Netanya partnership at risk
Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate rejected their call and described the demonstrators’ disruptive behaviour as “unwelcome”, but referred the petition for consideration by a council committee.
Gold Coast City Council (GCCC) and its Netanya counterpart have enjoyed a fruitful 40-year official sister city relationship, culminating in a Surfers Paradise park being renamed Netanya Place in 2021. But these beneficial links could be at risk.
A group of about 20 – some wearing keffiyehs and reportedly chanting “cut ties” – attended a GCCC meeting on June 18 to submit a petition by Free Palestine Australia that calls for the sister city agreement to be withdrawn and Netanya Place renamed.
Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate rejected their call and described the demonstrators’ disruptive behaviour as “unwelcome”, but referred the petition for consideration by a council committee.
Gold Coast resident Dimitri Zindilis then launched a Change.org counter petition on June 28 that received 1500 signatures in three days. It stated, “The push to rename the park and cut ties between the Gold Coast and Netanya does not represent the wishes of this city … together we can demonstrate that we stand with Israel and our Jewish community.”
Queensland Jewish Board of Deputies (QJBD) president Jason Steinberg told The AJN, “From a Jewish perspective, any suggestion that GCCC should sever its sister city relationship with Netanya, or rename Netanya Place, is abhorrent.
“Netanya is a beautiful seaside resort city, just like the Gold Coast.
“The pro-Palestine protesters seem to think the louder and more abusive they are, the more they can force change.
“I hope the council committee will make the right decision to uphold the sister city relationship and not respond to a mob.”
Ben Naday, a board member and spokesperson for Temple Shalom Gold Coast Synagogue, said the city’s Jewish community is calling on the council to maintain sister city ties with Netanya, and the shule’s president, Louise Ward, has written to Mayor Tate, and Councillor Brooke Patterson.
“Sister City arrangements are about promoting friendship, cross-collaboration, and the Gold Coast’s reputation as a global and welcoming city – they shouldn’t be used as political footballs by radicals and terror apologists,” Naday said.
“The mayor, and the vast majority of councillors, have been a great support to our local community – especially since October 7.
“Ultimately, the actions of protestors are nothing more than an attempt to undermine the rule of law and our democratic process.”
Meanwhile, a QJBD survey of 107 Jewish Queensland residents in June found that 60.7 per cent of respondents have experienced antisemitism; 56.1 per cent felt “less safe” than they did before October 7 and 32.7 per cent felt “very unsafe”.
The most common reported antisemitic incident categories were online (56.3 per cent), graffiti (44.8), posters/leaflets (46) and harrassment/intimidation (34.5), while 2.3 per cent had experienced physical assault – including a man being spat on at Surfers Paradise.
The most common settings were on social media (71.4 per cent), in public areas (42.9), university campuses (26), workplaces (18.2) and schools (15.6).
And in an open letter late last month to University of Queensland (UQ) vice-chancellor Professor Deborah Terry – signed by 105 students, staff and alumni – “deep concern and disappointment” was expressed about a statement of commitment made between the university, UQ Muslim Students for Palestine and the student union.
The letter urged the UQ executive to retract its commitment to the activists and make antisemitism at UQ a dismissible offence.
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