Government runs risk of nation being seen as anti-Semitic

Jeremy Leibler is correct in describing the decision by the Albanese government last week to deny entry to Ayelet Shaked, a former minister in “the most diverse and centrist government in Israeli history”, as baffling (“Foreign policy pivot against Israel betrays our friends, allies”, 27/11).

Shaked holds right-wing views. She doesn’t support a two-state solution. But that’s the view of about half of Israel’s population. We’re barring entry to a person who isn’t considered a terrorist, who represents no threat to us or anyone else, and who doesn’t condone random violence, purely based on their political views.

Are we now banning people from coming to Australia for being conservative? Not that Immigration Minister Tony Burke has articulated his thinking on this. The government is sending a strong message to anti-Israel agitators: “We hear you, keep going.”

The travel ban was widely reported in Israel. We’re now at risk of being seen as an anti-Semitic nation.

Anthony Bergin, Reid, ACT

Why doesn’t our government make it absolutely clear to the community that anti-Semitism is a separate issue to the war in Gaza? The latter is clearly hijacked for political purposes by various entities. Anti-Semitism, on the other hand, is simply evil and it is being used against Australian Jews by ignorant mobs.

It needs a practical response from our Prime Minister, not merely verbal condemnation.

Olga Parkes, New Lambton Heights, NSW

What happened to the beautiful country that welcomed my grandparents and father and so many others to its shores, where they worked hard, prospered and became an integral part of Australian society?

My father used to say repeatedly to my siblings and me that wherever we lived in the world we should always remember and be proud of this wonderful country and all that it gave us.

When I look around today, I can no longer affirm my father’s words. Every Jewish school in Melbourne now has high security fences, and the exit and entrance are controlled through a gatehouse with armed guards. Even Jewish creches and childcare facilities have security guards present at all times.

Our synagogues used to have wide gates that were always open so people would feel welcome to enter for prayer, study or social events. Now? They have steel or blast-proof stone fences with narrow gates that can be opened only by one of the security guards, many of whom are also armed while on duty.

A few months ago members of the Melbourne Jewish community began to ask quietly whether it might become necessary to find another country.

Early last Saturday morning in my synagogue, while waiting to begin a lesson in biblical text and theology, participants began to discuss not whether but when we should emigrate.

The time for platitudes and pseudo condemnation of anti-Semitism has passed. If our political leaders do not show some real backbone and principled leadership immediately, the appalling conduct we have seen in Sydney and Melbourne (and elsewhere) will escalate, and inevitably result in tragic consequences.

This situation would never have been tolerated by any previous federal or state government, whether Labor or Coalition.

When my many friends and relatives in other countries ask me how we are feeling in Australia, and whether the news that they see and read is accurate, I am ashamed to answer in the affirmative, and unable to explain why it has become so bad for my community in what was once a lucky country.

Jonathan Slonim, Melbourne

Your headline (“Ceasefire deal an Israeli triumph against terror”, 27/11) was a sight for sore eyes, and it was good to read that a 60-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah is expected to be signed, ending hostilities in Lebanon and the attacks by Hezbollah on northern Israel. The ceasefire, hopefully, will last longer. My reasoning would be if you are willing to agree to 60-day ceasefire, then why can it not be a permanent ceasefire to end the war created by Hamas on October 7 last year? However, the 60-day ceasefire is encouraging and means that things may be on the way to have a permanent peace for the future.

Susan McLochlan, Caboolture South, Qld