Abandoning Israel is abandoning the Jewish people
History will remember those who stood for moral clarity – and those who chose political expediency. Australia must decide which side of history it wants to be on
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong cannot claim to oppose antisemitism while simultaneously undermining Israel’s right to self-defence.
Jews have seen what happens when the world turns its back on them. They saw it in the 1930s when nations refused to take in Jewish refugees. They saw it in 1948 when Arab armies sought to wipe Israel off the map. They see it now, as Israel faces existential threats and political leaders hesitate to offer unequivocal support.
Denying Israel’s legitimacy is an attack on Jewish identity, history and survival. Those who claim to stand against antisemitism must recognise this, or they risk perpetuating the very hate they claim to oppose.
Within Israel itself, there is robust debate over government policies. Criticism of a government’s actions, whether it be on settlements, military operations or domestic policy, is part of a healthy discourse.
However, when the conversation moves into questioning Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state, it crosses a line. Saying “Israel is a colonial project,” an “apartheid state” or demanding its erasure “from the river to the sea” is not a call for justice – it is a call for the destruction of the Jewish homeland.
This rhetoric is deeply painful for Jews because it echoes historical calls for their annihilation, from ancient times to the Holocaust.
When political parties in Australia, such as the Greens and elements in Labor, label Israel a “genocidal state” or “colonial enterprise”, they do not just attack a government; they attack the very legitimacy of Jewish nationhood. To call Jews “colonisers” in their ancestral homeland is historically ignorant and morally indefensible.
It may be difficult for some to grasp that for Jews, Israel is not just a country – it is the land of our ancestors, our sacred texts, and the direction in which we have prayed for thousands of years. It is mentioned in our prayers, enshrined in our traditions and embedded in our consciousness. When people deny its legitimacy, they are dismissing Jewish heritage itself. It would be akin to telling Indigenous Australians that their connection to their land is meaningless. Such a claim would be rightfully condemned. Yet, when Jews express the same distress over Israel’s delegitimisation, they are often met with hostility or indifference.
Australia’s Labor government, led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong, claims to support a two-state solution where Israel and a Palestinian state coexist in peace. But this position is meaningless if only one side is genuinely interested in peace. The reality is that Israel has repeatedly sought peace, while its enemies have openly declared that they want Israel gone.
Instead of standing unequivocally with Israel – a truly democratic nation and a close ally – the Labor government has made disturbing moves that signal abandonment.
One is at the United Nations, which has a long history of institutional bias against Israel, passing countless resolutions against it while largely ignoring atrocities committed by nations like Iran, China and Russia. Rather than standing against this hypocrisy, the Albanese government has joined the chorus of Israel-bashers, shifting Australia’s voting pattern to align more closely with anti-Israel forces.
UNRWA, which Australia helps fund, has been exposed – again and again – for having employees tied to Hamas, for allowing its schools to be used as weapons’ storage, and for promoting hatred against Jews in its education materials. Why is Australia sending taxpayer dollars to an organisation that aids and abets terrorism?
After October 7, there should have been no hesitation in Australia’s response. Any moral government would have stood firmly with Israel, recognising its absolute right to defend itself. Instead, we have seen equivocation, pressure for “restraint” and a refusal to acknowledge the true nature of Hamas’s genocidal ambitions.
Why is the Albanese government taking this stance? The uncomfortable truth is that domestic politics – not moral clarity – is driving Australia’s actions. It seems Labor is prioritising electoral calculations over standing up for democratic values and moral truth.
The question must be asked: is Australian foreign policy for sale? Are Albanese and Wong so afraid of losing votes that they are willing to betray an ally and abandon Israel to those who seek its destruction? This is not leadership. This is moral cowardice.
Australia should not be dictated by political opportunism. If Albanese and Wong truly believe in democracy, human rights and justice, then their choice is clear: Stand unequivocally with Israel, a nation that shares Australia’s democratic values, defends human rights and protects religious freedom.
Stop funding UNRWA, an organisation that fuels terrorism and spreads antisemitic indoctrination.
Reject UN bias against Israel, instead of pandering to those who want to delegitimise the only Jewish state.
Recognise that Jewish people have an unbreakable connection to Israel, just as Indigenous Australians have to their land.
History will remember those who stood for moral clarity – and those who chose political expediency. Australia must decide which side of history it wants to be on.
Jerry Lissing is a member of the ACT Jewish Community.
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