My submission to the Royal Commission on anti semitism and social cohesion

I am sharing my submission that I have just submitted to the Royal Commission on anti semitism and social cohesion

I believe I have insights that could be beneficial in reducing anti semitism. I prefer to use ‘anti-Jewish’ as anti semitism in my opinion has now become a muddied politicised term, which really should include mistreatment of other semitic groups such as the Palestinians.

I am available to present my thoughts and insights to the commission.

To me, the argument needs to be a genuine discussion about how to ensure that discussion is about tackling anti-Jewish sentiments, and for that to be done effectively, all parties must be willing to really get honest about their actions.

I have been extremely fortunate to have had great friendships with both Jewish people and Arab/Muslim/Palestinian people, and this has helped me see the situation from different perspectives.

As a teacher, I must take to task the idea that anti-Jewish sentiment has suddenly surged for no apparent reason. We must face the key issue of the actions, perceived and real, of Israel since Oct 7 2023. I know that a large section of the Jewish communities are supportive & loyal to Israel and will never criticise the actions of this country. But the reality is that most of the non-Jewish world does not view Israel the same way. The fact that Israel is referred to as the Jewish state is a big problem for Jewish people, because if Israel is seen to break the law and carry out mass killings, this is seen as connected to Jewish people.

In the past 30+ years that I have worked as a teacher, I have been involved along with other educators in a rising phenomenon of tolerance towards all minorities. Whether it be First Nations, LGBT, Jewish, people of colour, various religious & ethnic minorities, there has been a great achievement in raising young people to have respect & tolerance for others. The idea that there is growing tolerance for all these minorities, but not for Jewish people is illogical and does not make sense. In addition, prior to Oct 7, discrimination against Jewish people in Australia had been reducing. The fact that it has flared since Oct 7, in my view, means that the actions of Israel which has led to the deaths of over 70,000 Palestinians, has caused a negative view of Israel in the minds of many. Some may not want to see it that way, but that is how it looks to me.

There is much talk of keeping the topics of ‘anti-Jewish’ and ‘anti-Israel’ separate, but the problem we can see is that Jewish symbols are used by Israel, and so a crossover will occur between the two.
After the tragedy of the Bondi shootings and deaths, we can see a clear case of this. In the aftermath, and learning that security had been so minimal, I have to say that there seems to have been some disconnect with reality by organisers. We have always known that many terrorist events occur against the west, and often for western loyalty to Israel. Going all the way back to the 1970s, there have often been attacks with connections of Palestinians, or supporters, to the wrongs they have faced by Israel. Both sides may blame the other, but to think any Jewish event could be carried out in such a climate of war, without thinking of potential danger, was a bad move.

There is a loyalty of many Arabs and Muslims to the Palestinian people, and both sides see the other as the cause of the problems. To genuinely resolve any issue, there must be a willingness to see the faults of our own group, not just the other.

I also find it disappointing that this commission is focusing only on cases against Jewish people, and not on Muslim/Arab/Palestinian as well. From what I understand, there have been many threats and cases of violence against them as well. Maybe not like Bondi, but remembering the Christchurch massacres at the mosques, we know this is a risk as well. And we should remember that there may be others who would do harm to either group. After Bondi, hopefully everyone realises this. But ensuring safety at all times can never be assured. So, we must all be vigilant.

I was not raised Jewish, but often felt I might be as a child. When I figured out I was gay in the 1980s, I learnt about the Pink Triangle, and saw a clear connection between Jewish people and gay people. Moving to Australia from New Zealand/Aotearoa in 1985, I got to see visibility of Jewish people around Bondi & believed it would be good to have some connection. So, in 1990 I created a group ‘Jews & Friends/ Yehudim V’Chaverim’ and we had regular meetings for two or three years. Most of the group was Jewish and all were Gay or Lesbian. Except for Kitty Fischer. She had survived Auschwitz partially through the help of a gay prisoner who got her food and gave her useful information which ensured her survival. Kitty was a great friend of mine, and I learnt a lot from her. She did great work in the Jewish community to support LGBT during the AIDS crisis. I got to understand a lot from her, especially about the long-term trauma she continued to experience especially in her older years. For her and many other Jewish people I have been friends with, fear and terror are big issues which I believe explain a lot about why in my opinion, Israel plays ‘tough’. But this approach does not win friends; it leads to a lot of harm for others and creates long-term war.

It has been terrible to see the carnage occurring in the last three years.

Another good friend of mine, Fred Klein, who I met in Los Angeles in 1998 at a Holocaust Week event at the Museum of Tolerance, also survived Auschwitz. He was also Czech. He talked about two state solution with me a fair bit. While I was in Los Angeles that year we attended a fair for the 50^th celebration of Israel. We also met the great holocaust historian and writer Martin Gilbert at a Borders Book event. Whenever I was in LA, Fred and I would catch up. He was a very kind and compassionate person. Like Kitty, he spoke up for what he believed was right. Both of these friends had a strong voice for Justice, not just for Jewish, but all people. They believed like me, that ‘never again’ must be for everyone.

Legislation can be passed to restrict what people say or do, but as I have already stated, it is my opinion that a lot of the anti-Jewish sentiment is coming from negative views that people feel towards Israel.

I have been to many marches to support the Palestinians, and have met many Jewish people at these marches, who are also critical of Israel’s actions.

Without some honesty of this connection between Jewish and Israel, and how Israel’s actions are intertwined with how Jewish people are viewed, we will be going around in circles, and that ultimately reduces Jewish safety.

I have seen that more funding is being made to educate against anti-Jewish sentiment, but the elephant in the room is Israel. Students are more tolerant of other minorities than ever before. We need to be clear how much negativity towards Jewish people is really about negativity towards Israel. Unless we face this, we will not have much success tacking any anti-Jewish sentiment. We basically need to be clearer about whether someone is really being against Jewish people or about Israel. To treat criticism of Israel as anti-Jewish, mostly creates confusion and will not lead to progress.

It has been a tragedy to see so many people in conflict.

The anti- Jewish sentiments that in many cases are really anti-Israel sentiments are not going to go away through legislation. People may be arrested or silenced for things they say or do, but real safety for Jewish people can not really be legislated for. In fact, there is actually danger for Jewish people in some of these plans or actions. Already, I read many comments suggesting that Jewish people are being treated ‘better’ than other minorities. Even this Royal Commission is seen as questionable by many, and I read comments suggesting the unfairness. This has often been the basis for rising anti-Jewish sentiment through history, that ‘Jews are treated better than others’.

We need to ensure that any suggestions are really going to improve safety for Jewish people. To have programs that promote tolerance of all groups are probably wiser than ones that are seen to favour one over the other. It’s a tricky situation.

Ultimately, we need to be much clearer about the damage Israel’s actions are doing in terms of how Jewish people are seen. If this does not occur, then resentment will grow. And the Royal Commission will be seen as a sham. While the rights & wrongs of Israel & Palestine are not the focus of this enquiry, very little will be achieved unless we address all issues.

For Jewish people, having a homeland in a world that had seen 6 million killed is understandable, but it was achieved by moving Palestinians from their land, and this issue will not go away.

In the short-term, increasing security by individuals and organisations is important, and Jewish people being careful of their open support for Israel would be useful. But a lot of Jewish people probably do not want to do that. But for now, as Israel is locked in war, they give a negative view of Jewish people.

For many Muslims/Arabs/Palestinians in Australia, they have come here because their villages were attacked and destroyed by Israel. For many Jewish people, they are descendants of people who survived pogrom after pogrom plus the holocaust, and there is much fear that gets triggered when something happens in the now. Israel operates in a way to be in total control which I believe is the manifestation of this collective history of terror. To ensure they survive and are not taken out. But this violence by Israel leads to rising opposition towards them and permanent war. Every action taken by Israel creates more opponents in the future.

We need actions that bring Jewish & Palestinian together, but without a real commitment to peace and sharing resources, that conflict will continue and its flow on is negativity towards Jewish people.

I hope my writing is helpful to the discussion.