Inside Sky News host Sharri Markson’s trip to Israel at war
Journalist Sharri Markson has blamed police and the Albanese government for rising anti-Semitism in Australia — and says she feels safer in Israel than she does here.
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Prominent journalist Sharri Markson has revealed how her trip to Israel has brought home to her how rampant the anti-Semitism she faces as a Jewish woman in Australia has become.
The Sky News host has returned from a trip to Israel to cover the region’s escalating war, including a private briefing with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
In an indictment on Australia’s crumbling social cohesion, Ms Markson said while it was physically safer to be back in Sydney, growing anti-Semitism meant many Jewish Australians felt safer in Israel.
“Anti-Semitism has exploded in the past year,” she said. “From the second there were terror attacks on Jews in Israel, we have seen people in Sydney celebrate Jews being murdered.
“It’s physically safer in Australia than it is in Israel – Israel is under attack every day – but as a Jew you feel safer in Israel.”
Ms Markson said talk of moving to Israel was growing within the Jewish-Australian community.
“Some people have already moved to Israel, other people are talking about it. I can see the appeal because of anti-Semitism.
“But when the Iranian missile strikes happened, everyone told me it was terrifying. All the families with kids had to go down into bomb shelters.”
The physical dangers of being in a country ”constantly” under attack was keeping many tethered to Australia, and Ms Markson said she is committed to “fighting to make sure this country is safe for the next generation”.
She raised the Albanese government’s performance on growing anti-Semitism and the broader conflict in her meeting with Mr Netanyahu.
“In Sydney, anti-Semitism is horrific and the federal government and law enforcement are to blame for that,” she said.
“They have been very weak in dealing with anti-Semitism.
“The Albanese government and Penny Wong have falsely perpetuated this narrative that Israel is committing war crimes.”
A clip of Ms Markson’s editorial outlining her meeting with Mr Netanyahu, where he asked about her parents and family, has gone viral on social media in Israel.
“He asked me if my parents were still alive and he said I was a credit to my parents and to say hello to them from him,” she said.
“I speak out because I am a mother … I feel strongly about fighting to make sure this country is safe for the next generation and generations after that.”
A government spokesman said they “condemn anti-Semitism in all its forms and stand with Jewish Australians who have felt the cold shadows of anti-Semitism reaching into the present day”.
“Australia and our international partners have also been clear that we want to see de-escalation and for the cycle of violence in the Middle East to end,” they said.
“That is in the interest of Israel, and the region.”
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Originally published as Inside Sky News host Sharri Markson’s trip to Israel at war
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