Special Envoy Report Response
Liberty Victoria has carefully reviewed the Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism’s plan to combat antisemitism.
Sadly, it is evident that the report is not a genuine or serious inquiry into prejudice and discrimination. Instead, the report appears designed to bring about a particular outcome, namely, to stifle criticism of Israel and the political ideology of Zionism. It is poorly reasoned and makes sweeping generalisations without any effort to provide evidence or rationale.
Vitally, the report adopts a definition of antisemitism that has been widely rejected by international civil society organisations (including some Jewish organisations) on the basis that it inappropriately conflates criticism of Israel with antisemitism. Kenneth Stern, the lead author of the definition, has said that it has been “weaponised”, and that adopting it in this context would be a “disaster” and counter-productive to combatting antisemitism.
Liberty Victoria considers that the definition of antisemitism must carefully differentiate between hostility, prejudice and discrimination on the basis of Judaism (which must always be opposed), and legitimate criticism of Israel, the IDF and Zionism. That distinction was adopted in a recent Federal Court judgment.
The adoption of an inaccurate and politicised definition of antisemitism in combination with the recommendations in the report leads to the conclusion that the intention of the work is to stifle legitimate criticism of Israel in relation to what the ICJ has determined is a plausible genocide in Gaza.
For example:
● The report recommends that all levels of government and public institutions be required to use the above definition of antisemitism;
● The report advocates for withholding funding from universities and arts organisations that facilitate antisemitism. On the definition adopted in the report, this would likely include universities that fail to stop anti-war campus protests that involve criticism of Israel.
● The report calls for visa refusal and cancellation for people who engage in “antisemitic…rhetoric”. Because of the definition of antisemitism that is urged on the government, this might result in a person’s visa being cancelled because of advocacy against Israel’s likely war crimes in Gaza;
● The report calls for law reform to restrict protest rights; and
● The Envoy intends that she will engage in media monitoring to ensure that there is “balance”, and “fairness” in reporting.
This is a disappointing missed opportunity. Jewish Australians have the right to live free from antisemitism and discrimination. We welcome and applaud genuine efforts to understand and reduce discrimination and prejudice against monitory groups. Liberty Victoria therefore calls on the Albanese Government to go back to the drawing board and to include a more diverse array of Jewish groups and others in its consultations, including the large number of Jewish Australians who oppose the conflation of the state of Israel and Zionism with Judaism.