Jewish community pressures royal commission to clamp down on left-wing anti-Semitism

The Jewish community, through anti-Semitism envoy Jillian Segal, is challenging the royal commission into the Bondi massacre to confront what they see as the greatest driver of anti-Jewish hostility in Australia: the left-wing assault on zionism.

With only six weeks left for the royal commission to finish its work, Ms Segal today proposed a crackdown on institutions she sees as centres of anti-Semitism, including the ABC, universities, the arts and public health care.

Ms Segal argues a fourth form of particularly potent anti-Jewish hostility has emerged in addition to Islamic extremists and anti-Jewish sentiment on the far left and right. She describes “modern, ‘progressive’ anti-Semitism as the most pervasive form facing Australia today”.

“It takes the hostility of Islamic extremism and far-left anti-Semitism, together with traditional anti-Semitic tropes, and gives it a respectable face through the language of social justice and human rights,” her report says.

The ABC, her toughest target, hit back at Ms Segal’s proposal for an independent fairness checker. An ABC spokesperson said its complaints process was “the most robust and transparent in the Australian media”, and it has “the highest editorial standards”.

Serious complaints about the ABC’s coverage are handled by the internal Ombudsman’s Office, headed by former media executive Fiona Cameron.

Ms Segal’s proposal to make the ABC ombudsman independent of the broadcaster, and have it handle complaints about SBS too, appears designed to put pressure on the Royal Commission into Antisemitism and Social Cohesion to make a similar recommendation.

Jewish leaders have accused the ABC of contributing to hostility towards Jews through coverage of the Israel-Palestinian conflict. One of the most notorious examples was reporting in 2025 that thousands of babies faced imminent death in Gaza under Israeli occupation. The ABC admitted the report was a “bad mistake”.

On Friday morning Jewish leader Alex Ryvchin said an anti-Israel culture was fostered within the national broadcaster by a core group of senior employees.

“There is a certain culture, there is a certain groupthink, which I think is driven by almost a handful of journalists and executives, which have this kind of political ideology, which they then coach and mentor through the organisation,” he told Sydney radio station 2GB.

Attacking Israel

The dispute between Ms Segal and the ABC is an example of the difficult choices facing royal commissioner Virginia Bell.

Appointed by a left-wing Labor Government which has a testy relationship with Israel, the former High Court judge is being asked to tackle widespread hostility towards the Jewish state that Jews say drives anti-Semitism.

Given the moral weight of her report, Ms Bell is likely to be aware that she will place Anthony Albanese in an awkward position if she makes recommendations that may upset Labor Party voters or MPs.

Jewish leaders complained at the royal commission and elsewhere that criticism of zionists — someone who supports Israel’s existence — has become a cover for anti-Semitism. Palestinian advocates and others say criticism of Israel shouldn’t be conflated with anti-Semitism.

Seventy-nine per cent of Australians have an unfavourable view of Israel, according to a survey published in June by the Pew Research Centre, a figure that rose after Israel attacked Gaza in response to the October 7, 2023, invasion by Hamas.

Other suggestions in the report, titled Combatting Antisemitism: Special Envoy’s Priorities, include new rules governing universities, healthcare professionals, the arts, immigration policies, and wider implementation of an international definition of anti-Semitism.

Student feelings

Another difficult decision for the royal commission will be how to handle anti-Jewish behaviour at the universities, where Jews report being intimidated by pro-Palestinian demonstrations. In September, Sydney University students voted nine-to-one for an academic boycott of Israel.

The Albanese Government is popular among university students for wiping out an estimated $20 billion of their debts.

That is why another of Ms Segal’s requests is so sensitive. In addition to seeking greater physical and academic protections for Jewish students and staff, she wants academic grants terminated if the recipient “engages in anti-Semitic speech or conduct”.

Such a rule would likely be used to target Macquarie University’s Randa Abdel-Fattah, a pro-Palestinian writer and hero of the left who was given an $870,000 research grant.

This week Abdel-Fattah posted an interview of herself describing the history of the Palestinians’ conflict with Israel. “This is not new,” she said, “writing and advocating through violence”.

The Jewish Council of Australia, a left-wing Jewish group, called the report “a dangerous and ideologically driven roadmap that threatens freedom of speech, academic freedom and democratic rights”.

The Australia Palestine Advocacy Network said the report furthered “anti-Palestinian racism in Australia”.

SBS said it recognised the “profound harm” anti-Semitism causes Jewish Australians but its existing complaints system “is robust and fit for purpose”.

The Government said it would “continue to work with the Special Envoy, the Jewish community and all Australians to combat anti-Semitism and strengthen our social cohesion, including through our response to the royal commission”.