Revulsion at Israel’s actions in Gaza is driving a global rise in antisemitism, while efforts to conflate criticism of Israel with hatred of Jews are deepening the danger.

The evidence is overwhelming that the spike in antisemitism around the world is driven by revulsion over the Israeli genocide in Gaza.

Time and time again when it suits, the Zionist lobby blurs the distinction between Jews and the State of Israel. Some Jews say they feel threatened by Palestine protestors when they should feel shame.

The odious and dishonest response is that it is all antisemitism. Even our prime minister falls for this canard and appoints a Royal Commission on antisemitism. And he wonders why his poll numbers keep falling.

The lobby pushes the association with Israel as if it is its “home country”?

Is its loyalty to Australia or Israel? Does it think it unusual for Israeli flags to be prominently displayed at the memorial for the Bondi victims? How does it defend over 600 Australians with dual or multiple passports who have joined the IDF and are perhaps party to war crimes?

The lobby funds scores of politicians and journalists for “educational” visits to Israel. The only party that resists the brainwashing is the Greens.

Almost all its activities are ways to build the relationship with Israel. Celebrating Israel’s ‘independence’ day in Jewish schools and stitching together the Holocaust stories of student’s grandparents with the ‘refuge’ that Israel provides.

But the lobby avoids the link to Israel when it comes to genocide. It wants us to believe that the genocide in Gaza has nothing to do with antisemitism in Australia. In different circumstances this hypocrisy would be treated as a joke but for the tragedy unfolding every day in Gaza and the West Bank.

For over two years we have had hundreds of peaceful protests across Australia against the genocide. There have been very few antisemitic incidents. I have attended several rallies in Canberra. I never heard any antisemitism. This is also the view of many others who have attended and spoken at Palestine rallies. Antisemitism is scarcely mentioned at all. If it is referred to it is to make clear that the criticism is of Israel, not Jews. Speakers go out of their way to make that point. Jews have been very prominent at these rallies that our mainstream media, as defenders of the genocide, choose not to report.

Some of the antisemitic behaviour by misfits in Australia is homegrown. Most of it, however, is the result of the barbaric cruelty inflicted by Israel on the Palestinian people. It is time Albanese and others sheeted home responsibility to Israel for the spike in antisemitism which is occurring around the world. It will continue until there is peace with justice for Palestinians.

Peter Slezak put the issue very........

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