Anthony Albanese’s rambling Melbourne Synagogue speech shows the PM is feeling the pressure in anti-Semitism storm | Samantha Maiden
The pressure is getting to the Prime Minister, writes Samantha Maiden, after a very shaky week under the shadow of an anti-Semitism storm.
It was a rambling, emotional performance as Anthony Albanese fronted the cameras at the Sydney Jewish Museum to condemn the latest outbreak of anti-semitism.
The Prime Minister “unequivocally” condemned the arson and vandalism attacks in Sydney’s Woollahra, observing it was “aimed at promoting fear in the community”.
“That, by any definition, is what terrorism about,” he said.
“We need to make sure we learn the lessons of history which this museum shows us.”
But the press conference descended into long-winded monologues as he defended his government’s record on Israel. There were hundreds of words and little meaning. He went on and on without landing a cut-through ‘grab’ for the television cameras, let alone confidently reassure Australians he had the situation in hand.
It was clear enough that the Prime Minister has lost his mojo and his confidence after a week of criticism over his decision to play tennis in Perth with former SA Premier Jay Weatherill as a Melbourne synagogue lay smouldering after an arson attack. At some points he appeared on the verge of tears.
The Prime Minister, we learned, was keen to reject claims that Penny Wong was waging a “deeply cynical” campaign against Israel after she compared the actions of Benjamin Netanyahu’s democratic government with those of dictators Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping.
Senator Wong, in her Hawke Lecture on Monday night, insisted that criticism of Israel had no link to anti-Semitism.
“It is not anti-Semitic to expect that Israel should comply with the international law that applies to all countries. Nor is it anti-Semitic to call for children and other civilians to be protected, or to call for a two-state solution that enables Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace and security,” Senator Wong said.
“We expect Russia to abide by international law and end its illegal full-scale war on Ukraine. We expect China to abide by international legal decisions in the South China Sea. We also expect Israel to abide by international law.”
Senator Wong, the Prime Minister insisted “knew about racism”, implying that her own experiences of being born overseas rendered her incapable of missteps on the Middle East.
Just 24 hours earlier, the Prime Minister was heckled in chaotic scenes outside the fire-bombed synagogue in Melbourne. It was respectful inside the synagogue but a different story out on the streets where it was clear his security team were concerned as a crush of people formed around him.
“Nice day for tennis,” one heckler shouted.
Another person then shouted, “go live in Gaza,” at the Prime Minister.
“Time to resign,” another heckler shouted.
The Prime Minister was rushed into a car outside the synagogue that was firebombed in a suspected terror attack in chaotic scenes as AFP officers shouted “get back!” to a gathering crowd.
Mr Albanese was expected to hold a press conference after touring the crime scene on Tuesday. It was just too dangerous as the crowd gathered and hecklers shouted questions.
AFP officers were forced to shout at bystanders to “stand clear!” and “watch out, watch out, get back!” as his motorcade tried to depart.
Earlier, Mr Albanese said those who committed the “evil act” would be brought to justice.
Mr Albanese made the trip after 24 hours of criticism over his two-hour tennis session in Perth — where also enjoyed afternoon tea — the day after the attack.
Liberal leader Peter Dutton had already visited the crime scene on Monday while former Labor leader Bill Shorten had attended on Friday.
The Greens however still had something up their sleeve.
Greens deputy leader Mehreen Faruqi’s chief of staff Antoun Issa was reprimanded for suggesting the firebombing of a Melbourne synagogue could be a “false flag” attack.
“It could very well be a white supremacist or someone enraged by the genocide or a Zionist false-flag,” he told Instagram on Monday. “They’ve done this before.”
Even Greens leader Adam Bandt called the post inappropriate and his deputy and Issa’s boss Senator Faruqi said, “I do not agree with it, and have counselled my staff member about it.”
“In hindsight, I regret this post and it was inappropriate,’’ Issa said.
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