Selective Outrage: The Rise of Antisemitism in Australia

Antisemitism in Australia is no longer a relic of the past or an undercurrent lurking in dark corners. It is here, on our streets, openly paraded under the guise of “pro-Palestine” activism, scrawled on synagogues in our suburbs, and—perhaps most disturbingly—met with an eerie silence from institutions that once prided themselves on fighting discrimination.

The recent surge in attacks on Jewish houses of worship, businesses, and individuals is not just another chapter in the long history of antisemitism—it marks a turning point in how this hatred is expressed, tolerated, and excused. The question Australia now faces is whether it will confront this rise in anti-Jewish violence with the seriousness it demands or allow it to fester under the banner of “free speech” and “resistance.”

The Pattern Emerging: Why This Isn’t Just About Israel

The attacks on Jewish institutions in Sydney and Melbourne over the past months reveal an undeniable trend. These acts—ranging from synagogue arson attempts to physical assaults—are not responses to the Israeli government. They are targeted attacks against Australian Jews, who are being held responsible for a conflict happening 14,000 km away.

Some trends are unmistakable:

• The weaponisation of protest rhetoric: Demonstrations that began as calls for Palestinian rights have morphed into thinly veiled incitements against Jews, with slogans like “From the River to the Sea” and “Globalise the Intifada” becoming rallying cries for an ideology that does not simply oppose Israel, but actively seeks the erasure of Jews from public life.

• The radicalisation of the street: Jewish communities are being physically threatened by those who feel emboldened enough to attack places of worship and community centres, knowing full well that the reaction will be sluggish at best, indifferent at worst.

• The selective silence of progressives: The same political and media figures who clamour for zero tolerance on hate speech seem curiously quiet when it is Jews who are the targets. The cognitive dissonance is breathtaking.

The Failure of Institutions: Why Are Jewish Lives Worth Less?

Australia’s law enforcement agencies, political leaders, and civil society organisations have made all the right noises about antisemitism—condemning attacks when pressed, issuing statements after major incidents—but the failure to act with urgency has emboldened the perpetrators.

Compare the response to other forms of hate crime. Imagine if a mosque or a church were firebombed. There would be national outrage, emergency parliamentary debates, and a flood of pledges from law enforcement. And yet, when a synagogue in Sydney was attacked, when swastikas were spray-painted on Jewish homes, the reaction was perfunctory at best. The message is clear: when it comes to antisemitism, Australia still has one rule for Jews and another for everyone else.

The Imported Conflict Fallacy: A Convenient Lie

One of the most insidious justifications for this rising tide of antisemitism is the claim that it is simply a case of Middle Eastern tensions “spilling over” into Australia. This is a dangerous and dishonest framing.

Jewish Australians are Australian citizens. They are not combatants in a foreign war, nor representatives of a government overseas. The idea that they should be targeted for collective punishment is both racist and absurd. And yet, this logic has been quietly mainstreamed, not just by radical activists but by media narratives that subtly imply that Jewish Australians should expect hostility because of Israel’s actions.

It must be asked: Why is no other diaspora held to this standard? Why are Chinese Australians not blamed for China’s foreign policies? Why are Muslim Australians not held responsible for Islamist extremism? The answer is obvious. There is only one group of people for whom this logic is deemed acceptable.

The Double Standards of the ‘Social Justice’ Left

The modern left, which claims to champion anti-racism, has become remarkably comfortable excusing antisemitism.

The same activists who demand accountability for historical injustices against indigenous Australians will, in the same breath, argue that Jewish people have no historical claim to their own homeland. The same political groups that claim to stand against racism will march alongside individuals calling for the destruction of Israel—not a two-state solution, not peace, but destruction.

What we are witnessing is not merely an attack on Israel, but an attempt to delegitimise the Jewish people’s right to exist as a people. When protests include signs declaring “Zionists not welcome”, what is being said is that Jews who believe in their own nationhood are to be cast out of society. It is the oldest hatred, repackaged for modern times.

The Historical Parallels We Must Not Ignore

It is impossible to ignore the echoes of history. When Jewish businesses and places of worship are marked with hate symbols, we are not merely witnessing an isolated crime—we are witnessing the early warning signs of something far worse.

The European Jewish communities of the 1930s were not suddenly exterminated overnight. First, they were dehumanised. Then, they were segregated. Then, the violence escalated. Those who claim “it could never happen here” should take a long, hard look at how rapidly things have changed in Australia in just a matter of months.

Where This Leads

History is clear: antisemitism never stops at rhetoric. If left unchecked, it escalates. The reluctance of Australia’s institutions to decisively address this crisis has already emboldened those who seek to make Jewish life in Australia untenable.

The Cost of Indifference

The next time you see a so-called “pro-Palestine” march, ask yourself:

• If this were truly about human rights, why is the primary target always Jews?

• If this were truly about freedom, why is Hamas—an actual oppressor—never condemned?

• If this were truly about justice, why does it so closely resemble history’s darkest moments?

• Why are they covering their faces?, Why do their slogans sound more like war cries than peace efforts?, Why is every Muslim atrocity ignored while every Israeli action is scrutinised?

Because this is not about human rights. This is selective outrage weaponised against Jews, and it’s time we call it what it is.

Because the answer is simple.

This was never about Palestine.

It has always been about the oldest hatred in the world.

And the world is watching.