Albanese shocked by ignorance of antisemitism

Anthony Albanese says “shocking” ignorance of antisemitism has torn at Australia’s social fabric and caused Jewish children to fear wearing their school uniforms as he unveiled Australia’s first envoy to combat discrimination towards Jews.

Eminent lawyer and businesswoman Jillian Segal will use her position to speak to international counterparts at an antisemitism conference in Argentina next week, winning praise from the Coalition and teal MPs Allegra Spender and Zoe Daniel, who backed Albanese’s appointment.

New special envoy Jillian Segal on Tuesday with (from left) Jewish Labor MP Josh Burns, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Immigration Minister Andrew Giles.Credit: Kate Geraghty

Bipartisan support for the appointment did not distract from the heated political debate on the government’s response to the war in Gaza and the new political front opened up by a pro-Gaza threat in safe Labor seats.

The prime minister escalated his attack on the Greens, calling the party “appalling” for ignoring local instances of antisemitism, such as that directed at Jewish singer Deborah Conway, and Greens MPs’ repeated equivocating on the question of Hamas’ ongoing role in Palestine.

“I have found quite shocking the lack of knowledge and experience about antisemitism and about where it leads,” Albanese said at a press conference at the Sydney Jewish Museum.

Segal, who served on the boards of ASIC, NAB, the War Memorial and the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, said the rapid spread of information on social media meant bigoted views that previously took years to spread were now absorbed speedily.

“The rise of social media has seen people thinking that they can take what are complex issues and convert them into 100 characters and to make statements that they never would … face-to-face,” she said.

“We’re not having enough discourse in Australia which is civil. And the sort of slogans which are used have caused great damage and often come from a position of ignorance.”

The government intended to announce an envoy for Islamophobia as well, but there have been delays in recruiting someone. Envoys tend to be uniquely qualified people chosen by governments to spearhead policy and debate. Barnaby Joyce was previously the government’s envoy on drought, and retired senator Pat Dodson the special envoy on Indigenous reconciliation.

Albanese’s envoy announcement was intended to support the Jewish community, which has sought political leadership amid what Segal said was an eightfold increase in reports of antisemitism since October 7 last year, when Hamas terrorists massacred 1200 people in southern Israel, according to Israeli tallies.

On Thursday, Gaza’s health ministry said the Palestinian death toll in the nearly nine months of war had passed 38,000, with 87,445 wounded. The health ministry does not distinguish between civilians and fighters in its figures.

Islamic groups have also reported a rise in discrimination.

The Jewish Council of Australia, a new community group that opposes Israeli policy, said it was concerned the envoy would “increase racism and division by pitting Jewish communities against Palestinian, Muslim and other racialised communities, and by weaponising false antisemitism”.

Other Jewish groups, which have been fiercely critical of the Jewish Council of Australia, backed the creation of the envoy.

Jewish Council of Australia executive officer Sarah Schwartz.

The definition of antisemitism has been debated since the invasion of Gaza last year.

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus, who is Jewish, said in an appearance at the National Press Club on Tuesday that statements become antisemitic “when people criticise Israel in a way that they would not dream of applying to another country – then you are at the point of antisemitism”.

Conservative figures such as former prime minister John Howard have accused Albanese of being slow and weak in his response to antisemitism after October 7, when protesters two days later chanted “f--- the Jews” outside the Sydney Opera House.

Asked about the criticism, Albanese said the question was “fairly provocative” and that he had spoken with the Jewish and Muslim communities, unlike the Coalition and the Greens, which have taken stances on either side.

Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi in parliament.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

“We have consistently opposed the slaughter that occurred on October 7, the greatest killing of Jewish people since the Holocaust. We have consistently, as well, expressed our concern for the loss of every innocent life, whether it be Israeli or Palestinian,” Albanese said, rejecting the need for a judicial inquiry into antisemitism pushed by the opposition.

The prime minister took aim at the Greens who, along with possible pro-Gaza independent candidates, will seek to win seats from Labor by tapping into frustration with the government’s position on the war.

Albanese called the Greens’ politicking “appalling”, and claimed the party was effectively pushing a one-state solution. He claimed it should have been easy for Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi to oppose Hamas’ role in the future governance of Gaza when asked on ABC’s Insiders on Sunday.

“She didn’t say whether Hamas should play an ongoing role, or whether it should be dismantled,” said Albanese.

The Greens have been contacted for comment.

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