Markson details ‘powerful’ Israel trip
“I told him that in some parts of Sydney it wouldn’t feel safe to wear your Magen David or any other items that would identify you as being Jewish,” says Sharri Markson
“I’ve always stood up for the Jewish community so my resolve didn’t need strengthening, but it was a powerful experience,” Sharri Markson told The AJN about her recent trip to Israel to cover the anniversary of October 7.
Not only did Markson have a private, 45-minute meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but the Sky News journalist also spent the week interviewing survivors of the Nova music festival and Kibbutz Be’eri, released hostages and family members of those still held in Gaza.
“It was moving, it was emotional and genuinely the strongest thing to come out of it was – even though I was doing these very emotional traumatic interviews – every one of them ended with deep hug filled with gratitude and emotion,” said Markson.
“The friendship, connection and love that we all feel as Jews was the lasting impression. They’re all traumatised, but there’s still so much love there and there was the realisation that we’re all connected as Jews around the world.”
While Markson’s meeting with Netanyahu was private, she did discuss the antisemitism the Jewish community is facing in Australia.
“He was impressive,” said Markson.
“Some politicians make you feel like they’re too busy, or they only speak about themselves and they don’t ask you questions. He wasn’t like that – he was interested, he was engaging, he was warm.
“I told him that in some parts of Sydney it wouldn’t feel safe to wear your Magen David or any other items that would identify you as being Jewish.”
When Markson posted on social media about feeling safer in Israel than in Australia as a Jew, she was met by a barrage of offensive responses including, “Let’s hope she burns her Australian passport and stays away” and “Then piss off back there then, you will not be missed.”
“I think it’s really sad that there are a lot of Australians who don’t want Jews in this country, you just have to read the comments to see that,” said Markson.
“It’s absolutely devastating and absolutely irrational.”
But the viewership of Markson’s coverage from Israel was encouraging.
“It was my highest rating week ever as a Sky News host,” she said.
“Even on the Monday night [October 7] when 12,000 members of the Sydney Jewish community and 8000 of the Melbourne Jewish community were out at the vigils, it was my single highest rating night ever.”
Catch up on the Sharri in Israel episodes at SkyNews.com.au.
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