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Despite having drafted multiple blog entries in the last month and a half, I have not been able to bring myself to post them.
Israel has been in a war of attrition: the situation changes constantly and excruciatingly slowly.
A ceasefire deal with Hamas has just been approved. Reading the reported terms, I am simultaneously excited and sickened to my stomach. Hamas'/Gazans' abuse of the hostages – malnutrition, murder, and rape resulting in births, demonstrate that the atrocities of October 7 were not a one-off event. The barbarism against innocent Israeli civilians continues to this day. Just hearing about it has traumatised me for the rest of my life.
All this in the context of a weak and corrupt international community that failed long ago to put pressure on Hamas/Iran (at the very least to treat the kidnapped Israelis humanely, let alone release them) and to support Israel, instead pointing a finger at anything the latter has done to protect itself and try to rescue its kidnapped people.
This war is not over, but Israel is losing. That is primarily because for Israel, losses are not palatable, while for the 'Resistance' (Iran and its proxies) they are a strategy. And there are constant losses. I am referring to losses of both human life and to dignity.
When the powers that be (Iran et. al.) set up protests against Israel worldwide - clearly an ancillary effort to the military campaigns executed by their proxies - they were able to capitalise on populations that had spread throughout the west during the Arab spring. This created the conditions for the current conflict to become a global war.
Australia - A Case Study
Let's look at Australia as an example.
Reports of anti-Semitic incidents in Australia over the last year have skyrocketed. Perpetrators have been emboldened by worldwide protests against Israel, as well as a federal government that has been, at best, blasé regarding these incidents and at worst has evinced an anti-zionist stance. Now these incidents have become violent.
In late 2024, a Melbourne synagogue - of the Haredi style Adass Yisroel community – was firebombed and totally gutted.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_Melbourne_synagogue_attack
Many Israelis visiting Australia (an ally of Israel) are required to submit a 13 page written declaration concerning their possible involvement in torture and acts of genocide.
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israeli-soldiers-denied-visa-australia-following-war-crimes-questions
Traditional Christmas celebrations in Melbourne were cancelled when a protest group threatened to harass visitors over the war in Gaza.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/myer-christmas-window-tradition-cancelled-over-protest-threat-20241114-p5kqrv.html
Schools and public areas in Melbourne have suffered anti-Semitic graffiti.
Anti-semitism always existed in Australia, to be sure. Like my university professor in the 1980s who ran a course in World War II history and who insisted that Jews were not singled out by the Nazis. He reduced my grades when I challenged him.
But the violence of today is something new. It directly results from a toxic anti-Israel atmosphere since the Hamas attack of October 2023. Agitators have been emboldened by Anthony Albanese, the prime minister with a past as a Palestinian activist (https://www.crikey.com.au/2024/05/29/protester-prime-minister-anthony-albanese-israel-palestine/); by Penny Wong, the left-wing anti-Zionist and pro Palestine foreign minister (who, being in a Lesbian marriage, would be subject to capital punishment by the Palestinian government she so effectively advocates for in Gaza), and by the well-funded international campaign to discredit Israel through universities around the world. Sadly, students have proven themselves intellectually vulnerable to modern misinformation. They are simply incapable of doing proper research and thinking for themselves. Add to that disenfranchised immigrants, and other dislocated members of society, whether due to gender or racial identity, who all band together to take out their frustrations on a cause celebre, and a wave of protests is sweeping across many parts of the world. Again, the Jews are targets.
In the Monty Python film ‘Life of Brian’, the misguided masses mistake a peasant named Brian for the messiah. Displaying their inability to exercise independent thought, they all shout in unison, ‘We are all individuals!’.
https://www.crikey.com.au/2024/05/29/protester-prime-minister-anthony-albanese-israel-palestine/
In Australia, this movement seems unable to connect the dots: violence and threats in Australia have been imported by (in this case) the pro-Palestine agitators. By contrast, members of the Jewish community have been – and continue to be - peaceful, contributing members of Australian society since the country’s inception.
In 2014, a Muslim terrorist took hostages at the Lindt cafe in Sydney. Peaceful Muslims feared revenge attacks against them. The local response was to initiate a program called “I’ll Ride With You”, in which non-Muslims would accompany Muslims on public transport to give them a sense of security. To the best of my knowledge, no such offer of protection was ever made to Jews who were subject to racist attacks in Australia.
In late 2023, when I was in Melbourne, a Palestinian-owned burger shop in a Jewish neighbourhood was firebombed. Jews were accused of being behind the attack for political reasons. Friends of mine suggested it was an insurance scam by the owner. Only later did the police confirm that the incident was criminal, and not political.
But the damage had been done. Anti-Israel crowds were called to protest on Friday night in front of a synagogue near the burnt-out store, and they streamed in waving Palestinian flags. Jews attending Shabbat services had to be evacuated.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12734071/Burgertory-protest.html
I have just arrived back for another brief visit and am amazed at what I see.
Some Australian Jews today have started hiding the star of David necklaces, some even removing their skullcaps. This is not the Australia of my youth.
Friends here have expressed what I can only call ‘cautious alarm’. Australia has many Jewish Holocaust survivors. Their children and grandchildren are experiencing the trauma they only heard about in family lore, and which they were convinced had disappeared. The catch-cry 'Never Again' suddenly seems hollow. Some have expressed an interest in strengthening their ties with Israel and perhaps purchasing an investment property here. Is that needed? Conversely, is it enough?
I will balance this out by saying the the community is strong and is protecting itself. Many Jews are confidently open about their identity and rightly so. They have much to be proud of.
International Arrest Warrants and the Government's Silent Complicity
Recently, the International Criminal Court made the highly controversial move of issuing arrest warrants against Israel’s Prime Minister and its former Foreign Minister.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Criminal_Court_arrest_warrants_for_Israeli_leaders
The Australian, a national newspaper, attacked the federal leader for failing to condemn these warrants.
“Fence-sitting Labor should hang its head in shame if it fails to condemn this ICC outrage” shouted one headline.
“International Kangaroo court cannot be trusted, minister” spouted another.
The reporter of the second article stated that:
“The ICC’s arrest warrants against the Prime Minister of Israel and that country’s former defence minister are as smelly as an old boot”.
Seeing this news coverage I felt better about Australia, and I said as much to a political analyst in Melbourne. He looked at me with a smirk.
“Oh, don’t be placated. The paper is owned by media magnate Rupert Murdoch, and the articles reflect his anti-left-wing stance more than an Australian point of view”.
Does that discount the value of the reporting? Not at all. But it might explain why it exists in an environment that is so contrary.
Despite my jetlag, I popped into a supermarket in a non-Jewish neighbourhood supplies. ‘Forgive me’, I said to the cashier, sleepily, ‘I’ve just flown in from abroad and am exhausted.”
“Where from?”, asked the pleasant young lady.
“Israel”. She looked up at me.
“Oh! My family’s from Israel!” She blushed and we immediately began conversing in Hebrew.
"אני כ״כ מתרגשת!”, she said excitedly.
We spoke about her life here. “The anti-Israel activism here is really powerful. It’s awful and, frankly, frightening.”
Being close to a university campus, I was not surprised. I had seen some of what she was referring to when I visited in November 2023.
I found a bag I had left here on previous trip. Inside was a T-shirt I bought years ago in Jerusalem. Printed on the front are the words:
ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES, INTELLIGENCE
MY JOB IS SO SECRET I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT I'M DOING!
Once upon a time that was funny. Since October 7th, 2023, it has become a sad relic of an innocence now lost.
I switched on the TV to the national news broadcaster, the ABC. The media here is constantly discussing the ceasefire with Hamas. An analyst explained that ever since Palestine was divided into Jewish and Arab states in 1947, Israel has been taking over Arab Palestinian lands and continues to hold on to them at gunpoint. No mention of wars, attacks, peace treaties with Arab countries. Just an implied, unending Zionist search for lebensraum. The lack of nuance, context or even basic details on this government media outlet is agenda-driven, atrocious, and despicable.
Another media channel, Sky News Australia, presents the news in a way that Israelis would consider far more accurate. A former reporter for the outlet, Erin Molan, recently made positive waves when she visited Israel. In addition to appearing in public events, she also met with president Herzog, who apparently quoted some of her reports back to her. Erin told the media that she was moved by the impact of her reporting.
https://www.australianjewishnews.com/molan-a-defender-of-israels-legacy/
In mid January 2025 (last week), a group of young Jews calling themselves Lions of Zion demonstrated in downtown Melbourne against anti-Semitic attacks.
'The streets of Melbourne CBD have been abandoned to a hate mob of anti-Israel activists for well over a year,'...'Many Jewish people no longer feel comfortable venturing into the CBD while these rallies take place.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14275295/Palestine-Israel-protest-Melbourne.html
What can the authorities here do to calm the tensions, one may ask. Free speech is paramount in a democracy. Is that not why the anti-Israel contingent has been allowed to flood Melbourne's city streets with marches and hate speech each week for more than a year, while the police stand idly by?
A friend put me straight. "During Covid, Melbourne became a police state with the strictest lockdown rules in the world. People even suggesting disapproval of lockdowns were arrested in their homes and had their electronic devices confiscated. Believe me, when the government wants to act, it can. Inaction regarding anti-Israel hate speech and misinformation is a policy."
Combat Zone
This weekend, news of overnight attacks were reported against Alex Rifchyn, a prominent Australian Jewish leader. His former home in Sydney was vandalised with anti-Semitic graffiti, and a number of cars were torched, two totally destroyed.
https://au.news.yahoo.com/outrage-condemnation-over-anti-semitic-210208566.html
Ryvchin himself appeared in the TV and print media, calling for antisemitism to be tackled at the highest levels before it's too late.
"An evil is at work in this country...Be strong and of good courage and everything will be okay", I watched him say on the nightly news, employing key Jewish expressions.
Ryvchin then penned a newspaper article entitled "Auschwitz fear is on Australian streets".
In a press conference, the NSW premier made a clear statement that the country is shocked by the incredible rise in violent anti-semitism and supports the Jewish community, many of whose members made peaceful homes here after the Holocaust, and the government is throwing all its resources into protecting it.
The government is reworking its counter-terrorism activities to prevent the recruitment of young people into extremist ideologies.
Are events in Australia a direct result of what is occurring in Israel, or are they independent and simply being nudged along by it? Reports suggest that the current ceasefire may work to reduce anti-Semitic attacks here. But there are so many elements at play, one can only wait and see.
Is the Gaza conflict a cause of anti-Semitic attacks in Australia?
Is it a wave on which anti-Semitism has caught a ride?
Is it a first battle in a larger war against Australian values and western society?
This, of course, is all based on my impressions and the media that I'm following. There are plenty of other sources out there that will reflect a different understanding of today's reality.
But let's make no bones about it. Iran's axis of resistance has successfully ignited a conflict that is playing out throughout the world. The flare up in Australia is perhaps even small by comparison with other countries.
Unlike some, I do not believe the situation here is comparable to pre-Holocaust Europe, as has been suggested. But a violent trend has reared its head, and Australia has changed. I do believe, however, that the silent majority is aware that they will eventually be in the firing line.
By that stage I will be back home, crying with my countryfolk, trying to prepare for our next clash against all odds with a barbaric culture of death, while trying to maintain our humanity.
