‘Silent’ Albanese continues to fail Jewish community

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has stated on a number of occasions that he represents all Australians.

While I appreciate that this is not possible at all times, it has become increasingly apparent that his latest silence to condemn the Coalition of Islamic Groups’ Communique has come at the expense of the majority of Australians, including Jewish Australians. Since October 7, 2023, the Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke have failed or have inadequately addressed the vile acts committed by some Islamists against Jewish Australians for fear of alienating the Muslim vote in a number of Labor-held seats.

The Prime Minister’s silence on the communique is made more unworthy given some mainstream organisations have allied themselves with extremist Muslim organisations and Hizb ut-Tahrir, which has been banned in several countries as a terrorist organisation, but not by the Australian government, despite calls by the Opposition Leader to do so.

There are times when a leader has to put the interest of the nation first, and not the votes for the party. This must be one of those times. From a personal view, how can I, someone who has supported mainstream Muslims and thought their values were like mine as a migrant to this wonderful country, continue to believe in a multicultural Australia when they cannot see the harm they have done by being a signatory to this communique?

Marie A., Canberra

Anthony Bergin’s opinion piece (“Muslim community statement excuses the intolerable”, 18/2) is yet another wake-up call to malingering law enforcement officers and cowardly politicians that our basic rights and freedoms are being challenged.

Until we stop mouthing platitudes and challenge our leaders to enforce the law, Australians generally, and those of Jewish heritage specifically, will continue to suffer needlessly.

Aviva Rothschild, Caulfield North, Vic

The moral clarity from Anthony Bergin is in stark contrast to the fog from the signatories to the Coalition of Islamic Groups’ Communique. As Bergin notes, in Australia, the two Bankstown nurses who said on social media they would kill Israelis have contravened their code of conduct, while in Israel the healthcare system makes no distinction between Jews and Arabs.

The signatories to the statement citing emotional impact from Gaza as a reason to forgive the struck-off nurses is risible.

Indeed, as Bergin’s article concludes, they are “defending the indefensible”.

Mandy Macmillan, Singleton, NSW

The victim industry is in full swing, playing down the abhorrent online video of two nurses threatening to harm Jewish patients. Various mitigating claims are being made: the appalling pronouncements were a “joke”; the two nurses are suffering, their wellbeing harmed by the shocked and outraged backlash their vile words incurred, and; they are allegedly victims in this episode.

Now the Muslim community, from extremists to moderate mainstream, has rallied to their defence, alleging they are victims of double standards, of hypocritical outrage manufactured for political purposes, and their words were hyperbole born of heightened emotion, frustration and anger at Israel – as if that excuses such behaviour.

What is indelibly etched into the minds of many is the naked hatred of the pair as they delivered their threats in a climate of rabid anti-Semitism unprecedented in Australia, a nation increasingly awake and alarmed at what is happening, and responding nationwide with shocked horror and humane outrage – an outrage that has nothing “manufactured” about it.

Deborah Morrison, Malvern East, Vic

As Anthony Bergin points out, the Muslim groups’ statement is trying to normalise probably one of the worst cases of anti-Semitism we’ve seen in this country.

It’s absurd to suggest that there’s a co-ordinated public campaign against these individuals. It’s a common cry of deep community concern about health workers saying they are willing to kill patients in their care. Their remarks breached the trust placed in them by the health system.

Michael von Schoenberg, Malvern, Vic