Jewish Council of Australia media releases
Our media releases
Jewish Council calls for universities to immediately halt actions against anti-war students
[Image credit] The Jewish Council of Australia said today the actions some universities are taking in response to anti-war students are a violation of students’ rights and freedoms. Deakin University and the Australian National University (ANU) have indicated they intend to dismantle the student camps. Students across the country are protesting in support of Palestinian…
As Rafah assault continues, Australia must vote yes to Palestine at UN and do more to prevent genocide
The Jewish Council of Australia is horrified by what we are witnessing Israel do in Rafah. Israel’s ongoing violence in Gaza and the West Bank is the greatest impediment to peace for Palestinians and Israelis. We call on the Australian Government to demonstrate its commitment to the human rights of Palestinians by voting yes for…
Right-wing pro-Israel agitators threaten free speech on campus
[Image credit] The Jewish Council of Australia condemns attacks on students exercising their democratic right to protest. In the last few days we have seen increasing violent attacks on peaceful student Palestine solidarity encampments at universities across the world. At Monash University in Melbourne, a far right vigilante group holding Israeli and Australian flags raided…
Jewish Council: University encampments are no threat to Jews
Last week students in Australia established encampments at their universities in solidarity with Palestinians. These join the dozens of solidarity camps established across the US and elsewhere in recent weeks. Like their peers, Australian students are calling on their institutions to end relationships with weapons companies that are enabling Israeli war crimes, and urging our…
Joint Jewish, Muslim, Christian Statement on Recent Tensions and Violence in Sydney
[Image credit] We, the Jewish Council of Australia, the Islamophobia Register Australia, and the Columban Centre for Christian-Muslim Relations, are deeply concerned by the heightened tensions and acts of violence that have occurred in Sydney over the past week. We extend our deepest condolences to the victims, family members and all those affected by the…
Condemning Islamophobia and Antisemitism surrounding the tragic Bondi attack
The Jewish Council of Australia extends its deepest condolences to the victims, their families and loved ones in the wake of the knife attack at the Westfield Bondi Junction shopping centre in Sydney’s east where six people were killed and at least 12 people injured. The Jewish Council of Australia expresses concern at the troubling…
Senator Wong’s speech a good step but more must be done to halt Israel’s assault on Gaza
[Image credit] The Jewish Council of Australia today welcomed Australia’s foreign affairs minister, Senator Penny Wong’s speech overnight which signaled a shift in the Australian Government’s otherwise steadfast support for Israel and its actions. Along with voicing frustration at the lack of progress on peace, Senator Wong urged Israel to comply with the binding orders…
Attempt to silence Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah as judge of Multicultural NSW Award condemned
[Image credit] The Jewish Council of Australia has condemned the actions of Liberal Senator Dave Sharma and Israel lobby groups who have asked Multicultural NSW to remove Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah as a judge because of her outspoken criticism of Israel and the political ideology of Zionism. Dr Abdel-Fattah is the judging panel chair of this…
Australia must cut all military ties and place sanctions on Israel
[Image credit] The Jewish Council of Australia calls on state and federal governments in Australia to immediately cut all military ties and place sanctions on Israel amid the escalating violence in Gaza. On 28 March, the International Court of Justice ordered additional provisional measures in the case brought by South Africa against Israel for violating…
Alleged Nazi salute at Melbourne screening of Holocaust film
[Image credit] Recent reports allege that yesterday a group of people engaged in hate speech and performed the Nazi salute during a screening of a film about the Holocaust – The Zone of Interest – at a cinema in Melbourne. This event cannot be taken in isolation, the National Socialist Network aims to get media…
Senator Henderson must explain participation in event with far-right extremist organisation
[Image credit] The Jewish Council of Australia expresses deep concern over Senator Sarah Henderson’s scheduled participation in a zoom event with the Australian Jewish Association (AJA), an organisation with reported ties to far-right extremist elements. Henderson is scheduled to speak at a zoom event titled ‘Education Off the Rails’ with the Australian Jewish Association on…
Palestine supporters at arts festivals are no threat to Jews
[Image credit] Palestine supporters at arts festivals are no threat to Jews The Jewish Council of Australia are concerned about intensifying media rhetoric painting Palestinians and their supporters as antisemitic and as damaging of First Nations-Jewish relationships. This week, there have been a number of news stories on ‘splits’ in Australian writers festivals. These stories…
Jewish Council of Australia urges the Australian Government to reject racism against Palestinian people fleeing persecution in Gaza
[Image credit] This week Sky News reported it had a list with the personal details of 500 Palestinian people who had obtained visas to flee overwhelming violence in Gaza, 81 of whom are in Australia. The Jewish Council of Australia is concerned for the safety of the Palestinian people who have had their identities exposed…
Sydney rally: A conflation of antisemitism with criticism of Israel
[Image credit] The Jewish Council of Australia is concerned about a pro-Israel rally, which took place over the weekend in Sydney, framed under the misleading banner of fighting antisemitism, and organised by the group ‘Never Again is Now’. The Council is concerned that some Jewish representative bodies supported this rally, which exploited Jewish fear about…
Jewish Council of Australia speaks out against unfolding massacre in Rafah
[Image credit] The Jewish Council of Australia is horrified by what we are witnessing Israel do in Rafah in the name of Jewish people. The Australian government should be working with other countries to put an end to Israel’s vicious and escalating assault on a trapped population. The world is watching a plausible case of…
Jewish Council of Australia says not all Jews agree on UNRWA funding withdrawal
[Image credit] The Jewish Council of Australia today expressed concern about the revelation that Australia’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Penny Wong, did not have sufficient evidence about allegations against staff at the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) before pausing funding. The Jewish Council is troubled that so-called Jewish representative organisations are campaigning against UNRWA…
Jewish Council of Australia launches to provide expert voice on antisemitism and racism in Australia
In response to the pressing need for an independent expert body to address antisemitism and racism in Australia, a dynamic coalition of Jewish scholars, historians, human rights lawyers, and writers has joined together to establish the Jewish Council of Australia. The Council was formed to fill a void in Australia of an independent expert Jewish…
