‘Hatred normalised in plain sight’: Government hesitation helped foster antisemitism, Jewish leader tells probe
A top Jewish leader told a royal commission that government hesitation allowed antisemitism to grow in Australia, contributing to the Bondi massacre. Jeremy Leibler said antisemitic rhetoric became normalised after the October 7 attacks, undermining the safety Jewish Australians once felt. He argued that the failure to confront dehumanising language helped enable the violence that resulted in 15 deaths.
- ▪Jeremy Leibler, president of the Zionist Federation of Australia, submitted testimony to the Antisemitism Royal Commission in a personal capacity.
- ▪He stated that antisemitic rhetoric intensified after the October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel, leading to increased targeting of Jewish Australians.
- ▪Leibler linked the rise in hate speech and government inaction to the December 14, 2025, Bondi massacre that killed 15 people at a Hanukkah celebration.
- ▪The royal commissioner, Virginia Bell, is set to release an interim report addressing security failures related to the attack.
- ▪Leibler argued that unchecked rhetoric directly contributed to the physical violence seen in the Bondi attack.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The Sydney Morning Herald.