Jewish Council of Australia media releases
Our media releases
Jewish Council will work with Royal Commission to adopt an anti-racist approach and ensure diverse Jewish voices are heard
The Jewish Council of Australia is committed to working with the Royal Commission into the Bondi massacre, stressing that the inquiry must prioritise accountability, and understand antisemitism as an issue deeply intertwined with all forms of racism — rather than being derailed into a political battle that encourages more racism and division. The Council said…
Media Release: Unity, safety and prevention — not fulfilling divisive pro-Israel wishlist — must guide the Government’s response to Bondi attack
In the wake of the horrific antisemitic attack in Bondi, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese today made a series of announcements in regard to combatting antisemitism and stated that the Government would enact the Antisemitism envoy’s divisive and controversial plan. This is a week of profound grief for Jewish people and the entire nation. We mourn…
Media Release: Mass shooting at Chanukah event in Bondi
We are horrified and shaken in the wake of the mass shooting at a Chanukah event in Bondi this evening, which has left at least ten people dead and injured many more. This is the first night of Chanukah when we gather with loved ones and friends to light the Chanukiah. Many within our community have…
Jewish Coalition Opposes Anti-Democratic Antisemitism Plan, Calls for United, Whole-of Society Approach
November 14, 2025 The Jewish Council of Australia joins a coalition of nine Jewish organisations in releasing an open letter urging the Australian Government to reject the plan proposed by Australia’s Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism (ASECA plan). It warns that the plan risks undermining Australia’s democratic freedoms like freedom of expression and will not…
New Victorian Protest Laws Still Threaten Democracy
November 12, 2025 The Jewish Council of Australia welcomes the decision of the Victorian Government to step back from the harshest versions of its proposed anti-protest laws, including a ban on face coverings at protests. This is a partial victory for civil society, and for the more than 1,000 Australian Jews who signed our petition…
Diaspora Jewish Leaders Urge Action Against Israel as it Orders Strikes on Gaza and Advances West Bank Annexation
October 29, 2025 The Netanyahu government has ordered strikes on Gaza killing nine people, violating the ceasefire for the second time after less than three weeks at the same time as the Parliament votes to advance bills that would annex large parts of the occupied West Bank. Over the course of just one week, the…
Two years on: as long as Israel’s genocide continues, our responsibility remains
October 7, 2025 This week marks two years since Israel began its genocide against Palestinians in Gaza and two years since the Hamas-led attacks that killed over 1,000 people in Israel and saw hundreds taken hostage. As talks over a new “peace plan” begin, this anniversary is a reminder that peace and safety will never…
Recognition of Palestine not enough, Sanctions Must Follow to Stop Genocide
Media Release For immediate release: 22 September 2025 Recognition of Palestine not enough, Sanctions Must Follow to Stop Genocide SYDNEY – The Jewish Council of Australia affirms the Palestinian people’s fundamental right to self-determination—a right that has been systematically denied by the Israeli state. Australia’s decision to recognise the State of Palestine is a response…
Jewish Council launches ad campaign Demanding Government Sanction Israel for Genocide, Condemns Australian Complicity
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…
Statement: Jewish Council stands with First Nations people
September 1, 2025 The Jewish Council of Australia stands with First Nations people after the cowardly Nazi attack on Camp Sovereignty. Our struggles against racism, fascism and the ongoing colonisation of this land are bound together. Always was, always will be, Aboriginal land.
Statement: White supremacist rallies threaten us all
August 31, 2025 The “March for Australia” rallies planned for Sunday 31 August are organised by white supremacists, with heavy involvement from Neo-Nazis. As Jews, we know the dangers of white supremacist ideologies. We stand in solidarity with First Nations peoples and all other communities targeted by the far-right. We stand on a Jewish tradition…
Media Release: Jewish Council condemn mayors’ and councillors’ junket to far-right “antisemitism summit”
August 23, 2025 Mayors and councillors — elected to represent their communities — are being offered free flights, accommodation, and meals to attend a Gold Coast “antisemitism summit” this September backed by far-right pro-Israel political groups. The Australian Mayors Summit Against Antisemitism, run by the US-based Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM), is being billed as a…
Media Release: Recognition of the State of Palestine must be combined with principled action to stop Israel’s intensifying genocide in Gaza
The Jewish Council of Australia affirms the Palestinian people’s fundamental right to self-determination—a right that has been systematically denied by the Israeli state. Australia’s decision to recognise the State of Palestine is a response to the growing groundswell of public support for Palestinian rights across this country. The Australian government must ensure that ‘recognition’ is…
Media Release: Jewish Council backs march across Sydney Harbour Bridge
Tens of thousands of people will march across Sydney Harbour Bridge tomorrow afternoon in the momentous March for Humanity – a mass call to save Gaza. Today, the Supreme Court of NSW declined an application by NSW Police to block the march. The people of Gaza are experiencing an escalating genocide. Israel, emboldened by its…
MEDIA ALERT: Independent review finds no racist or antisemitic content at QUT Symposium
An independent review by The Honourable John Middleton AM KC into the National Symposium on Unifying Anti-Racist Research has found that no racist or antisemitic content was presented at the Symposium, despite smear campaigns by pro-Israel groups and the Australian Newspaper. The Review also found no breaches of the Code of Conduct and no racist…
Jewish Council Rejects Special Envoy’s antisemitism plan
The Jewish Council of Australia has today warned that the newly released Special Envoy’s Plan to Combat Antisemitism risks undermining Australia’s democratic freedoms, inflaming community divisions, and entrenching selective approaches to racism that serve political agendas. The report is riddled with misinformation and claims about nefarious funding sources for protests and universities that verge on…
Media Release: Jewish Council warns against the Victorian government weaponising act of antisemitism to stifle legitimate protest
The Jewish Council of Australia warns against increasingly reckless responses by government and media to recent events in Melbourne, including calls to expand police powers. The arson attack on East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation was a vile and heartbreaking act of antisemitism. The Council stands firmly with the congregation, many of whom are friends and family…
Jewish Council of Australia condemns FM Wong’s endorsement of illegal US attack
The Jewish Council of Australia condemns Foreign Minister Penny Wong’s endorsement of the U.S. military strike on Iranian nuclear targets — an illegal act of aggression that threatens to escalate a dangerous regional conflict and lead to more death and suffering. Civilians in Iran and Israel are already paying the horrific price of flagrant breaches…
Jewish Council condemns Israel’s ongoing attacks on starving Gazans
In the midst of escalating bombing by Israel and Iran, and as the region braces for a wider devastating conflict, yesterday was the deadliest day for Palestinians brazenly killed at aid sites in Gaza. Israeli forces have killed at least 397 Palestinian civilians in Gaza and injured over 3,000 at or near food distribution sites since late…
