Australian rabbis demand end of pro-intifada rallies, establishment of Royal Commission into antisemitism

Jewish residents have been advised by police to avoid public areas for their own safety — a situation the rabbis said effectively limits Jewish participation in civic life while leaving those inciting hatred unchecked.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Senior Australian rabbis have urged Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to take immediate federal action against what they describe as a sharp escalation of antisemitism, warning that Jewish communities are facing growing physical danger and social exclusion.

In a letter delivered Thursday, the Rabbinical Association of Australasia called for a nationwide ban on demonstrations they say promote hatred and violence against Jews, alongside the establishment of a Federal Royal Commission into antisemitism. The rabbis said recent rallies framed as political protests have crossed into open advocacy for violence and the destruction of Israel.

According to the letter, antisemitic incidents have risen steadily over the past two years, with recent weeks marking what the rabbis described as a dangerous turning point. Demonstrations at major city landmarks, they wrote, have featured chants such as “from the river to the sea” and calls to “globalise the intifada,” which they argued are widely understood as appeals for mass violence against Jews rather than legitimate political expression.

The rabbis, representing multiple religious traditions and a range of political views, said authorities have allowed such marches to proceed with little restriction.

At the same time, Jewish residents have been advised by police to avoid public areas for their own safety — a situation the rabbis said effectively limits Jewish participation in civic life while leaving those inciting hatred unchecked.

“This is not an abstract concern,” the letter states, describing rabbis providing support to injured community members, consoling bereaved families, and assisting children who are afraid to attend school openly as Jews. The rabbis said fear has driven many to withdraw from universities, public institutions, and visible communal life.

The letter also linked the recent deadly Bondi Beach attack to a broader environment in which antisemitic rhetoric has become normalized, arguing that acts of violence emerge from sustained incitement rather than isolated causes.

The rabbis outlined two core demands: criminalizing slogans they say explicitly promote violence and banning hate-driven marches; and launching a Federal Royal Commission with authority to examine antisemitism across state lines, online platforms, extremist networks, and funding channels under Commonwealth jurisdiction.

While acknowledging existing government reviews, the rabbis said internal processes have failed to restore confidence. “Trust has been badly shaken,” the letter states, adding that only a transparent, independent inquiry can rebuild it.

Signed by Rabbi Nochum Schapiro and the association’s leadership, the letter frames the appeal as nonpartisan and grounded in Australia’s moral obligations, warning that inaction risks further harm to Jewish Australians.