas.
“The Greens will continue to push for peace and call on our leaders to back a permanent ceasefire and end to the occupation,” she said.
At a pro-Palestine rally on Sunday, Ms de Vietri accused politicians who said Israel had the right to defend itself of providing “cover for bombing children”.
“Our government is patting itself on the back for accepting 860 Palestinians when we supplied the weapons used to bomb them,” she added.
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