ALP inaction on anti-Semitism shocking, says Nova Peris
Former senator Nova Peris has decried rampant ‘un-Australian anti-Semitism’, slamming the government’s failure to properly respond to the ancient hatred as the Jewish community celebrated Hanukkah.
Former senator Nova Peris has decried rampant “un-Australian anti-Semitism”, slamming the government’s failure to properly respond to the ancient hatred as the Jewish community celebrated Hanukkah and moved with “optimism” into the new year.
Gold medal-winning Olympian Ms Peris – a vocal supporter of the Jewish community – has lambasted anti-Semitism masquerading as “anti-Zionism”, saying that Jewish people had always been falsely accused as the “villain of the day”, which had now “taken hold” in Australia.
Writing in Friday’s The Australian, Ms Peris called for greater solidarity among Indigenous people towards Jewish Australians and slammed her former Labor colleagues in the federal government for failing to address the “growing hatred”.
“As a nation we cannot ignore our beating heart,” she said.
“Who are we? What are we becoming? Are we not a Western country founded on morals and values?
“Australia has long prided itself on being a land of safety, freedom, and mutual respect. Anti-Semitism is a betrayal of these values. It is un-Australian, accelerates moral decay, and must be confronted head-on.”
The former ALP senator’s intervention comes after a year of rising anti-Semitism, culminating in recent vandalism attacks in Sydney’s east, the firebombing of the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne, and a neo-Nazi protest on the steps of Victoria’s parliament, which included a sign reading “Jews hate freedom”.
“The federal government’s failure to address this growing hatred has emboldened extremists,” Ms Peris said. “And what began as hateful graffiti has escalated to violent acts.”
Anthony Albanese’s response has been criticised by Jewish leaders and the opposition, especially when compared with stronger action and rhetoric by Labor premiers, particularly NSW’s Chris Minns.
In May, Ms Peris quit as the Australian Republic Movement’s co-chair in response to what she said were fellow leader Craig Foster’s “inaccurate and divisive comments” on the Israel-Hamas conflict. In June, she became an inaugural patron of the Labor Friends of Israel Australia, alongside former Victorian premier Daniel Andrews.
Ms Peris said Australia had “helped secure the conditions for Jewish self-determination” and must recommit to those principles as forces at home and abroad sought to undermine that right.
“We must reject any attempt to erase the Jewish connection to their homeland and remain steadfast in the fight for justice, freedom, and respect for all peoples,” Ms Peris said, calling the “surge in anti-Semitism … shocking (and) driven by harmful myths”.
“These include denying the Jewish people’s connection to Israel, misrepresenting anti-Semitism as opposition to ‘Zionist colonialism’ or ‘genocide’, and reviving baseless conspiracy theories of Jewish control.”
Ms Peris said it had given nefarious actors “pretext to vilify” Jewish Australians and “legitimise” attacks against them.
“The Jews get accused of whatever is considered the worst sin of the day,” she said, pointing to vilification of the Jews as “capitalists” in communist Russia and “communists” in Nazi Germany.
“It is a slippery slope and our once tolerant society is sliding down it more quickly than most.”
It comes after The Australian revealed how Jewish families were refusing to hide their faith as Hanukkah and Christmas coincided. Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin said the community had observed the “most significant and meaningful Hanukkah in generations”, adding that they would go into the new year feeling “optimistic”.
“I am immensely proud of how the community has withstood a year of despair and pain where at times it has felt that our enemies were closing in and our future in this country was in peril,” he said, thanking the “support of fellow Australians” and praising Ms Peris.
“When we talk about leadership, moral clarity, strength and truth we must speak of Nova Peris, who is a lioness and a friend that I personally and the community will always cherish.
“Standing up for the few against powerful adversaries, refusing to bow to what is trendy and staying true to who we are is how the Jewish people have always survived and Nova embodies that spirit.”
The NSW government has changed planning laws to allow places of worship to install bollards, fences and lighting to bolster security without waiting for bureaucratic approval.
On Christmas Eve, Victoria Police arrested the alleged leader of the “anti-Semitic protest” at state parliament on December 20.
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