What is and is not antisemitism

May 15, 2026

The transcript of the first public hearing in Sydney on 4 May 2026 is revealing. The Commissioner is rigid on the Israel sponsored IHRA definition of antisemitism, does not accept that it is controversial and implicitly dismisses the alternative Jerusalem Declaration which does not equate criticism of Israel as antisemitism. Witnesses have described disgraceful examples of antisemitism – personal attacks on Jews. Witnesses have also claimed that protests lead to increasingly dangerous antisemitism and a banner proclaiming “Sanction Israel” is claimed to be antisemitic. There is concern about protests at synagogues but no reference to Israel’s destruction of 1000 mosques in Gaza and the killing of 100 Muslim preachers as of 21 January 2024. There is no empathy expressed for the 75,811 Palestinians killed by Israel in Gaza up to 3 May 2026.