AUSTRALIA APPOINTS SPECIAL ENVOY TO ADDRESS RISING ANTI-SEMITISM

Pro-Palestine protesters scale roof of Australia’s Parliament House to unfurl banners criticising war in Gaza.

Tue 09 July 2024:

In response to growing concerns about community tensions fueled by the war in Gaza, Australia has appointed Jillian Segal, a Jewish lawyer and business leader, as a special envoy to combat anti-Semitism. Segal will engage with Jewish Australians, the broader public, religious discrimination experts, and the government to address anti-Jewish sentiment, according to an official statement on Tuesday.

Segal’s three-year term will involve direct reporting to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, and Multicultural Affairs Andrew Giles. Albanese emphasized the importance of unity and condemned violence and hatred, stating, “Australians are deeply concerned about this conflict, and many are hurting. In times like this, Australians must come together, not be torn apart.” Albanese also said that, “We have built our nation’s social cohesion together over generations, and this is why we all must work together to uphold, defend and preserve it.”

He highlighted the necessity of maintaining social cohesion and announced plans to appoint a special envoy for combating Islamophobia soon.

One of Segal’s initial tasks will be attending the World Jewish Congress in Argentina next week to discuss anti-Semitism with global envoys. She noted the normalization of anti-Semitism, citing data from Australia’s peak Jewish body, which reported a 700 percent increase in hate incidents following Hamas’s October 7 attacks on Israel and the subsequent conflict in Gaza.

“The Jewish community in Australia is experiencing valid feelings of fear in the face of increasing anti-Semitism,” Segal said. She stressed the desire of Jewish Australians to live safely and freely practice their religion while contributing to Australia’s multicultural society.

Australia, like other countries, has seen heated protests over the Gaza war, with both Jewish and Muslim communities reporting a significant rise in hate incidents. According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, more than 38,000 Palestinians have been killed since the conflict began, while Israeli authorities reported over 1,130 deaths from Hamas’s October 7 attacks.

The Executive Council of Australian Jewry, previously led by Segal, welcomed her appointment, viewing it as vital for the betterment of Australian society. However, the Jewish Council of Australia, critical of Israel’s actions in Gaza, expressed concerns about Segal’s history of lobbying for Israel and opposing pro-Palestinian voices, warning that her appointment could exacerbate division, Islamophobia, and anti-Palestinian racism.

“By appointing a pro-war voice to this position, the government risks breeding division, increasing Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism, and ultimately making Jews less safe,” the council stated.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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