Pope Leo XlV recently proclaimed the traditional papal blessing “Urbi et Orbi” meaning “to the City and to the World.” In his blessing to Rome and the world, he opened his address by exclaiming and emphasising peace, urging the millions watching to find ways for all peoples to unite under G-d. His address was a plea to the world to eschew hatred and violence and embrace G-d’s love. (He did not mention the Christians being murdered in Africa.)
Australia also had its Urbi et Orbi moment on 3 August. Unlike the papal version which at least called for peace, if naively, the Australian Palestine Action Network had hatred on its agenda, overt hatred. Specifically hatred of the Jewish State of Israel.
Despite the police attempts to stop the Australian Palestine Action Network from an unprecedented march across the world famous iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge that connects the city over the bay, Supreme Court Judge Belinda Rigg deemed the purpose of the march to highlight awareness of the alleged non-existent starvation and conditions in Gaza to be in the public interest. She blithely said that this public spectacle of hatred towards Jews overshadowed police concerns of disorder. Further, the esteemed judge declared, this international exposure would put further pressure on Israel thereby providing a tailwind for traditional western allies recognising the “State of Palestine.”
Australia’s Urbi et Orbi publicty stunt did not advocate for peace as the organisers and their political backers including PM Albanese maintained. Quite the opposite.
-The “peaceful” march of 100,000 anti -Israel “peace” activists included a large poster of Iranian Leader Khamenei holding a rifle. That is the Khamenei who regularly calls for Israel’s total annihilation.
-Another poster had Netanyahu with a Hitler moustache.
-Another had an Israeli flag and swastika superimposed on the Star of David.
-Prominent politicians and personalities called for Israel’s isolation, BDS and more. All code for Israel’s destruction in the framework of a “peace march.”
-FM Penny Wong said worriedly that if recognition is delayed, there will not be a Palestine to recognise, as Israel is poised to make bold decisions that make the “State of Palestine” unfeasible.
A genuine peace march might also have included the horrors of Sudan where large scale killing and child rape are the norm. Yemen where the Houthis are out of control, Islamic terrorists murdering Christians in Africa and Ukraine too. But no, none of that trivia.
The Albanese Labour government has always been hostile to Israel. Jews rationalise that there is a growing Muslim population that plays a factor but that is not the whole story.. “There is no place for anti-semitism in Australia,” is the standard response to assaults, anti-semitic chants and destruction of property.
Jewish Australians who have contributed to Australia’s success far more than other communities in medicine, law, the arts, academia and commerce feel betrayed by their present government. And rightly so. Many question whether Jews have a future in Australia. The Australian gov't turns a deaf ear to Jewish concerns apart from the familiar parroted platitude.
Australia has decided to appease radical Islamists and their political allies in the Greens Party and pro-Palestine members of the Labour Party. All this detracts attention from local problems such as a lacklustre economy, growing poverty, homelessness and Aboriginal deaths in custody (Aboriginals are less than 4% of the population but account for 23% of such deaths.)
Israel must stand firm and push back the relentless propaganda and corrupted version of Australia’s manipulative publicity-seeking version of Urbi et Orbi.
Australians could also be reminded that Israel tipped off Australia’s security officials about a terror attack on Etihad Airlines flying from Sydney to Abu Dhabi a few years ago. Many Australian lives were saved by Israel’ intelligence services.
Should Israel continue to play nice with an overtly hostile government that shamefully has betrayed not only its longstanding friendship with Israel but betrayed its own Jewish community by ignoring rampant anti-semitism?
Ron J. Hutter is the author of the satire on antisemitism “ The Trombone Man: Tales of a misogynist.”