Australia appoints special envoy to tackle antisemitism
Australia has appointed a special envoy to address antisemitism and maintain “social cohesion” amid escalating tensions related to the Israel-Gaza conflict.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that lawyer and businesswoman Jillian Segal would work with community leaders and discrimination experts to provide advice to the government.
This move mirrors the actions of countries such as the US, Canada, Greece, and the UK, which have had similar roles for years.
Additionally, Mr. Albanese stated that a special envoy to combat Islamophobia will be appointed soon.
The ongoing Middle East conflict has become a contentious political issue in Australia, sparking protests from both Jewish and Muslim communities and leading to a significant increase in incidents of Islamophobia and antisemitism.
The Israeli military initiated a campaign against the Hamas group governing Gaza in response to an unprecedented attack on southern Israel on October 7, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages being taken.
More than 38,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza as a result of Israel’s offensive, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry.
“Australians are deeply concerned about this conflict, and many are hurting. In times like this, Australians must come together, not be torn apart,” Mr Albanese said on Tuesday.
The appointment of Ms Segal – who has headed several key bodies representing the Jewish community and served in leadership roles in the education and banking sectors – is a “critical step” in easing friction, he said.
Ms Segal said combatting the “age-old hatred” of antisemitism has never been more important, pointing to a 700% rise in incidences since the war began in October.
“Jewish Australians want to feel free to live their day-to-day lives, and also want to feel safe to practice and express their religion without fear,” she added.
The announcement has been welcomed by the national peak body for the Australian Jewish community – a group Ms Segal led until last year – who say she will “will bring deep knowledge of the issues and immense energy to the role”.
However other groups – including The Jewish Council of Australia, which has been critical of Israel’s actions in Gaza, and The Australian Palestine Advocacy Network (APAN) – say they fear it will worsen division.
“It also risks further entrenching the concerning pattern of antisemitism being conflated with criticism of the state of Israel or with support for Palestine,” APAN said.
The Australian government supports a two-state solution, and in the wake of the 7 October attacks loudly supported Israel’s right to defend itself.
However in recent months it has increasingly voiced concerns about the country’s military campaign in Gaza – including after an Australian aid worker was killed alongside six others in an Israeli air strike.
Australia’s governing Labor party has also experienced growing tensions, with one senator last week quitting its ranks over its stance on the war.
Fatima Payman said she had been “exiled” after breaking party rules to vote against the government in support of a motion calling for the recognition of Palestinian statehood.
