Sydney’s Jewish community: ‘Me too, unless you’re a Jew?’

Sydney’s Jewish community calls on the UN and humanitarian organisations to call out Hamas’s attacks on female Israelis and Jews.

Pro-Israel protesters are seen at an event ‘to unite and recognise the atrocities committed on Israeli and Jewish women by Hamas on October 7’ at Prince Alfred Park, Surry Hills, in Sydney. Picture: Flavio Brancaleone

Sydney’s Jewish community have asked “why is it Me Too, unless you’re a Jew”, calling on the UN, and other women’s and humanitarian organisations, to call out Hamas’s attacks on female Israelis and Jews.

At a rally in the city’s Prince Alfred Park, leaders urged the UN to be stronger on Hamas’s rapes, sexual assaults and “targeting” of Israeli women on and after the group’s October 7 attacks.

“Hamas targeted, sexually violated and mutilated young women,” Bring Them Home organiser Hagit Ashual said on Sunday.

“The international Me Too movement completely failed to condemn Hamas and remember Israeli female victims.

“Why is it Me Too, unless you’re a Jew?”

Attendees rally against the UN’s silence, wearing orange tape across their mouths. Picture: Flavio Brancaleone

The rally turned a corner of the park into a memory of those female Israelis taken hostage or killed by Hamas, including Shira Bibas and Noa Argamani, while attendees wore orange tape over their mouths to signify the silence.

Israel and Jewish groups around the world have condemned as “disgraceful” the UN body’s long silence about Hamas’s murder and rape of Israeli women, when it has been quick to condemn violence against women in other parts of the world. UN Women is the global body dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women.

The New York-based UN Women only condemned the Hamas massacre and the sexual violence towards Israeli women on December 1, eight weeks after the October 7 massacre that killed 1200 Israelis, many of them women and children.

Attendees decked in Israeli flags. Picture: Flavio Brancaleone

Federal Senator Hollie Hughes told the rally she was “proudly pro-Israel and pro-Zion”.

“The Me Too movement wasn’t for all women, not for Jewish or Israeli women,” the senator said.

Senator Hughes slammed UN Women Australia chair Georgina Williams for criticising some of her party colleagues who spoke out against the organisation at a pro-Israel Melbourne rally.

“Don’t bother calling me, Georgina – you’re a disgrace,” the senator said.

Victorian senator Sarah Henderson previously told The Australian that Ms Williams “berated” her for her criticism of the UN Women’s 57-day silence about the sexual violence committed by Hamas on October 7, as well as criticising Victorian Liberal MP Georgie Crozier.

A clothing line in Prince Alfred Park of female apparel, to illustrate those taken hostage or killed by Hamas since October 7. Picture: Flavio Brancaleone

It is understood Ms Williams accused Senator Henderson, among other things, of dividing women by agreeing to speak at the Jewish women’s vigil in Elsternwick on December 4, which protested against the silence of UN Women and other women’s rights groups about Hamas’s sexual violence against Israeli women.

Senator Hughes also said that she was “embarrassed” by the federal government voting for a ceasefire in the UN.

“When you’re voting with Iran, Russia and North Korea, you’re probably in the wrong,” she said.

Liberal NSW Upper House MP Jacqui Munro said the Jewish women “brutalised” by Hamas “would never be forgotten”.

“No one should be subject to the atrocities we have heard, no one should have to be here today talking about them,” the MLC said.

“Jewish people are consistently required to tell the worst aspects of their stories, because of the history and behaviour of people in this world, who do not deserve our recognition.”

Attendees wear orange tape over their mouths to signify the silence around female hostages. Picture: Supplied

Noy Miran, part of the organising group, retold a story of her close friend, Ilona, who pretended to be dead on October 7 when Hamas terrorist attacked the Supernova festival.

“There was dancing, enjoying and celebrating life,” she said.

“They heard shooting and ran for cover. She witnessed a murder and a friend being taken hostage.

“She hid in a hole and pretended to be dead to survive.

“It took UN Women more than 50 days to condemn these acts of violence – way too little, way too late.”

The Australian revealed on Friday how reports of serious incidents of anti-Semitism across Australia since the Hamas terror attack on Israel of October 7 have surged a staggering 738 per cent.