Weak leadership opens door for anti-Semitic terrorism

Until recently, I have been concerned that the wider Australian community has been ambivalent towards the rise in anti-Semitism: it did not directly affect them and it was not on their “radar”.

Even before October 7, 2023, the Jewish community had been calling out the risks to Australian social cohesion with unchecked anti-Semitic incidents. After the recent events, I am hopeful that all Australians are waking up to the risks that have been previously overlooked (“ ‘Van bomb targeted at synagogue’ ”.

After the firebombing of a synagogue, preschool and cars, graffiti painted on homes and cars, and now a bomb-laden caravan, presumably destined for detonation outside a Jewish place of worship, all peace-loving Australians can no longer afford to be bystanders. We must all work towards eradicating this evil homegrown terrorism.

Kathy Sharp, Neutral Bay, NSW

The continuing anti-Semitic attacks across Australia could all have been prevented had there been an appropriate response from the Prime Minister immediately following the murders and abductions in Israel on October 7, 2023. Instead there was a totally inept response from the police, who did nothing despite the violent placards and inflammatory, racist shouting.

I cannot believe that a strong approach by Peter Dutton would not have resulted in a far more effective outcome on anti-Semitic activities.

Dick Crane, Killarney Heights, NSW

We are at a pivotal time in world geopolitics, when leadership is weak, taken advantage of, and conflict occurs. Every nation is being warned and tested.

Bad things happen when good people do nothing. No one escapes the resultant destruction and human devastation. We are all at risk.

Aviva Rothschild, Caulfield North, Vic

When did everything become “an event”?

There are no longer bushfires, floods, cyclones – they are all “events”. So is the NSW finding of the caravan containing a cache of explosives and anti-Jewish hate slurs, which is described as a potential “mass casualty event” or a “terrorism event”.

Such jargon, no doubt intended to intensify the severity and gravitas of an “event”, only ends up giving it a nomenclature blandness alongside all the other “events”.

Imagine WWI and WWII as WCEI and WCEII – “World Conflict Event I and World Conflict Event II”, or the Holocaust as a “genocide event”. How will the event jargonistas label the Hamas atrocities of October 7, 2023, and the subsequent destruction of Gaza?

And what “event” terminology will be used to describe the shameful period in our history when Australian governments and law enforcement were, due to inaction, overtaken by events in the most horrific and sustained outbreak of anti-Semitism our nation has ever experienced?

Susan Caughey, Glen Iris, Vic

It is clear that the government is ineffective at making Australia safe again from terrorism.

After courting Hamas in Gaza and bringing in hundreds of unchecked people, the government seems to have brought the Middle East to Australia. However, your article (“Paterson outlines security overhaul”, 30/1) offers timely reassurance that the opposition team of Peter Dutton and James Paterson has a defence strategy to make Australia secure again.

Corinne Haber, Caulfield, Vic

Actions speak louder than words, or in the Albanese government case “inactions”.

Bryan Welsh, Crestwood, NSW

The weak non-action, apart from words, following the demonstrations of October 9, 2023, by our Prime Minister, backed by his colleagues in the federal Labor Party, have put our highly regarded Jewish brothers and sisters at risk.

These signals, along with the gutless desertion by our government of our Israeli allies, have also assisted in emboldening anti-Semitic terrorists.

However, recent events have shown that any Australian can now be at risk of the actions of these terrorists.

My plea to the Prime Minister and his colleagues is to get some intestinal fortitude before it is too late.

Noel Hicks, Griffith, NSW