Israeli Ambassador Warns of Rising Anti-Semitism in Australia Surpassing Muslim Countries

Israeli Ambassador to Australia Hillel Newman published a sharp op-ed in The Australian newspaper warning about the alarming rise of anti-Semitism in Australia. Drawing on his 26 years as an Israeli diplomat, Newman stated he has never witnessed such intense hatred toward Israel and the local Jewish community, not even during his previous postings in Muslim-majority countries Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. He emphasized that while in those countries he encountered people who were not extremists and showed greater understanding of Israeli issues, the situation in Australia is marked by protests calling for Israel’s destruction and denying its right to exist.

Newman also referenced testimonies from the ongoing Australian Royal Commission investigating anti-Semitism and social cohesion, established after the deadly 2022 Bondi Beach terror attack that killed 15 Jews. He noted that alongside classical anti-Semitism, anti-Zionism is increasingly used as a cover for hatred against Jews. "Those who feel it is less acceptable today to attack Jews cloak their anti-Jewish hatred as hatred of the Jewish state," he wrote.

While acknowledging legitimate criticism of Israeli government policies, Newman stressed that the hostility seen in Australian streets is not political critique but pure anti-Semitism. He observed a shift from hostility toward individual Jews to targeting Jewish national identity through Israel. Newman’s diplomatic career includes senior policy roles in the Israeli Foreign Ministry, consul general in Los Angeles, and ambassador to Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. He holds a PhD in Jewish history from Bar-Ilan University.

The Royal Commission continues its work focusing on the spread of anti-Semitic content online and in traditional media. Last month, the commission’s commissioner, former judge Virginia Bell, rejected the Australian government’s request to keep certain investigation documents confidential.