A time for renewal, strength and resolve

At the United Nations on Sunday evening, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong declared that Australia now officially recognises the state of Palestine.

This is in spite of all the evidence that doing so, rather than bringing peace between Israel and the Palestinians, will drive its prospects further away. It is in spite of Hamas praising such an outcome as “the fruits of October 7”.

Last week, the Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-signed a plea with Jewish roof bodies in the United Kingdom and Canada, both also set to recognise Palestine, not to do so.

The Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council, meanwhile, authored a comprehensive report, backed by polling, detailing why Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’s promises in return for statehood recognition are unlikely to be implemented.

The evidence is clear that Australia – and the other nations going down this road of folly – have made a poor decision. The decision will also have negative consequences here at home for the Jewish community, who are still waiting for any real action from the government on Antisemitism Special Envoy Jillian Segal’s report, released in July.

The farcical and corrupt UN Commission of Enquiry’s recent libellous “genocide” report will also no doubt result in increased Jew hatred on our shores.

So what should we do?

At the moment, nothing. You read that right.

We are in the midst of the Yamim Noraim, the 10 Days of Repentance. It is pointless to stew over what our government has done because we cannot change it. Right now, our only focus should be on ourselves and those we love.

It has been another testing year. We all desperately need the time to switch off from not just the rigours of everyday life, but the extra pressures we as a community are facing.

There will be many days of fighting to come, for our place in Australia and for Israel’s place in the world. We will need to be at our best. And for that, let’s take comfort in our traditions, to remind ourselves why this matters. Let’s be introspective and better ourselves.

And may we emerge renewed in spirit, prepared to stand firm for our community, for Israel and for the values we cherish.