Victorian Liberal leader Jess Wilson has promised to outlaw the phrase 'globalise the intifada' if her party wins the upcoming state election. The pledge follows Queensland's recent legislation banning the phrase, which Wilson argues incites violence against the Jewish community. Used at pro-Palestine protests in Melbourne, the term's meaning is debated, with many in the Jewish community viewing it as hateful. Wilson cited concerns about safety and community cohesion, noting families and Jewish residents avoid Melbourne's CBD on weekends due to protests. The move aims to reduce tensions and protect the Jewish community from perceived threats.
Former Israeli hostage Daniella Gilboa has sent a message of support to people affected by the Bondi Beach terror attack. She said she felt a connection with survivors and victims' families after visiting the temporary menorah memorial at Archer Park. Ms Gilboa, who was held for 477 days before her release in January 2025, is in Australia to perform at the SHIR Australian Jewish Music Festival. The Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion is due to deliver its final report on December 18, four days after the anniversary of the attack.
A 73-year-old Mount Colah man has been charged by the Australian Federal Police over allegedly displaying prohibited Nazi symbols online. The charges follow a four-month investigation by the AFP's National Security Investigations team, which began in June after a report about an online user posting banned symbols alongside antisemitic commentary. Investigators searched a residential property in the Upper North Shore suburb on Tuesday and seized several electronic devices. The man faces four counts of publicly displaying prohibited Nazi symbols, which carries a maximum penalty of five years' imprisonment if convicted.
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Reports of antisemitic incidents in Canberra doubled over the last financial year, ACT Policing data shows. ACT Policing received 73 reports, up from 37 the previous year, including displays, graffiti, posters, stickers and comments. Chief Police Officer Scott Lee said each report was assessed and actioned. Overall police attendances fell 7 per cent to 48,192 incidents, while family violence-related assaults made up 43 per cent of assaults. Police complaints fell to 61 from 107.
An ombudsman report has found the University of Technology Sydney alienated Jewish students and must issue several apologies over how it handled complaints tied to a campus event. The National Student Ombudsman's report makes seven recommendations, including apologies to students who complained about a pro-Palestine rally and to the Australasian Union of Jewish Students for an incorrect external review finding. The Executive Council of Australian Jewry said the university needed real change, not just apologies. UTS vice-chancellor Andrew Parfitt accepted that individual complaints were poorly handled and said the university had zero tolerance for anti-Semitism.
The University of Technology Sydney mishandled complaints made by Jewish students after an on-campus pro-Palestine protest, according to the National Student Ombudsman. The ombudsman has made seven recommendations to the university, including that it apologise to the students and review its on-campus protest policy. Two students received no response to their complaints, which breached the university's own policy, while others received a generic reply. The university said it had apologised and accepted its handling was inadequate.
The National Student Ombudsman has found the University of Technology Sydney failed to properly handle complaints from Jewish students after a pro-Palestine rally. Some students received no response, while others got generic replies. The ombudsman also found the university wrongly named the Australasian Union of Jewish Students in its review recommendations, damaging the group's reputation. Education Minister Jason Clare said the university had let Jewish students down and that universities must take complaints of racism seriously.
An investigation alleges the Combat Antisemitism Movement made false claims to the Royal Commission into Antisemitism and Social Cohesion. The group said critics did not contact it before publishing stories about its summit. The outlet says it sent questions to the group's chief executive, Sacha Roytman, before publication and received no response. The group is planning a conference in Sydney on November 26 and 27 with support from state and federal governments, and the author alleges its political agenda extends well beyond what it presents publicly.
The trial of two Sydney nurses accused of antisemitism has been delayed again. Ahmad Rashad Nadir, 28, and Sarah Abu Lebdeh, 27, pleaded not guilty to making threats against Israeli patients and refusing to treat them. The trial was set to begin on Monday but was postponed due to a constitutional issue. The matter will be mentioned in Parramatta on November 19. The pair allegedly made the threats during an online video chat in February 2025 while working at Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital.
Melbourne's Jewish community marked the third anniversary of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, with attendees describing the pain as hard to describe. At a commemoration service in Caulfield, speakers highlighted the profound impact of the event and the rise in antisemitism. Meanwhile, a small group of pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered in Melbourne to call for a ceasefire and highlight the suffering in Gaza.
A Jewish leader has condemned pro-Palestinian vigils planned in Sydney, Wollongong, and Melbourne on the third anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attacks, calling them 'despicable'. The events, promoted under the slogan 'don’t let Israel steal the date', have drawn widespread criticism from politicians and Jewish groups. NSW Premier Chris Minns described the Sydney vigil as 'heartless', while Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane called it 'sickening and reprehensible'. The Jewish community is focusing on commemorating the anniversary, marking it as a day of profound trauma. Safety concerns have led to some event locations being kept private.
Sydney's Jewish community held commemorations for the victims of the 2023 Hamas attack in Israel, marking the first such events since the Bondi Beach terror attack. The service at a venue in Sydney's east featured high-profile attendees, candle lighting, and prayers. Participants also honoured the 15 people killed in the Bondi shooting during a Hanukkah celebration. The event included musical performances and speeches addressing antisemitism and its impact on Jewish communities worldwide.
