September 18 2025
The Jewish Council of Australia has today launched a national campaign with adverts in the Daily Telegraph and Herald Sun featuring the faces of hundreds of Australian Jews, calling on the Australian government to take drastic action to halt Israel’s genocidal war on the Palestinian people.
As part of this campaign, the Jewish Council is also launching a petition demanding Prime Minister Albanese and Foreign Minister Wong take immediate action to remedy its complicity.
The Daily Telegraph and Herald Sun suspended the ad yesterday, which we suspect was to prepare a ridiculous hit pieceon the Jewish Council, orchestrated by pro-Israel legacy organisations in response to the ad. However, we’re pleased to report that this advert is running in today’s paper, alongside our quote responding to these attacks.
We are focused on what the United Nations Human Rights Council determined this week, that Israel is committing genocide. In the wake of this report, this petition calls for Australia to meet its responsibilities under the genocide convention. It calls for sanctions on the Israeli government, a two-way arms embargo, and the expulsion of the Israeli Ambassador in response to the atrocities committed in Gaza, where international legal and humanitarian bodies have confirmed the existence of a man-made famine and acts of genocide.
The tides are changing. Leaders around the world are moving from mere words of condemnation to action. The European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen called for the suspension of free trade with Israel. Germany restricted some weapons exports to Israel in August, and Spain recently announced sweeping measures, including a ban on the purchase and sale of weapons, prohibiting Israeli ships carrying fuel for the Israeli army from docking at Spain’s ports, and denying airspace access.
“As Jews, the words ‘Never Again’ are sacred to us- meaning never again for anyone – these words are betrayed by the state of Israel as it wages a genocidal war against Palestinians ” said Sarah Schwartz, Executive Officer of the Jewish Council. “The Australian government’s inadequate statements of ‘concern’ are an act of moral failure while children are deliberately starved to death and entire families are wiped from existence. This inaction makes our government complicit.”
This petition gives voice to a significant and growing part of the Australian Jewish community horrified by Israel’s actions and furious with the Australian government’s refusal to act. “Let’s be clear: every day the Albanese government refuses to act, it enables this genocide,” said fellow Executive Officer, Max Kaiser.
“Empty words from Penny Wong are an insult to the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians facing famine and relentless bombardment. Sanctions are not a radical idea; they are the bare minimum required to stop enabling this slaughter. Kicking out the ambassador is not an extreme step; it is the only appropriate response to a state repeatedly, blatantly thumbing its nose at international law.”