Will the Royal Commission into Antisemitism end up with a full explanation of that social problem and provide workable solutions?

DrLee Duffieldquestions whether it will help settle differences, or set up forums for more conflict especially over the crisis in Gaza.

TWO OBSTACLES stand in the way of the antisemitismRoyal Commissionachieving its objectives: mental blockages about the causes of antisemitism in Australia and the definition of antisemitism itself.

The Commission ischarged with investigatingideologically and religiously motivated extremism and radicalisation, and also strengthening social cohesion.

From pogrom in Israel to Jew hatred everywhere how?

The most common theme in the Royal Commission debate has been that antisemitism has steadily increased in Australia since the massacre on the Israeli border on7 October 2023. It is said to have been on a constant increase.

Here is the mental or intellectual problem:

How does it work that news of the pogrom could have set off a wave of antisemitism, as is claimed, within the Australian community? What could be the dynamic for that? How would it work, that Jewish people in Israel being savagely attacked would cause an upsurge of hatred towards the victims across the world?

Is there a psychological or criminological argument that it is a copycat feeling, or an event that has stirred up latent hatreds?

Marketed as accountability, the Bondi Royal Commission risks entrenching executive power, racialised policing and security theatre instead of justice.

What links to Gaza?

It seems entirely reasonable to look at another leading prospect, that in certain quarters, bad feelings against Israel and, by extension, against Jews, come from the massacre in Gaza.

The bombardments of the Gaza Strip were ordered by Israels Prime Minister,Benjamin Netanyahu, immediately after the October attacks and have continued with only a temporary pause early this year.

So, both happening at the same time: the mounting death toll in Gaza, currently over 50,000 civilians killed 40 per cent being children and increasing antisemitic incidents in Australia.

Fly the Royal Commission to Gaza?

If the Royal Commissioner, JusticeVirginia Bell, perceives links between the conflict in Australia and the conflict in Palestine and Israel, it might be valuable for her to go there. (Royal commissioners have often taken their work into the field. JusticePhilip Morgan Woodwardarmed himself with a revolver and went to oversee attempts to find bodies set in concrete, in Griffith, NSW, during his1977-79 Royal Commission into Drug Trafficking).

It is easily grasped that across the Middle East, Israel is equated with the Jews and with the Gaza crisis developing, bad feelings were going to intensify in sectors, or pockets of the Australian Islamic community.

Leaders of that community have been counselling restraint and peaceful behaviour and some refuse to listen. In theradical Islamist attackon innocents at Bondi Beach on 14 December, 40 Jewish people were shot in cold blood, 15 of those killed.

The Royal Commission may identify what kind of dangerous minority is being harboured in this country. There will be no excuses for entertaining hatreds that set off such barbarous acts, but the RC might also do some good work diagnosing causes.

The demand for a royal commission into the Bondi killings reflects media and political pressure rather than any clear investigative necessity.

Gaza protests: Humanitarian? Anti-Jewish?

An antisemitic reaction is not to be equated with objections and demonstrations of feeling by thousands of Australians appalled by Israels actions in Gaza.

Where those protests will continue to include the organised Free Palestine movement, and even radical Islamists, many other participants have been professing to an uncomplicated compassion and concern for justice. There will be animosity towards the reactionaryLikudcoalition running Israel under Netanyahu, but it is drawing a long bow to translate that into a wave of antisemitism.

Vigilance versus human rights

The Royal Commission is bound to hear that Australians across a broad range want full protection for their Jewish neighbours and friends, as for everybody.

That concern would not sanction rubbing out Palestinians and their supporters through suppression of rights, including free speech:

• no censorship of persons for lawfully criticising Israel;
• no outlawing of such expressions;
• no defamation of them or lobbying to get them cancelled or sacked from their jobs;
• no extrajudicial screening of migrants or harassment of communities; and
• no American-styleI.C.E.operations to yank Arabs or Muslims off the street and summarily kick them out of Australia.

TheJewish Council, which emerged as an antidote to conservative groups claiming to represent all Jews, has prepared its proposals on the lines of general working-together.

It has criticised a political weaponising of the Bondi massacre,stating:

What definition of antisemitism?

Prime MinisterAnthony Albanesehas been inveigled into accepting that the Royal Commission will use the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA)definition of antisemitism, which reads as exacting and fair, except that it comes with a set of examples wrapped in one-eyed argumentative constructs and double-think.

Here is the definition itself:

If the Royal Commission takes up contentious examples that work to shift criticism of Israel or its government into the antisemitism column, its goal of strengthening social cohesion will be jeopardised.

Albanese is aware of the problem, at a media conference, pointing to a softener in part of the text attached to the core definition:

Examples of the examples

To give some examples of the examples provided by the IHRA for application of its definition:

• Criticising the orchestrated campaign for a Royal Commission, which had Jewish interests involved, might be construed, disingenuously, as a case of stereotypical allegations about... the power of Jews... controlling the media.

(Such an accusation of antisemitism actually was attempted against theCathy Wilcoxcartoon showing the campaign as a right-wing partisan operation, marching to a drum beaten by Netanyahu.)

• Arguing the point with Jewish Australians who support certain Israeli policies might be named as accusing Jewish citizens of being more loyal to Israel... than to the interests of their own nations.

Some of the examples are still more interpretative and proscriptive, setting up small thickets of dispute of no use for understanding what antisemitism is:

• In one example, expecting Israel to show behaviour not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation, would be classed as discriminatory antisemitism. Which expectations are referred to, and exactly what behaviours might be exempted from criticism, is unstated and would start a lot of argument.
• A further example says that claiming the existence of Israel is a racist endeavour, would be denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination. Arguing that such a claim would threaten self-determination for Jews is a red flag for opponents. What about the Palestinians? someone would say.

A pattern of appeasement, not moral clarity, has shaped the Albanese Governments response to Gaza, Israel and the politics of antisemitism at home.

Another definition

Astatement on racism and antisemitismby Australian universities has adopted a different definition to the IHRA one and takes the opposite approach to equating criticism of Israel with antisemitism:

The universities are included in the brief of atask force on dealing with antisemitismat all levels of the education system. It is chaired by the businessman and university ChancellorDavid Gonski, andAntisemitism EnvoyJillian Segalhas a seat, along with representatives of several government departments.

Segal authored a document requesting authority to keep watch on any antisemitism in the universities (and at the ABC and SBS), and be able to impose sanctions on the organisations or personnel. Publication of the document followed apush in 2024 against the Palestine movement, running protests on campuses.

Amongst DrLee Duffields vast journalistic experience, he has served as ABC's European correspondent. He is also an esteemed academic and member of the editorial advisory board of Pacific Journalism Review, and an elected member of the University of Queensland Senate.

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